Steel producer Dillinger, in collaboration with Saarland University, RWTH Aachen University, and industry partners, has developed new high-performance steel types as part of the HL Steel Plate research project. Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, the project successfully concluded after nearly four years.
These advanced steels are designed for monopiles, the steel foundations of offshore wind turbines, offering durability against storms, waves, and saltwater while remaining cost-effective to produce. They are optimized for high-energy submerged arc welding and electron beam welding, significantly reducing production times.
According to Dr. Sebastian Scholl from Dillinger’s Research and Development team, these high-performance welding methods are increasingly used in large-scale steel applications. Given the massive size of monopiles, welding joints can stretch for kilometers, requiring materials that endure extreme temperature influences. The newly developed steels are well-suited for industrial mass production, marking a milestone in heavy plate fabrication for offshore wind foundations.
Beyond offshore wind, these materials have potential applications in Arctic offshore structures and pipeline construction for hydrogen and CO2 transport. Project partners, including SIF Group, EEW Special Pipe Constructions, Steelwind Nordenham, Meyer Werft, and Lincoln Electric, tested the new steels under real-world welding conditions and confirmed their exceptional performance.