High Strength Low Alloy Steels - Indian Scenario

Rachit Khanna, Shambhu Kumar Jha

(M. N. Dastur & Company (P) Ltd, Kolkata, India)
Abstract: The application of High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) steels has been expanded to almost all fields viz. ship building, line
pipe, building construction, bridges, storage tanks, pressure vessels, high strength fasteners, suspension springs to name a few, after
its initial application in the automobile industry. Owing to its high strength to weight ratio, excellent toughness and formability,
demand for HSLA steel is increasing globally. In India boom in automobile sector, construction industry and various offshore
facilities promises a huge potential for HSLA steel applications. This paper discusses processing routes and applications along with
the present scenario and future prospects of HSLA steel in India.
Key words: micro alloying elements; thermo-mechanical controlled processing (TMCP); annealing; thin Slab Casting and Rolling.

1 Introduction
To meet the growing demand for steels with structural
integrity and high quality levels in terms of strength
and toughness, intense research have been carried out
for development of HSLA steels in recent years. The
development of HSLA steels - their alloy design,
processing and application covers the last four
decades. During this period, micro-alloyed or HSLA
steels became an indispensable class for
structural applications. Their ability to achieve
final engineering properties in hot-rolled
conditions eliminated the need for heat treatment.
Development of HSLA steels was based on the idea of
increasing strength by microalloying with Group VI
elements, which readily form carbides. Dual
advantages were drawn by way of grain refinement
and precipitation strengthening. The crux of the
technique has been the balancing of microalloying
elements viz. Nb, V and Ti and imparting suitable
thermo-mechanical controlled processing. However,
the influence of Nb, V and Ti in each strengthening
mechanism as well as their overall effect is not the
same. Further addition of elements such as Cr, Ni and
Mo increases hardenability of hot austenite during
slab soaking prior to rolling. These elements being
rather expensive, Boron doping to ppm level has been
found quite effective to achieve identical effect.
HSLA steels are characterised by high strength,
superior toughness, low impact transition temperature,
good formability/ drawability, good weldability and
corrosion resistance.

2 Applications

The properties of HSLA steels have led them to the

use in various industries which include oil and gas
pipeline (with lower impact transition temperature
value, also suitable in arctic region), heavy-duty
highway and off-road vehicles (having increased load
bearing capacities and better environmental
friendliness), construction and farm machinery,
industrial equipment, storage tanks, mine and railroad
cars, barges and dredges, snowmobiles, lawn mowers
and passenger car components (enabling reduction of
vehicle weight and better fuel efficiency by reduction
in sheet metal thickness). Bridges, offshore structures,
power transmission towers, light poles, building
beams and panels are additional uses of these steels.

3 Production and Processing of HSLA Steels

3.1 Steel making and continuous casting
Hot metal, after pretreatment is refined in an oxygenblowing converter. Then the molten steel is treated
using a vacuum degasser to achieve lower carbon
content. The decarburising step is followed by an
addition of microalloying elements, with the aim of
formation of carbides of microalloying elements for
precipitation hardening.
The steel produced by mini mills for thin slab casting
is made mainly in EAF, using scrap as charge material.
In several instances, a thin slab caster associated with
an integrated steel plant will be relying on steel from
BOF shop. Of the various residual elements, inherited
from scrap, several can be tolerated and used as alloy
addition. The high residual nitrogen content of EAF
steel is being used to advantage in HSLA slabs by

promoting the formation of micro-alloyed nitrides,

rather than carbides for precipitation.
Molten steel that has had its chemical composition
thus adjusted is continuously cast into slabs, which in
turn, passes through subsequent processes such as hot
rolling, cold rolling and turned into final product. The
vertical mould continuous caster, in which the mould
and support rolls are arranged vertically, is used for
better quality because it promotes the separation (by
flotation) of non-metallic inclusions poured into the
mould.
The mini/midi thick slab solidifies at a faster rate than
the conventional thick slab. For example, a 50 mm
thick slab solidifies within 1.5 minutes compared to
15 minutes for conventional slab of 190-230 mm
thickness[2]. This has a positive effect on formation of
inclusions, they are small and globular. Bending and
impact properties are both in the rolling direction and
transverse to it. The occurrence of traverse cracks
caused by loss in ductility on cooling is avoided by
bending of the slab at a temperature above the
ductility trough.
The main purpose of HSLA steel processing is to
produce fine and homogenous ferrite grains as well as
high volume fraction of carbide/nitride precipitate
during or after austenite-ferrite transformation. This
process results in superior mechanical properties such
as high strength, toughness, good ductility and
weldability.
3.2 Hot rolling
Thermo-mechanical controlled processing (TMCP) is
adopted during rolling. In controlled rolling operation,
specific amount of deformation is given at specific
temperature range. The basic essence of controlled
rolling operation is grain refinement through repeated
crystallisation,
during
which
appropriate
microstructure and mechanical properties are imparted.
TMCP process has been successfully adopted in many
steel rolling mills based on mill layout, product-mix
and individual mill automation level. TMCP is carried
out in plate mills or hot strip mills. The rolling
schedule depends on initial slab thickness, steel
composition, final product thickness and mechanical
properties desired.
The steel slabs are reheated to 1050 1250 OC and
soaked enough for sufficient dissolution of
carbonitride precipitates. Rolling passes in the

