Quenched and Tempered Bar

Abstract
In-line quenching and tempering
has allowed CMC Steel Arizona
to have a higher-ductility bar at
higher strength levels compared
with classic rebar production,
with a substantial reduction in
alloy consumption. The results of
implementing this process have
ranged from improved bundle
quality to combined nigh-strength
and high-ductility steel.

Author
J a c o b Selzer
plant metallurgist and quality assurance
CMC Steel Arizona, Mesa, Ariz.
jacob.selzer@cmc.com

trengthening in steel is generally achieved by adding alloys

to the liquid steel, causing distortions of the molecular lattice.
Some of the steel standards that
are available are either very open
on the chemistry requirements
or else have no chemical restrictions at all. Two examples of such
a standard are A615 and A706
for rebar production. The purpose of this paper is to describe
quenched and tempered bar
(QTB) as an alternate, costeffective means of achieving the
mechanical requirements of the
standards by quenching a hot
rolled bar to a surface temperature below martensitic transformation to increase the strength
of the bar, and then tempering
the martensitic surface of the
bar to promote ductility. This
paper considers the QTB overview, microstructural evaluation,
implementation, quality assurance of the process, and the
advantages and disadvantages of
using QTB in place of a traditional, alloy-based process.
QTB Overview
QTB is designed to be installed
in-line with the rolling process.
The hot rolled bar is fully submerged in water in order to rapidly cool the surface of the bar
below the martensitic transformation temperature. This phase
of the process creates a hardened "case" on the outside of the
bar. The core of the bar remains
austenitic. The residual heat in
the core of the bar radiates out
to the shell of the bar, tempering the newly formed martensite.
During this time, the surface of

106 l'on S. Steel Technology

the bar reheats to approximately

600-700C. After the bar reaches its peak reheat temperature,
it cools naturally until reaching
ambient temperatures.
Figure 1 shows the typical
cooling and reheating curves of
the surface of the bar, the center of the bar and the midway
point of the bar. The figure also
shows the microstructure before
quenching, after quenching and
after tempering. The final bar
has a pearlite core, a thin layer of
mixed bainite and an outer shell
of tempered martensite.
After the bar has reached
ambient temperature, it behaves
more like a composite material
than a single, solid material. For
example, steel-reinforced concrete has the tension-bearing
properties of the steel and the
compression strength of the concrete. Similarly, a QTB bar has
the ductility of the core of the
bar and the strength of the case
of the bar. By reducing the allo\
additions, the core of the bar is
softer and more ductile than the
fully alloyed counterpart. The
tensile strength is determined
by the combination of bar chemistry and the depth of quench
achieved during the quenching
phase of the process. The end
result is that the elongation penalty is reduced when increasing
yield and tensile strength, compared to traditional strengthening methods for hot rolled bar.
Steel that is manufactured
from recycled scrap can face
another challenge related to
the raw materials. There are
elements that can have significant impact to the mechanical
properties of the steel that are

A Publication of the Association for Iron & Steel Technology

Figure13Figure14

Figure 2
PEARLFTE FERRITE
MIXED BAINITE
TEMPERED

QUENCHING STASE

TEMPERING STAGE

Atom

FINAL COOLING

TIME

Thermal path of t h e QTB process.

