Introduction
H-shaped steel is extensively used in steel structural sector, such as bridges, buildings, transport equipment, hydraulic and engineering machinery, etc. These kinds of steel materials have the advantages of light weight and high strength, good plasticity, for the structures with good seismic performance. But, to meet the construction requirements and the higher economic benefits, it is urgent to improve the performance of H-shaped steel.
Analysis
First, chemical compositions of the steel materials should be chosen carefully. In most cases, chemical composition has an important effect on the mechanical properties of H-shaped steel. Especially manganese should obey certain standard, which affects the strength and toughness. To increase the strength of steel materials, silicon and phosphorus should be included in a certain range. Thus, certain requirements of the chemical composition should be set.
Second, it is essential to select an appropriate heat treatment process. The heat treatments of h-shaped steel should be considered carefully during the manufacturing process. The temperature, duration and cooling medium are all important factors. Under normal circumstances, the cooling medium should be a form of water or air. Appropriate temperatures are also necessary for each section. In order to ensure this process as well as the hardness and strength of the h-shaped steel, special requirements should be applied.
Third, considering the welding process since h-shaped steel is mainly used for construction. The welding technology used in the manufacturing of h-shaped steel should be stable and reliable. In order to ensure the quality of the welding joints, a reasonable selection of welding wires, welding current and number of welding passes should be taken into account, that is to prevent pore or cracks from occurring.
Fourth, surface treatment should be done at the last stage of the manufacturing process. Since h-shaped steel is mostly applied in outside environment, it should be anti-corrosion and adapted to the humidity, temperature changes and other external conditions. In certain cases, paint coating and galvanization might be applied to enhance the corrosion resistance of the surface.
Conclusion
To sum up, the performance of h-shaped steel could be improved in terms of chemical composition, heat treatment process, welding process and surface treatment. Each process is closely related to the quality of the h-shaped steel and the application, thus, should be done carefully with reasonable standard. The efforts of all of these will ultimately result in higher quality and better economic benefits.
