Application of Mild Steel in Ship Building and Its Possible Replacement

Lim Kim Hock*, Loh Jik Nen*, Ngu Hoon Gin*, Tang Howe Lin* & Tiau Kiu Ung* *Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 81310 Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

Abstract
From the past decades, mild steel is the most famous material for ship building. It is widely used in different kind of construction such as hull construction. This is mainly because of its material properties, environment issues and other design considerations. However researches were carried in order to find a better material to replace mild steel like aluminum. Several comparisons are described in this paper to indicate the particulars advantages and disadvantages. Keywords: Mild steel; Aluminum; Shipping Industry

Introduction
Carbon steel, or known as mild steel, is the major material used in shipbuilding industry over the century. It is still widely used until today because of its superior mechanical properties and also most importantly its cost. Being able to provide the strength for the ship to survive in the severe marine environment, it is well available with low cost. The growth of marine logistics services cause the demand of bigger ship to increase rapidly and hence more steel is needed for ship construction. With the advanced of technology, building of bigger ship is feasible nowadays and since the role of carbon steel in shipbuilding cannot be neglected. Despite having superior mechanical properties and also available in low cost, using carbon steel in shipbuilding do have several drawbacks. The first major issue is the weight of the carbon steel. With the demand of bigger ship for logistics service, it means the weight of the ship will be increased along with the size of the ship. The weight forces the naval architecture to find

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alternative materials to replace some part of the ship without risking the structural strength. The second issue is that the corrosion issue. The severe marine environment and the corrosion nature of the carbon steel caused the carbon steel to corrode at a faster rate. Therefore coatings and repair need to be done once in two or three years. In order to reduce the dependency on carbon steel, designers are trying to find the suitable replacement for carbon steel. The most possible alternative material is aluminum. Aluminum has an excellent strength to weight ratio that provides a great advantage for shipbuilding. Reduces of overall weight of a ship allows more cargoes to be carried per trip. Besides that it is highly corrosion resistance and therefore can survive well in the severe marine environment. Compared to the conventional structural carbon steel used in shipbuilding, it corrodes 100 times slower. The ease of fabrication also gives it a great advantage over the carbon steel. But, just like carbon steel, it has its own disadvantages. Firstly is that for some applications the high-strength and low alloy steel used have higher yield strength that aluminum cannot provide even with current technology. Secondly is the cost of aluminum which costs five times more expensive than the carbon steel. With the profitability remains a major consideration in logistics services, not many owners would willing to choose the usage of aluminum over carbon steel. In this paper, the definition of carbon steel, the types of carbon steel grades, and its application will be discussed. Besides that, the feasibility of aluminum as the replacement for carbon steel will also be discussed.

Mild steel
Basically steel is an alloy formed where iron and smaller amount of carbon are union together. Carbon steel is defined [2] by The American Iron and Steel Institude (AISI) as the steel that have no minimum content specified or required for chromium, cobalt, columbium [niobium], molybdenum, nickel, titanium, tungsten, vanadium or zirconium, or any other element to be added to obtain a desired alloying effect; when the specified minimum for copper does not

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exceed 0.40 percent; or when the maximum content specified for any of the following elements does not exceed the percentages noted: manganese 1.65, silicon 0.60, copper 0.60. The carbon contents in carbon steel have a huge effect on the mechanical properties. Generally carbon steels are categorized according to their carbon contents. It can be categorized into low-carbon steels, medium-carbon steels, and high-carbon steels. a) Low-carbon steel Low-carbon steels contain carbon up to 0.30%. It is respond to heat treatment as improvement in the ductility is concerned but has no effect in respect of its strength properties. It has an elasticity nature and usually comes in flat-rolled products, which are in the cold-rolled and annealed condition. The rolled steel structural plates can be used for stampings, forgings, seamless tubes, and boiler plate.

b) Medium-carbon steel Medium-carbon steels contain carbon ranges from 0.30% to 0.70% with the manganese contents ranges from 0.60% to 1.65%. By heat treatment, the increase in machinability is expected. However, it is adaptable for machining or forging and where surface hardness is desirable. Other than that, medium-carbon steel Carbon content of 0.5% and an increase in manganese allows medium carbon steels to be used in quenched and tempered condition. The hardened strength allows it to be used in shaft, gear, connecting rod, axle and crankshaft.

c) High-carbon steel The high carbon steels have carbon contents ranged from 0.7% to 1.7%. It is quench petrified to obtain force and fertilized to obtain hardness. It will withstand for high shear and wear, but will be subjected to little deformation. Moreover steel with maximum hardness is brittle and toughness only can be obtained at the expenses of hardness. It is usually used for spring, mould, and cutting instruments.