present in ever-changing quantities in the scrap and

in the final product. Examples of these elements are
Cr, Ni, Mo, Co and W. The aim carbon for a typical
QTB rebar application is between 0.25 and 0.30%. As
a result, carbide-forming residuals have a lessened
effect compared to when they are found in fully
alloyed steel. Also, when using QTB, the mechanical
properties are not determined by chemistry alone, so
the operator is able to adjust the quenching phase
of the process to adapt to the changes in chemistry.
The process is able to absorb a wider range of residuals in the steel scrap compared to a more traditional
process, while still achieving the strength aims of the
standard being manufactured.
QTB Microstructural Evaluation
Steel is an allotropie material, meaning it can exist in
different crystalline structures. Most "plain" carbon
steel exists in the ferrite microstructure. It is magnetic,
stable and, for the strength it imparts, it remains
reasonably ductile. Because steel is allotropie, it can
be heat treated to change the mechanical properties
of the metal. An alternate steel microstructure that
is also stable at ambient temperature is martensite.
Martensite is stronger and harder than ferrite and
has a correspondingly lower ductility. Figures 2 and
3 represent comparison renderings of the molecular
structures.
The ferrite rendering (Figure 2) is typical of most
carbon steels. The martensite rendering (Figure 3)
is typical of the surface (case) of a QTB-treated bar.
Tempering the martensite is necessary to reduce
internal stresses to the newly formed martensite and
to eliminate brittleness in the final bar. Comparison
micro etches are shown in Figures 4 and 5.
The core of the QTB-treated bar (Figure 6) is
pearlitic. Grain refinement of the pearlitic core of
the bar is observed compared with as-rolled bar of
identical chemistry (Figure 7). This grain refinement
contributes to the generally improved elongations of
QTB-treated bar compared to the fully alloyed bar.
This characteristic of the QTB-treated bar allows the
AIST.org

Ferrite "molecule" (body centered cubic).

Figure 3

Martensite "molecule ' (hexagonal bipyramid).

Figure 4

Etchant: Nital 3%

Mag: 500x

Crude (untempered) martensite.

August 2012

4-111

Figure 5

Figure 7

Figure 6

WiWSSm :

"i-

Etchant: Nital 3%

Mag: 500x

Tempered martensite.

Etchant: Nital 3%

QTB 1 9 - m m rebar case a n d eore

(1026 chemistry).

manufacturer to increase the strength of the bar without sacrificing ductility of the bar.
Figure 8 is a micro etch of a QTB-treated bar showing the surface and the microstructural transition
from surface to core. This sample is 3 /4 inch, grade
60 rebar with chemistry conforming to AISI 1026.
Starting at the surface of the bar, the microstructure
is tempered martensite. Moving toward the center of
the bar, the tempering becomes more pronounced,
which is viewed as a "softening" of the microstructure.
At the transition from martensite to ferrite, approximately 0.035 inch below the surface, there is some evidence of mixed bainite. The pearlitic structure begins
from this point through to the center of the bar.
Implementation in Production
Implementation in production requires good water
quality, a pumping system capable of handling the
required volumes and pressures of water to achieve
martensitic transformation, and a delivery system
capable of evenly distributing water pressure and flow
around the surface of the bar. Water must be delivered to the bar with enough pressure to prevent boiling of the water, generating steam at the bar surface.
The part responsible for water delivery is commonly
called a "cooler." Figure 9 is a schematic showing the
water delivery to the bar for one cooler.
The cooler shown in Figure 9 is supplied with highpressure water and is capable of sustaining high flowrates of water. In practice, multiple coolers are placed
in series in order to obtain the desired quenching
power of the system, as shown in Figure 10.
Water must be supplied with sufficient pressure to
avoid steam generation commonly called a "steam
barrier." Steam acts as a thermal insulator and reduces
the rate at which heat is extracted from the bar, which
can prevent formation of martensite. Several considerations are needed to maintain effective quenching. A
pumping system must, be installed that can maintain
the pressure and flowrates to create martensite on the
surface of the bar. Second, the coolers must be sized
appropriately for the bar being produced. In general,

110

Iron & steel Technology

Mag: 100x

' Etchant: Nital 3%

Mag:100x s

As-rolled 1 9 - m m rebar core (1026

chemistry).

the closer the cooler inside diameter (ID) is to the size

of the bar being quenched, the more powerful the
quenching effect will be. When sizing the coolers, the
engineer must also consider the challenges of threading the bar through the tubes. For example, a 2-inch
ID cooler will be ineffective quenching a 2-inch bar.
A 7/8-inch ID cooler will be difficult to repeatedly
thread a 3 /4-inch bar through.
The quenching process starts when the bar enters
the first tube. The next critical event is to provide the
system with a definite stopping point to the quenching process. To do this, a different tube, called a
"stripper," is installed in the quench box. The stripper
functions the same way as a cooler, but the water is
applied against the direction of travel instead of with
it. The stripper uses a high-pressure water spray and
air to blast any residual water off the bar, so that when

Figure 8

-s:-----1.-- .-- r

Etchant: Nital 3%

---

vr-

-i?