roughing stand has to be designed to reduce the

austenite grain size by successive recrystallisation.
Thereafter, further reduction is achieved in finishing
stands at suitable temperature (about 850 650 OC).
To keep mill productivity, two slabs are used
simultaneously so that one is allowed to cool to
suitable temperature for finishing passes.
The rolling practice followed in a hot strip mill is
different from that in a plate mill. Strip widths are
narrower, rolling speeds are higher, thickness
reductions are greater and the total rolling times are
much shorter. In a hot strip mill, the time from slab
drop out to exiting the last finishing stand is only
about 1 to 2 minutes. Comparable times are 5 to 10
minutes for reversing plate or structural rolling. The
above time is important and variable in plate and
structural rolling for inter-passes, static hardening and
softening processes than in strip rolling.
In case of TMCP in hot strip mill there is generally no
holding period. Processing of HSLA steels in a hot
strip mill can be divided into the following different
stages. Fig.1 indicates these process stages in
schematic representation:
 reheating prior to rolling (reheating furnace);
 controlled rolling of austenite in recrystallisation
region (roughing mill);
 controlled rolling of austenite in nonrecrystallisation region (finishing mill);
 controlled cooling after rolling (laminar water
cooling on runout table and coiling).

Fig. 1 Schematic representation of controlled rolling

process

In conventional hot strip mills, the material after high

temperature roughing passes (about 7 passes) enters a
train

of rolls in finishing stand with increasing speed where

deformation is given at 1000 to 850 OC. This is
followed by cooling down to 650 to 550 OC utilising
laminar strip cooling system and coiling in coiler(s).
With the rapid deformation in finishing stands the
material develops fine grain sizes by recrystallisation.
Very fine carbonitride precipitates obtained in coil add
to increase of strength.
In thin slab casting and rolling mills, the mini/midi
thick slabs from the caster enter the tunnel type
furnace for the temperature homogenisation along the
section of the slab and then to the rolling mill. The
slab is discharged directly into the rolling mill. In
some processes like QSP, FTSR, ISP etc., where
initial slab thickness is 80-100 mm, 1/2 stand
roughing stands are utilised as initial breakdown
passes. Heavy reduction must be applied to achieve
full recrystallisation within the limited time interval
between passes. Reduction in the stands is followed
by accelerated cooling of the strip on the run-out table
to lower the temperature for austenitic to ferritic
transformation which contribute to grain refinement.
Precipitation in ferrite to impart strengthening takes
place in the coil so the coiling temperature is
controlled usually at 600 OC. The advantages of
processing HSLA steel by thin slab technology are
given below:
EAF steelmaking; use
of nitrogen & residuals
as alloys

Alloy cost

In-line processing

Time advantage

Rapid solidification

Homogenous
microstructure; isotropic
properties
due
to
globular inclusions

Direct charging

Energy savings

Thin slab thickness

Near net shape

Tunnel furnace

Uniform
properties;
reduced scaling

Hot rolling by RCR

practice high reduction
per stand.