By casting with different amount of carbon, various variables can be adjusted such as density, hardness and malleability. Higher level of carbon presented will make the steel more

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structurally delicate, but also harder at the same time. As an example microstructure of slowly cooled steel [3] such as mild steel that consists of about 75% of proeutectoid ferrite and 25% of pearlite. When the carbon content in the steel s increased, the amount of pearlite increased until the fully pearlite structure of a composition 0.8% carbon is reached. Proeutectoid cementite will be formed for steel contain beyond 0.8% carbon in addition to pearlite. Nevertheless the overall hardness and ductility of the steel are configured by the relative proportional soft, ductile ferrite and the hard, brittle cementite. The increasing of carbon content will increase the content of cementite and thus increase the hardness and decrease of ductility.

Table 1

: Physical Properties of Plain Carbon Steel

As simplified, high-carbon steel is typically used for fashioning cutting tools and dies due to distinctive features of its great hardness. Meanwhile lower and medium level of carbon is typically utilized for metal sheeting for construction due to its increased hardness and malleability.

Application

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Carbon steel in ship building can be divided into two groups, which are steels for hull construction and also steel for other application such as machinery, boilers, pressure vessels and piping. According to ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standard, the structural steel that used in steel building falls under the category A131/A131M. A131/A131M standard covers structural steel-shapes, plates, bars and rivets. They are available in several grades that designed for ordinary strength and also higher strength hull structure. The grades are divided into categories as below: a) Ordinary Strength - Grades A, B, D and E with a specified minimum yield point of 235Mpa b) Higher Strength - Grades AH, DH, and EH with specified minimum yield points of either 315 MPa or 350 MPa.

Steel under A131/A131M standard may be made by the following processes: open-hearth, basic-oxygen, electric-furnace, vacuum arc remelt (VAR) or electroslag remelt (ESR).

Ordinary Strength Hull Steel The requirements for ordinary strength hull steel are applied to products with the thickness mention as below: a) Plates and wide flats up to and including 100 mm b) Sections and bars up to and including 50 mm

The Table 2 below is the chemical compositions while Table 3 is the tensile properties of ordinary strength hull steel under ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) requirements.

K.H. Lim, J.N. Loh, H.G. Ngu, H.L. Tang & K.U. Tiau / SMK 4612 (Materials Technology in Marine Engineering)

Table 2

: Chemical Properties of Ordinary Strength Hull Structural Steel 100mm and Under (1996)

K.H. Lim, J.N. Loh, H.G. Ngu, H.L. Tang & K.U. Tiau / SMK 4612 (Materials Technology in Marine Engineering)

Table 3

: Tensile Properties of Ordinary Strength Hull Structural Steel 100mm and Under (1996)

High Strength Hull Structural Steel The requirements for ordinary strength hull steel are applied to products with the thickness mention as below: a) Plates and wide flats AH32, DH32, EH32, AH36, DH36 and EH36 steels up to and including 100 mm AH40, DH40, EH40, FH32, FH36 and FH40 steels up to and including 100 mm b) Sections and Bars up to and including 50 mm

The chemical properties and tensile properties of high strength structural steel under ABS requirements are listed in Table 4 and 5 below.

K.H. Lim, J.N. Loh, H.G. Ngu, H.L. Tang & K.U. Tiau / SMK 4612 (Materials Technology in Marine Engineering)

Table 4

: Chemical Properties of Higher-strength Hull Structural Steel 100mm and Under (1996)

K.H. Lim, J.N. Loh, H.G. Ngu, H.L. Tang & K.U. Tiau / SMK 4612 (Materials Technology in Marine Engineering)

Table 5

: Tensile Properties of Higher-strength Hull Structural Steel 100mm and Under (2008)

Aluminum
Aluminum is the third most abundant metallic chemical element after oxygen and silicon. It comprises about 8% by the weight of the Earths solid surface. In a pure form, aluminum is silvery white and extremely lightweight but with strong alloys. It is roughly onethird the weight of steel and with density of 2.7 g/cm3. It is a conductive element which conduct well either heat

K.H. Lim, J.N. Loh, H.G. Ngu, H.L. Tang & K.U. Tiau / SMK 4612 (Materials Technology in Marine Engineering)

or electric. Beside, aluminum is a non- magnetic which allows it to be widely used in some applications. Aluminum is commonly used as an alloying element of steel due of its ability to deoxidize the steel and the capacity of extracting gases from the steel. Aluminum also does offer to steel resistance to ageing. Moreover, aluminum helps in the formation of fine grain structure. Combinations with nitrogen also form a hard and brittle structure.