Mag: 100x:

QTB surface, transition and core.

A Publication of the Association for Iron & Steel Technology

Figure 9
Water

Water

Rolling Direction

Representation of a functioning QTB cooler.

Figure 10
Water

Water.

Hoi Sto-'l

Cooler

Water-

Quenched Steel

Water

Representation of QTB coolers in series.

the bar leaves the stripper, it begins its tempering

phase. Without the strippers, the quenching process
is impossible to control. Figure 11 is an illustration of
the workings of a stripper.
Quality Control of QTB
The QTB process has many input variables that must
be kept in control in order to deliver the desired
results. Some of these input variables are: finishing
temperature of the bar, number of coolers, number of
strippers, water pressure, water flow, finishing speed
and cooler size relative to bar size. However, the process has only one output variable tensile properties.
Assuming a steady chemistry, the primary determining factor of the strength of the bar is the depth of
the quench. As such, measuring the tensile properties
of the bar gives a very good indication of the quenching system's performance at any given moment. As
is described later, tensile testing is a poor indicator

of future performance unless all input variables are

tightly controlled.
The sum of all thermal inputs to the QTB process
is the surface temperature of the bar as it leaves the
quenching process. Anything that reduces quenching
performance will result in an increase in surface temperature at the QTB exit. Anything that increases the
quenching performance will result in a decrease in
temperature at the QTB exit. Once the bar exits the
quenching process, it reheats and enters the tempering phase. During the tempering phase, the bar will
reach a peak reheat temperature, commonly called
the "tempering temperature," and will then naturally
cool to ambient temperature. In addition to the exit
temperature of the quenching process, the tempering
temperature must also be monitored.
Given a constant chemistry, quenching temperature
and tempering temperature, the mechanical properties of the bar will be remarkably consistent. Any
changes in temperature at any point in the process

Figure 11

Q u e n c h e d Steel

Stripper

Dried Steel

Mixed Air and Water High Pressure

Rolling Direction

Representation of a functioning QTB stripper.

AIST.org

August 2012

113

Figure5Figure6Figure7

Control chart of tensile strength, #5 rebar, A615, grade 60.

Figure 13

Histogram of tensile strength, #5 rebar, A615, grade 60.

will appear as a change in bar strength. The control

chart (Figure 12) illustrates both the ability of the
QTB process to deliver consistent bar strength over
time and also how the strength of the bar can suddenly change with no indication from the control chart.
Note that samples 1-16 stay within 2 ksi of 100 ksi,
and sample 17 suddenly drops to 96 ksi. This indicates
that something in the process shifted to a higher temperature, reducing the effectiveness of the quench.
This also illustrates that simply measuring the tensile
properties of the bar is not adequate to guarantee
product quality or conformance to standards. When
looking at longer-term data, the process is normal and
relatively stable even with some normal rolling process variation. The histogram (Figure 13) shows the
distribution of 186 tensile samples of a/8-inch rebar.
A paradigm shift is required in the rolling operation. When running QTB, heats are not "made" or

"missed" in the meltshop by the chemistry;

they are "made" or "missed" in the heat
treating, which is controlled by the rolling
mill. As a result, process parameters that
are normally not considered quality-related
become quality parameters. For example,
changes in finishing speed result in changes in tensile strength and yield strength.
A paradigm shift is also required when
setting internal grade specifications. Q T B
causes a higher increase in yield strength
than tensile strength as it is applied. As a
result, QTB causes a compression of the
tensile-to-yield ratio when compared to a
fully alloyed counterpart (Table 1).
When setting process parameters, the grade requirements must be fully understood. In cases like A615
rebar, where only minimum yield strength is specified,
the critical specification is the tensile strength. If the
tensile strength is above minimum, the yield strength
will be safely above minimum. Elongation is rarely a
concern due to the grain refinement discussed above.
In cases where there is a maximum yield strength
specified, the process must be carefully designed
and controlled to maintain a consistent, on-target
yield strength. When the tensile-to-yield ratio is specified, it becomes even more difficult to achieve the
specification.
Q u e n c h Analysis
As mentioned above, the primary determining factor
of the final properties of the bar is the quench depth.

