High strength steel as a solution for the lean design of industrial buildings

This paper presents the actual case of an industrial building at CBMM’s plant in Araxá, Brazil as an example of lean design using microalloyed steels. The structure was made mostly with microalloyed ASTM A572 steel instead of the traditional carbon manganese ASTM A36 steel. This paper provides a metallurgical evaluation of the microstructures of both steel types together with their respective mechanical properties. The effect of niobium, which promoted increased strength and toughness simultaneously, allowed a 22% saving in total steel consumption within this project. Cost reduction and benefits in energy and CO2 emissions are demonstrated. (AU) Copyright © 2015 Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração (CBMM) All rights reserved.