American Weathering Steel
Weather resistant steel is a type of steel which is able to remain strong and robust against any form of extreme weather and conditions. In America, steel producers manufacture a variety of different steel grades that are suitable for weather-resistant uses, such as bridges, buildings, and other structures. In order to identify weather-resistant steel grades, they are classified by their American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) standards.
Weathering steel grades are classified as A588 and A242 by the ASTM, known as atmospheric corrosion resistant steel. Both grades exhibit superior corrosion resistance features when compared to conventional steel and greater corrosion resistance when exposed to other environments. Specifically, A242 steel grades are mainly used for construction applications, such as bridges and buildings, whereas A588 steel grades are suited for a variety of applications, including oil and gas pipelines, railway systems, and more.
The chemical alloying of A588 and A242 steel grades provides additional weather resistance properties, which can be useful in the production of various transportation infrastructures and outdoor buildings. Firstly, A588 grade steel is composed of a combination of elements that includes copper, nickel, vanadium, and chromium. The combination of these elements create a metallic coating on the surface of the steel, which helps to reduce overall corrosion. On the other hand, A242 steel are composed of weathering steel alloys and small amounts of carbon, manganese, and silicon. These steel grades also feature phosphorous and copper, which are elements that further help to improve corrosion resistance properties.
Due to the superiority of both A588 and A242 steel grades, in that they feature optimal corrosion resistance, their usage for structures and buildings have been growing at an ever-increasing rate. This growing demand has caused steel producers and fabricators to increase their production and fabrication capabilities so that they are able to meet the ever-growing need and requests for weathering steel grades. Steel fabricators now offer a variety of additional services and capabilities to better accommodate the additional demand of weathering steel grades. These capabilities include CNC plasma cutting, metal bending, metal punching, metal rolling, and much more.
In conclusion, having resistant steel grades such as A588 and A242 can help stave off the effects of corrosion, making them ideal for numerous construction and transportation applications. As the demand for weather resistant steel continues to grow, steel fabricators are producing and offering more services to help better meet the needs of their customers. As such, it is increasingly helpful to purchase weather resistant steel grades from reputable steel producers and fabricators in order to ensure strong, robust, and reliable structures for years to come.