Table 1
C o m p a r i s o n of Typical Properties: Q T B vs. Fully A l l o y e d A615, Grade 60 Rebar
Process
average sample

110

Carbon
(no spec)

Manganese
(no spec)

Tensile
(min. 90 ksi)

Yield
(min. 60 ksi)

Elongation
(min. 9%)

T/Y ratio
(no spec)

Fully alloyed

0.42%

1.00%

106 ksi

68 ksi

12%

1.56

QTB

0.26%

0.75%

103 ksi

86 ksi

15%

1.19

Iron & steel Technology

A Publication of the Association for Iron & Steel Technology

Figure 13

Q u e n c h d e p t h cross-section.

The ideal quench depth for a good balance between

strength and ductility is 0.035-0.050 inch tempered
martensite case. In addition, care must be taken to
maintain an even quench depth around the entire bar.
The quench depth will generally not follow the surface deformation of the bar, but will find an average
path through the bar and stay very consistent unless
something happens to change the process. Figure 14
shows this for a 3/4-inch rebar. Note the increased
thickness of the case at the longitudinal ribs and
the very circular pattern of the transition line (circle
added for emphasis) in the cross-section. Note also in
the longitudinal section (Figure 15) that the quench
depth does not follow the transverse ribs, but rather
forms almost a straight line through the bar:
When tensile testing, the bar will always break at its
weakest point. There are fewer deformations where
the mill markings are rolled into the rebar. When
planning mechanical testing, samples must be chosen
to put the mill markings between the grips so that the
strength of the weakest part of the bar is measured.

Figure 14

Q u e n c h d e p t h longitudinal section.

There is typically a 2 - 3 ksi difference in strength

between samples that are pulled to break within the
mill markings and samples that are pulled to break
outside the mill markings.
Microhardness testing was performed on the crosssection of the bar to determine the degree of hardening achieved by the QTB process. The testing found
that the case is measurably harder than the core of
the bar, but it is not hardened to the degree typically
considered as true case hardening. The hardness of
the core averaged 215 HK, or a Rockwell 92 HRB
equivalent. The hardness of the case averaged 315 HK,
or a Rockwell 30 HRC equivalent. The hardness of the
case is limited by the carbon content of the steel and
also the degree of self-tempering from the residual
heat radiating out from the core of the bar.
Summary
QTB is an alternate means of strengthening long bars
by quenching the bars with water and then allowing
the bars to self-temper the hardened case. The process

Table 2
A d v a n t a g e s a n d Disadvantages of QTB
Advantages

Disadvantages

Reduced alloy requirements

to achieve product strength.

Additional equipment in the mill that

requires maintenance and parts, such as pumps,
piping, coolers, strippers, pyrometers.

Finer pearlitic structure of the core

of the bar compared to as-rolled,
fully alloyed counterpart.

Rolling parameters must be treated

as quality parameters, because
they directly affect bar strength.

Improved ductility at strength levels

equal to or higher than the as-rolled counterpart.

Compressed tensile-to-yield ratio can make grades

with yield strength maximums difficult to achieve.

Absorb a wide range of residuals in the steel

from variations in the scrap steel supply.

AIST.org

Heats are made and missed in rolling operation,

requiring a paradigm shift in rolling from operational
throughput to operational consistency.
Some downstream applications (such as threading)
would not be able to use the quenched bar.
August 2012 4-111

is performed in-line with the rolling process, after the

finishing stand. The process is stable and controllable.
Refer to Table 2 for a summary of the advantages and
disadvantages of using the QTB process.