Aluminum Vs Steel As mentioned earlier, aluminum has been chosen as a suitable material to replace carbon steel. It has being used in marine industry for more than 100 years due to its advance ability. The following are the differences of aluminum compared with steel. 1. Lightweight Aluminum is one of the lightest metal available worlds widely. It high strength to weight ratio enable it particularly important for increased payload and fuel savings.

2. High corrosion resistance It is a corrosion resistance alloys for marine applications when used in the specified corrosion resistant tempers, example such as alloy 5383 and 5059 are well corrosion resistance in fresh water and sea water [4]. In additional, the unpainted alloy metals will reacts with air and form aluminum oxide which a hard, protective coating that protect the underlying aluminum. While for the immersed bottom hull only require compatible antifouling paint to prevent the growth of the robbing barnacles and weeds. In additional, zinc anodes can be prepared to prevent galvanic corrosion associated with non-aluminum metallic propulsion equipment. In contrast, steel corrode easily and quickly in saltwater. In order to prevent this problem, protection inside and out are required. Before started any flame spray or painting, sandblasting with sharp silica sand is necessary in order to provide a tooth for them. The interior of a steel hull

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is generally painted with coal-tar epoxy and epoxy-coated or flame sprayed with zinc or aluminum for exterior hull. Such substantial and expensive tasks can counteract the aluminum material cost to a large degree.

3. Easily welded For hull construction field, alloy is easy to be welded. The common alloys used for hull construction are 5086 and 5083. For basis construction hull plating of 3/16 of an inch can be done easily accommodate with metal inert gas welding (MIG) and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding is appropriate for the more detailed work. Nowadays, the advancements of welding equipment which required less heat also reduce the metal distortion while it is being joined. Thus welding can be progressed more easily and precisely. It can be welded three times faster than steel. Whereas, there are few typical welding considerations when welding carbon and low alloy steels. This include carbon equivalent of the steel, weld cooling rates, solidification cracking, reheat cracking, lamellar tearing and hydrogen cracking.

4. High shapeable or affordability Aluminum is highly shapeable where it can be extruded or fabricated into different kind of soft shapes and edges. It is very cost effective in low volume production due to low tooling costs and complex lineal forms can be easily produced on extrusion presses. It can even cut easily with some common carpenter tools such as saber and band saws. Such capability also displayed high machinability. Hence aluminum is more easily machined compare to steel.

5. High ductility and malleability

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Both ductility and malleability is related to the ease of deformation occurs. Malleability is the metal being deformed by compression without cracking or rupturing. Meanwhile ductility is the ability to deform plastically without fracture under tensile force. Aluminum is high in both ductility and malleability. Thus aluminum is possible to be rolled into sheets easily or drawn into wires easily.

6. High durability Hull made by aluminum has higher durability and reparability compared with steel hull. It is widely used in cruise ships, pleasure boats, irrigation pipe, heat exchangers, and sewage treatment plant due to its durability in the natural environment. This is because the strengthequivalent aluminum properties have enhanced the percentage of dent resistance and rupture resistance [4]. It able to sustain dent and dent can be repaired or replaced easily.

Table below shows a simple comparison between mild steel and aluminum. Comparison Mild Steel Aluminum Material Hot Rolled 1/4" in 6 x 45ft plates 3/8" 5086 H116 8ft x 20ft Hull plate cost, $36,456 $76,800 July 2008 10.2 lbs. per sq. ft. of 1/4 inch. 5.19 lbs. per sq. ft. of 3/8 inch. Steel is heavy. The only good Hands down, aluminum boats are going to thing about that is a heavy boat save weight, which translates to more cargo, tends to roll less, but you can less fuel, and more speed. Some of this always add more ballast to an weight savings will need to be used to aluminum boat and that wait will reinforce around welds and in areas of be lower and do the same job vibration. better. Yield Strength: 36,000 psi Yield Strength: 30,000 psi Ultimate strength: 60,000 psi Ultimate strength: 45,000 psi. The difference between the yield To compensate for its lesser "plastic range", and ultimate strength represents aluminum hulls are made150% thicker than the "plastic range". Steel is steel. The thicker plate provides additional

