STEEL

Steel, the world's foremost construction

material, is an iron alloy that contains
between 0.2 and 2% carbon by weight.
• The advent of commercial steel production in the late 19th century
was a result of Sir Henry Bessemer's creation of an
efficient way to lower the carbon content in cast iron.

• By lowering the amount of carbon in iron to about 2 percent, the

much harder and more malleable metal product of steel is produced.

• However, for a 360 view of the History of steel, you'll have to

go back 4,000 years to the beginning of the Iron Age. Steel has been
with us for a very long time.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI),
steel can be broadly categorized into four groups based on their
chemical compositions:

• Carbon Steels

• Alloy Steels

• Stainless Steels

• Tool Steels
 Carbon Steels

Carbon steels contain trace amounts of alloying elements and account

for 90% of total steel production. 

Carbon steels can be further categorized into three groups depending on

their carbon content:

• Low Carbon Steels/Mild Steels contain up to 0.3% carbon

• Medium Carbon Steels contain 0.3-0.6% carbon

• High Carbon Steels contain more than 0.6% carbon

 Alloy Steels

• Alloy steels contain alloying elements (e.g. manganese, silicon, nickel,

titanium, copper, chromium, and aluminum) in varying proportions in
order to manipulate the steel's properties, such as its hardenability,
corrosion resistance, strength, formability, weldability or ductility.

• Applications for alloys steel include pipelines, auto parts,

transformers, power generators and electric motors.
 Stainless Steels

• Stainless steels generally contain between 10-20% chromium as the

main alloying element and are valued for high corrosion resistance.

• With over 11% chromium, steel is about 200 times more resistant to
corrosion than mild steel.

These steels can be divided into three groups based on their crystalline
structure:

• Austenitic

• Ferritic

• Martensitic
 Tool Steels
Tool steels contain tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt and vanadium in varying
quantities to increase heat resistance and durability, making them
ideal for cutting and drilling equipment. 

Steel products can also be divided by their shapes and related

applications:

• Long/Tubular Products include bars and rods, rails, wires, angles, pipes,
and shapes and sections. These products are commonly used in the
automotive and construction sectors.

• Flat Products include plates, sheets, coils, and strips. These materials
are mainly used in automotive parts, appliances, packaging,
shipbuilding, and construction. 

• Other Products include valves, fittings, and flanges and are mainly used
as piping materials.
 Properties of Steel

• High tensile strength

• Its ductile and malleable

• High durability

• It’s a good conductor of heat and electricity

• Its luster

• Rust resistance
 Uses of Steel

• Infrastructure, appliances, buildings

• Most large modern structures, such as stadiums and skyscrapers, bridges,

and airports, are supported by a steel skeleton.
• Even those with a concrete structure employ steel for reinforcing. In
addition, it sees widespread use in major appliances and cars.

• Despite growth in usage of aluminium, it is still the main material for car
bodies. Steel is used in a variety of other construction materials, such
as bolts, nails, and screws and other household
products and cooking utensils.
Manufacture of Steel

1. Bessemer process

2. Cementation process

3. Crucible steel process

4. Duplex process

5. Electric process

6. L.D process

7. Open-hearth process
Types of Heat treatments of Steel

• Annealing

• Normalizing

• Hardening

• Tempering

• Case hardening
Heat Treatment Process of Steel

1. Drawing

2. Forging

3. Pressing

4. Rolling
Market Forms of Steel

• Angle sections
• Channel sections
• Corrugated sheets
• Expanded metal
• Flat bars
• I-sections
• Plates
• Ribbed-to reinforced steel bars
• Round bars
• Square bars
• T-section
 Steel Products

Semi – finished Products

(Continuous cast steel)

Finished Products
(Rolled steel)
Fire protection of steel

1. Concrete

2. Gypsum board

3. Liquid fire resistance

4. Spray

5. In tumescent paint
 Corrosion of Metals

• When an particle made up of iron is exposed to the atmosphere, it is

observed that a reddish coat has been formed on the surface of the
particle. This coating is known as rust, it is actually an oxide of
the metal formed by the reaction with the oxygen present in the
atmosphere.

• When the surface of a metal is attacked by moisture or any other

substances around it, then the metal surface is known to be corroded
and the phenomenon is known as corrosion.
 Prevention of Metals

• Keep the area around the metal surface dry.

• Use drying agents and moisture barrier products.

• Make sure underground piping is laid in a layer of backfill, such as

limestone.

• Make sure any electrical components are cleaned regularly

• a coating of grease or oil maintained on a metal surface

• Painting is another method of preventing metal corrosion. 

 Steel Sections

Rolled steel sections are casted in continuous casting moulds without any
joints. Different shapes or forms of rolled steel sections are explained below.

• Angle sections
• Corrugated sheets
• Channel sections • Expanded metal

• T- sections • Plates

• I-sections • Ribbed bars (HYSD)

• Round bars • Ribbed bars (mild steel)

• Square bars • Thermo-mechanically

treated bars
• Flat bars
• Welded wire fabrics
Angled Sections Channel Sections T Sections

I Sections Round bar Square bar

Flat bars Corrugated sheets Expanded metal

Plates Ribbed bars Ribbed bars

(HYSD) (mild steel)
TMT bars