Acknowledgments
The author wishes to thank all of his colleagues within
Commercial Metals Company, Danieli Corp. and
METL Testing Laboratories.

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AIST Hunt-Kelly Outstanding Paper Award at AIST.org/huntkelly.
This paper was presented at AISTech 2012 - The Iron & Steel Technology Conference and Exposition, Atlanta, Ga., and published in the Conference Proceedings.

/ r j

m s r

U. S . Steel

AIST Tours Pittsburgh-Area U. S. Steel Plants

AIST's tour w a s comprehensive,
covering the majority of the steelmaking
process. The following areas were part
of the tour.

On 28 June 2012, AIST staff had the opportunity to tour the Pittsburgh-area
plants of United States Steel Corporation's Mon Valley Works. The Works consist
of four facilities: the Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock, Pa.; the Clairton Plant in
Clairton, Pa.; the Irvin Plant in West Mifflin, Pa.; and the Fairless Plant in Fairless
Hills, Pa. Thirty of AIST's 38 employees participated in the tour.
The tour commenced with a video introducing Mon Valley Works and providing
an overview of the entire steelmaking process, from raw material to finished goods.
The group was taken first to the Edgar Thomson Plant, followed by the Irvin and
Clairton Plants.
Mon Valley Works has an annual raw steel production capability of 2.9 million
net tons. Edgar Thomson Plant, located about 10 miles southeast of Pittsburgh
in Braddock, Pa., is where basic steel production takes place at Mon Valley Works.
Raw materials are combined in blast furnaces to produce liquid iron, which is then
refined to create steel.

Edgar T h o m s o n Plant
Top-blown basic oxygen process (BOP)
vessels
Dual-strand continuous slab caster
Irvln Plant
80" hot strip mill
84" and 64" pickle lines
84" 5-stand cold reduction mill
Continuous annealing line
Batch and open-coil annealing facilities
84" temper mill
52" hot-dip galvanizing line
48" hot-dip galvanizing/Galvalume line
Continuous terne coating line
Clairton Plant
Coal unloading facility on the Monongahela
Coal blending and storage
No. 8 and No. 9 coke batteries
Tar storage tanks and coal chemical facility

Irvin Plant, located in West Mifflin, Pa., rolls and treats steel slabs produced
at the nearby Edgar Thomson Plant to meet customer specifications. Major sheet
products manufactured at the Irvin Plant include hot rolled, cold rolled and coated
sheet, in addition to products for special applications, such as embossed sheet, vitrenamel sheet and commercial bright sheet.
Clairton Plant is located approximately 20 miles south of Pittsburgh in Clairton,
Pa., and sits along the west bank of the Monongahela River. The largest coke manufacturing facility in the United States, Clairton Plant operates 12 coke oven batteries and produces approximately 4.7 million tons of coke annually, serving customers in the commercial coke market as well as U. S. Steel's steelmaking facilities.
For many AIST employees, it was their first time in a steel mill of any kind. AIST
staff who had experience in steel mills were able to help explain the various steelmaking areas and answer any questions along the way.
Jean Madeira, one of AIST's newest staff members, having joined the company
in June 2012, said, "The most surprising thing about the tour was the heat." Krista
McGhee, copy editor and graphic design assistant, who joined AIST in September
2011, noted, "It gave me an idea of the size of a steel mill, and a visual representation of what people are talking about."
Chris McKelvey, board services advisor, who has been with AIST since February
2011, was grateful to everyone who helped organized the plant tour. He said,
"Seeing the processes involved in steelmaking first-hand really provided an understanding of, and an appreciation for, the hard work that men and women in the
industry do. We saw sophisticated technology integrated with basic principles that
have withstood the test of time. I think what impressed me the most was the equipment and machinery that are capable of withstanding extreme temperatures."
AIST would like to extend a special thank-you to United States Steel Corporation
and all the U. S. Steel employees who took time out of their schedules to provide
this tour to our staff.