Stainless steel rebar produced by Outokumpu, a global producer of stainless steel with various operations in North and South America, and globally, is being used to reinforce a spill basin at the new liquefied natural gas (LNG) Gate Terminal on Rotterdams North Sea coast. Both the basins concrete and reinforcement must withstand the extreme conditions of a cryogenic environment and temperatures as low as -165º Celsius.
For the Gate Terminal project, Outokumpu provided 10 tonnes of rebar formed from Core 304LN/4311. Testing was conducted at Tudor Advanced Materials & Structures in Luxemburg. The alloy is proven to retain its mechanical properties at temperatures as low as -196º Celsius. As with all austenitic stainless steel, Core 304LN/4311 maintains its ductility at very cold temperatures, meaning that it will not fracture.
Using stainless steel prolongs the structures lifetime, reduces long-term costs and minimizes need for maintenance. Stainless steel also has significant corrosion resistance, of particular importance in maritime environments where chloride-induced corrosion is a threat.