Grain refinement of with

austenite;
high
productivity

Accelerated cooling

Good
strengthtoughness balance

Low carbon content

Weldability & toughness

3.3 Cold rolling

Within the last few years, driven mainly by the
requirement of automotive industry for higher strength
coated sheet steels, research on TMCP has shifted
from hot mill to the cold rolling mill. Most of the steel
sheets used in automotive body are in the cold rolled
and annealed condition to provide strength and desired
crystallographic texture for formability.
Two methods of annealing are presently in use
worldwide; batch annealing and continuous annealing.
In the traditional batch annealing process, two or three
cold-rolled steel coils are stacked in a hood type
furnace to undergo heating, say in a solid mass state.
In the stacking and tightly wound steel coils, the steel
sheets come into contact with each other. Accordingly,
these steel sheets, if heated to temperature as high as
850 OC, are likely to suffer thermal sticking and
become useless as satisfactory steel sheets. Annealing
is carried out in a protective gas atmosphere of 100%
hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen. In
the continuous annealing line (CAL) sheets are
individually heated while the coils are being unwound,
thereby eliminating thermal sticking and allowing
annealing to be performed at high temperatures, say
850 OC or 900 OC. CAL was first put into commercial
use in 1972. The CAL technology offers high
productivity and is unique in that it can perform the
various types of heat treatment required for
developing and manufacturing new steel products.
Alloying addition during steelmaking is done keeping
in mind the further processing requirements. When
batch annealing route is used, the high strength grades
are produced from Al-killed steel treated with solid
solution, strengthening elements such as phosphorous
and Manganese. However, in the continuous annealing
route, IF steel is stabilised by precipitating the
carbides and carbo-nitrides of these elements.

4 Prospects of HSLA Steel

It is said that the twenty-first century will be a century
concerned with the global environment. In recent
years, many discussions have been made on a
worldwide scale about global warming, protection of
the global environment, and life cycle assessment
(LCA) as urgent and important subjects. From the
standpoint of the global environment, social needs for
energy saving, higher safety, and longer life will

become increasingly stronger in future. It is, therefore,

expected that the properties, which can meet these
needs, will be required for steel.
The future market demands for HSLA steel will be
 higher strength to contribute to weight reduction;
 higher toughness to ensure safety from
earthquakes, fires, and other incidents;
 higher reliability to prolong life against fatigue
behaviour and corrosion;
 higher weldability to realise high heat input
weldability;
 higher workability to realise economical
fabrication.
To meet these higher requirements, the development
of new HSLA steel by combining HSLA steel with
other technologies and search into the new potentials
of HSLA steel will be essential.

5 HSLA Steels in India

As per World Steel Dynamics observations in their
Global Steel alert, the demand for Indian steel is likely
to grow at a rate of 7 percent on an average in the near
future. This growth is also reflected in the large
demand of HSLA steel mainly due to rise in
automotive output, boom in the domestic construction
industry and increase in offshore facilities. However,
the automotive sector is the major consumer of HSLA
steel in India and it would continue to do so in the
years to come. Keeping this in view, Indian steel
manufacturers are making considerable growth in this
field. Various grades of EDD & IF grades of steel
have been developed and successfully produced
commercially. Owing to its higher strength-to-weight
ratio and excellent formability, opportunities to
increase the amount of steel required in vehicles has
been explored taking the safety and mileage criteria in
view. Table 1 below indicates the production of
various vehicles in India, which show a remarkable
increase in almost all the vehicles.
Table 1 Production of cars and MUVs in India[3]
Year
Cars
MUVs
2001-02
564,052
105,667
2002-03
608,851
118,879
2003-04
842,437
186,103

Table 2 shows the extent of use of different materials

in a typical family vehicle, for the year 1990 and 2000,

which indicates that use of steel declined by about 7 %

between 1990 and 2000, while the use of HSLA steel
has been increasing.
Table 2 Uses of different materials in a typical family
vehicle[4]
(Figures in lbs.)
Material

2000

1990

Low carbon steel

..

1319

1405

HSLA steel

..

289

238

Other steels

..

43

40

Plastic and plastic components ..

258

229

Aluminium

..

200

159

Magnesium castings

..

14

HSLA steels are being manufactured commercially in

public and private sector companies in India including
Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL), Tata Steel, Essar
Steel, Jindal Steel, Ispat Industries Ltd. (IIL), etc.
They have launched a major programme on high
strength steel research. Research and development
efforts are directed towards various aspects of
production of HSLA steels including steelmaking,
casting, hot rolling and cold rolling. SAIL have started
the development of micro-alloyed steel in its R&D
centre way back in seventies. Initially R&D work
started to develop high tensile plates and they ended
up with the commercial production of these plates by
the name MA-300HI, MA-350HI, MA-410HI, SAILMA450HI, etc. Table 3 below shows achieved
mechanical properties of some of these plates.
Table 3 Mechanical properties of high tensile plates[5]
Grades
YS
UTS
% El (min.)
CIE
(MPa)
(MPa)
GL =
(Joules)
min.
at 0OC
5.65Ao
(min.)
(Ao = area)
MA300 HI
300
440-560
21
40
MA350 HI
350
490-610
21
40
MA410 HI
410
540-660
20
35
HI High Impact.

SAIL also developed and commercialised various

categories of quality line-pipe steels to be used for onshore uses. Further to this, various other grades of
steel such as weather-resistant steel, high strength cold
rolled sheet mainly for automobile sector, etc have
also been commercially developed in the recent years.

