New Advanced High Strength Steels

Book excerpt: In recent years, significant developments have been made to increase the mechanical strength of steels in order to reduce the overall weight of structures, particularly in motor vehicles. Depending on the application, the increase in strength should not be at the expense of forming and in-use properties. The development of ultra-high strength steels requires a search for new trade-offs between these properties in order to optimize the final microstructure. New Advanced High Strength Steels analyzes the interactions between tensile mechanical properties and properties such as work hardening, anisotropy, resistance to rupture, fatigue life, corrosion resistance, crashworthiness, edge retention, hydrogen resistance and weldability. It also examines the links between the microstructural parameters of high-strength steels and the properties mentioned above. It highlights the metallurgical developments that have been necessary for the emergence of these new generations of steels. The book concludes with a look ahead to future developments in ultra-high strength steels