Weight

Endurance

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Cutting

Welding

Corrosion

stronger that aluminum by stiffness and a hull that is about 30% less volume, but when you make the likely to dent and about 12% stronger before aluminum 50% thicker it is it fails. stronger than than the steel. It is easier to mare the surface of aluminum Steel has superior abrasion with a pointed object, like the end of a pipe. resistance. Drop a sharp object on Additional reinforcement is required around steel and you will just get a engine beds and chain plates to reduce from vibration. scratch in the paint. Steel is much fatigue less susceptible to fatigue due to vibration. Quick and easy provided you have Cuts perfectly clean with normal carbide bit a plasma cutter. Slow and messy if blades in any wood working tool. you have to use a torch. MIG wire weld is easy even for the novice Stick weld to pull the hull together provided you spend about $6000 for a welder and then finish it with either stick like the Miller 350P with a 30ft push-pull or wire welding. A stick welder wire gun. You will have to work in doors or power source, a long welding lead, wait for the right weather. It needs to be 90 and a suite case for wire welding degrees so that thermal expansion is not a with shielded wire will set you problem, and you have to be protected from back about $4000. You will still wind and rain. Welds on Aluminum are need a spool gun for welding weaker than steel but backing bars can more aluminum that will be used on the than compensate for the loss of strength in pilot house and hatches. critical areas. One word: Rust. You will need Corrosion can be a serious problem if you find, prep and paint chips and plan to say in marinas where stray electrical scratches soon after they occur. currents are often a problem, as well is the presence of steel or iron in close proximity. Both steel and aluminum boats Organic growth will hasten corrosion and need to be protected by zinc bottom paint must be designed for aluminum. anodes. But steel is much less susceptible to galvanic corrosion. Aluminum is very susceptible to corrosion from copper. A penny or piece of wire lying in a bilge and eat through a hull in days. Any non-aluminum metal lying against the hull will be a problem. Fasteners must be plastic or stainless steel. For this reason bilges are often painted to help insulate them. This is a big drawback for us, because our boat will have shop in the cargo hold for metal working, a welder and a plasma cutter. The spray from a plasma torch will immediately burn into the surface of

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Paint

aluminum impregnating it with steel which immediately starts to corrode. No need to paint the inside of the hull. Two coats of epoxy paint are Painting the outside is strictly for controlling required for both inside and the heat. No will stick really well to outside after you have sandblasted aluminum so plan on repainting every few the metal. Sandblasting a 70 foot years. No paint is an option but it will be steel boat will be around $6,000 hotter in the tropics. Only routine coats of which is a sizable chunk of the bottom paint are required, but that is needed original savings on the material. for steel too. Table 6 : Mild Steel versus Aluminum [5]

Conclusion It is well recognized that aluminum has more advantages compared to mild steel. The most significant advantages are its potential to enhance the ship quality in term of performance, efficiency, and sustainability. However mild steel still considered to be the main material for shipping industry due to its prices and availability. Additionally mild steel is more cost effective than aluminum. In contrast aluminum is more expensive and only preferred for high performance speed craft or small craft. As a conclusion, there are no ways to compare which material is the best for shipping industry. Instead of comparing the material properties, selection of suitable material is depending on the design requirements and considerations such as cost, availably, producibility and serviceability.

References 1. Brown,S. (1999). Feasibility of Replacing Structural Steel with Aluminum Alloys in the Shipping Industry. University of Wisconsin Madison. Retrieved from http://tc.engr.wisc.edu/uer/uer99/author1/index.html

K.H. Lim, J.N. Loh, H.G. Ngu, H.L. Tang & K.U. Tiau / SMK 4612 (Materials Technology in Marine Engineering)

2. Key to Metal AG. Classification of Carbon and Alloy Steel. Retrieved from http://www.keytometals.com/Articles/Art62.htm 3. Seblin,B. Jahazeeah,Y. Sujeebun, S. Manohar. Wong, Ky.B. Material Science 2104. Retrieved from http://www.uom.ac.mu/faculties/foe/mped/Students_Corner/notes/EnggMaterials/steelbkl et.pdf 4. Simpson,J. (2003). Aluminum Boats Prove Their Mettle. The Aluminum Association, Inc. 5. Submarine Boat. Steel vs Aluminum. Retrieved from http://www.submarineboat.com/steel_or_aluminum.htm