SAIL have developed BSK-46 and SAPH-45 auto

grade steels for wheel rims and discs for heavy
vehicles. In one of their plant, SAIL have successfully
developed E-38 & E-34 grade micro-alloyed steel,
which are being used in the manufacturing of the long
and cross chassis members, reinforcement flanges etc.
Extensive research is being carried out for the
development of various grades of HSLA steel in Tata
Steel for nearly a decade in their R&D. Some of the
new development in processing techniques has already
been incorporated in their plant and development of
new grades of HSLA steel by varying their
composition and processing route to meet the market
demand for cost and properties is under R&D stage.
However, some of the new grades are also being
produced commercially. Tata Steel have worked
jointly with Nippon Steel, Japan and Arcelor, Europe
for technical developments of auto grade steel,
keeping in view the needs of the Indian automotive
steel market. Over years, Tata Steel has developed and
commercial produced different grades of HSLA steels.
A typical composition of the IF steel used for the
production of galvanneal coated product is given in
Table 4.
Table 4 Typical chemistry of IF steel for the production of
galvanneal coated product[6]
C, Mn, Si,
Al,
N,
Coating
%
%
%
% ppm
weight
(gm/m2)
0.003 0.13 0.01 0.038 40
80

Total
microalloying %
0.06

A typical composition of dual phase (DP) grade steels

produced through the BF-LD-RH-CC-HSM-CRM
route in Tata Steel is given in Table 5.
Table 5 Chemical composition and mechanical properties
of DP steel[6]
Chemical composition, wt %
Mechanical properties
C
Mn
Nb
Al
YS
UTS %EL HRB
(MPa) (MPa)
0.08 1.38
0.022
0.036
435
720
25
93

Another steel producer Essar Steel has made major

advancement in development and commercial
production of micro-alloyed steel. Recently they have
undertaken the development work to produce BSK-46
steel in thickness range from 3-7 mm in their hot strip

mill. The chemistry and achieved mechanical

properties of this steel grade is indicated in Table 6.
Table 6 Chemical composition and mechanical properties
of BSK-46[7]
Chemical composition,
Mechanical properties
Wt.%
C
Mn
Nb
Al
YS UTS %
Impact
MPa MPa EL value (RT)
0.07- 0.75- 0.04- 0.03- 470- 510- 21294
0.10 0.85 0.05 0.04 510 550
35

Apart from this, the joint R&D efforts of Essar Steel

and Wheels India, Indias largest steel wheel
manufacturer, have borne fruit with the development
of HSLA steel to meet the requirement of wheels for
new generation cars. Essar Steel have also associated
themselves with General Motors and Delphi
Automotive Systems Ltd. to supply their newly
developed hot rolled dual phase steel coils for
automotive applications. The development of various
grades of HSLA steel are also undertaken by other
steel manufacturers, keeping in view the future
demand of HSLA steel in various sectors.
Indian manufacturers such as Tata Steel and SAIL are
consortium members of ULSAB-AVC (Ultra Light
Steel Auto Body Advanced Vehicle Concept), which
is the latest global initiative which offers steel
solutions to meet demands for safe, fuel efficient,
affordable and environmental friendly vehicles for the
21st century.
As a result of concerted efforts made by Indian
manufacturers during the last two to three decades, a
number of new grades of steel have been developed
and commercialised.
Extensive research and
development efforts carried out in recent years have
led to the successful development of high tensile
plates, API quality steel and pressure vessel quality
steel utilising TMCP technology.

6 Conclusion
Various processing techniques and application of
HSLA steel in various fields have been discussed in
this paper along with the production and future
prospect of HSLA steel in India. In recent years the
application range of HSLA steel has been increased to
almost all markets, owing to its low alloy content and
better mechanical properties. In the years to come, the

demand for steel is going to increase substantially and

the demand of HSLA steel in particular will increase
due to its application in automobile sector,
construction steel, off-shore applications, to name a
few. The new role of micro-alloyed steel in adding
economic value through replacement of hot rolled
carbon steel is feasible today. The competitive
advantages of micro-alloyed steel compared to hot
rolled carbon steel include superior fabricability,
weight reduction by at least 25% and lower overall
cost. To fully exploit these benefits, requires vision
and dedication on the part of steel industry and its
customers. India is quite competent in producing
various categories micro-alloyed steel in R&D sector
and a few categories have also been commercially
produced on industrial stage. In recent years new
grades of HSLA steel have been developed in flat and
long products showing excellent performance and cost
reduction. The major producers in India namely, SAIL,

Tata Steel, Essar Steel, Jindal Steel etc. have already

taken necessary steps to develop new grades and
augment the processing facilities.

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