Severstal has completed development and started production of Forcera weather-resistant steel in thin-sheet form, targeting long-life protective structures for road and civil infrastructure.
The first application is wear-resistant dust, wind and noise protection systems, designed to withstand aggressive environments for 80-100 years while reducing maintenance requirements. The systems are intended for highways, as well as mining, metallurgical, port and agricultural facilities.
The low-alloy Forcera steel contains a balanced combination of copper, chromium, nickel and phosphorus. Exposure to air and changing moisture conditions creates a dense protective oxide layer, or patina, which limits further oxidation and eliminates the need for regular painting and anti-corrosion treatment. The material is designed to withstand C5 corrosion-category conditions without primers or enamels.
Severstal’s Engineering Center developed the thin-sheet technology in response to the limited domestic availability of weather-resistant steel in this segment. Conventional galvanized barriers can lose their appearance and require replacement after 5-7 years under exposure to de-icing agents and road grime, while carbon steel structures require regular painting.
The first products, developed with noise-barrier manufacturer KraftSpan, include cassette panels for highways and sandwich panels for civil construction. The partners developed the product line from concept to prototype in six months, with solutions including engineering design, panels, supports and fasteners.
The Russian noise-barrier market is estimated at around 1.3 mln sq m per year, while potential applications also include dust and wind suppression systems and gallery cladding at mining and metallurgical plants, as well as port terminals and agricultural buildings.
Severstal is one of Russia’s largest integrated steel producers, with annual crude steel production capacity of approximately 11.8 mln tons. Its flagship Cherepovets Iron and Steel Works is one of the country’s largest flat steel producers.