The Performance of Niobium-Microalloying Ultra-High-Strength Bridge Cable Steel during Hot Rolling

Abstract

This study focuses on exploring the effects of niobium (Nb)-microalloying on the properties of steel for ultra-high-strength bridge cables during hot-rolling processes. We employed a combination of dual-pass compression tests, stress–strain curve analysis, and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) techniques to investigate the influence of Nb-microalloying on the static recrystallization behavior and grain size of the steel. The key findings reveal that Nb-microalloying effectively inhibits static recrystallization, particularly at higher temperatures, significantly reducing the volume fraction of recrystallized grains, resulting in a finer grain size and enhanced deformation resistance. Secondly, at a deformation temperature of 975 °C, Nb-containing steel exhibited finer grain sizes compared to Nb-free steel when held for 10 to 50 s; however, the grain size growth accelerated when the hold time exceeded 50 s, likely linked to the increased deformation resistance induced by Nb. Lastly, this research proposes optimal hot-rolling process parameters for new bridge cable steel, recommending specific finishing rolling temperatures and inter-pass times for both Nb-containing and Nb-free steels during the roughing and finishing stages. This study suggests optimal hot-rolling parameters for both Nb-containing and Nb-free steels, providing essential insights for improving hot-rolling and microalloying processes in high-carbon steels for bridge cables.

Modular Finite Element Modeling of Heavy Plate Rolling Processes Using Customized Model Reduction Approaches

“…Beyond the yield limit, the material is deforming plastically with 90% of the plastic energy as heat sources. Individual and temperature-and strain-dependent flow stress curves are selected for each pass, based on the mean strain rate in the deformation zone of each individual pass, to approximate the microstructural dynamics during plastification [13][14][15]. As an example, the temperature-and strain-dependent flow curves of passes 9 and 20 are shown in Figure 5b.…”

“…An in-depth, model-supported investigation of recrystallization during hot deformation associated with heavy plate rolling of C-Mn steel, Nb micro-alloyed or not, is provided in [12]. Microstructural changes in the material related to hot rolling and crucial for defining flow curves and hardening/softening effects are discussed in [13][14][15]. On the other hand, alternatives to conventional or variants of hot rolling processes are also being modeled and simulated.…”