The Research Institute of Sweden has renewed its certification of Magnelis® ZM 310 and its use as corrosion protection for steel sheets for indoor and outdoor applications. Its use is suitable for corrosivity class C5 according to the SS-EN ISO 12944-2 described class based on a deemed expected lifetime of 15 years.

This 'Type Approval and decision on production control' certification from RISE can be downloaded from our Document library.

Australian company InQuik has developed a unique method of building bridges which can be implemented quickly using only low-skilled labour. The globally patented technology utilises Magnelis® from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products to create the formwork of a bridge, which is then filled with concrete to create the bridge deck. Although the bridges are designed for a service life of 100 years, experts believe that the use of Magnelis® could double that without the need for significant maintenance. With hundreds of thousands of bridges needing replacement around the world, the potential for the InQuik system is enormous. The innovative design of the InQuik system was recognised when it won the 2019 T.C. Graham Prize from the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST).

The InQuik system

The InQuik system was developed by a family team including father and son Bruce and Logan Mullaney and Bruce’s brother-in-law, Jim Howell. Their original goal was to improve the systems used to transport modular housing with a collapsed container system. “When we went to register our idea of a reinforcement to hold the deadweight of concrete, the patent office told us this was completely new,” explains Logan Mullaney, now managing director of InQuik Bridging Systems. “We immediately started to think of other ways we could utilise this technology.”

With demand for bridges soaring globally, they seemed to be an ideal application notes Logan Mullaney: “We realised that by putting a truss in a reinforced steel shell we could hold the temporary load of the cement until it cured. Our first trial bridge was constructed on our own property in Australia. We built three in the first year and eight in the second year. This year, our third, we will install around 40 InQuik bridges.”

Magnelis® provides long-term strength

A key challenge was to identify a good material for the formwork which holds the concrete until it dries completely. “At first we thought about using galvanised steel, but over time this will rust and fall away,” says Logan Mullaney. “While the formwork is sacrificial, we realised that the sight of corroding metal would reduce user confidence in the bridge and increase the amount of maintenance required. We needed a more durable solution.”

InQuik was introduced to Magnelis® through a contact in Australia. “Magnelis® allows us to leave the formwork of the bridge in place as it has an aesthetically pleasing finish – and it is durable,” says Logan Mullaney.

Another key advantage of Magnelis® is the protection it offers to the concrete deck. “Because the formwork remains, the concrete and internal reinforcing steel are protected from corrosion,” explains Logan Mullaney. “That means the bridge will last longer. Engineers have estimated the useful life of an InQuik bridge could be well in excess of its 100-year design life, potentially up to 200 years.”

Confidence in quality

The Magnelis® formwork helps to contain plasticisers and water-soluble chemicals which occur in the concrete. Magnelis® ensures the preservation of natural resources as it uses significantly less zinc than pure zinc coatings. Zinc runoff is also reduced dramatically compared to galvanised steels.

“Magnelis® is not well known in Australia and we are one of the only companies utilising it,” notes Logan Mullaney. “But ‘Made in Europe’ is a quality label for Australian companies. Together with the fact that ArcelorMittal is the largest steelmaker in the world, this gives our customers – and bridge users – confidence in the system.”

Portable technology can be deployed globally

Magnelis® is imported into Australia from ArcelorMittal Bremen where it is produced. InQuik maintains a healthy stock in Australia as there is currently a four-month lead time on orders. “We’re looking how that lead time can be reduced so InQuik doesn’t have to maintain such a large stock of material,” notes John Robbins, export manager for ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products.

Compared to a conventional reinforced concrete bridge, the InQuik system is up to 90 percent more steel-intensive. However, the bridges are more cost-effective as they can be prefabricated and installation time is significantly lower explains Logan Mullaney: “InQuik bridges are standardised, pre-certified, and can be mass-produced. And it is possible to transport an entire bridge on one semi-trailer. You just back the truck up to the site, install the components, and then fill them with concrete. It only takes a small crane and a few days to build the bridge. Customers typically save between 20 and 50 percent compared to a conventional bridge due to the lower installation time and work, low risk, and less cranage.”

About InQuik Bridging Systems

InQuik manufactures standardised, pre-certified, mass-produced bridges which can be easily transported anywhere in the world. The solution makes building a bridge quick, simple, low-risk, and cost-effective. InQuik employs 15 people in its sales and delivery team and produces systems at three factories in Australia. InQuik is currently preparing for expansion into the USA, Asia, and other regions around the globe.

More info: inquik.com.au

The T.C. Graham Prize

The T.C. Graham Prize has been awarded annually since 2014 to the winners of the Association for Iron & Steel Technology’s (AIST) annual design competition. The winning entry receives a 20 000 USD cash prize. The purpose of the contest is to encourage, generate, and incubate ideas that may lead to the development of new markets for steel.

More info: www.aist.org

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Images: InQuik Bridging Systems & AIST

The installation of more than 27 000 solar panels on the roof of ArcelorMittal in Ghent has been completed, resulting in the largest solar roof in Belgium. Installed by Eneco, this is their largest project to date making ArcelorMittal Belgium even more sustainable. The power generated will be used internally by ArcelorMittal in Ghent. The panels are fixed on a framework made of steel coated with Magnelis®. The Magnelis® steel, produced at our production site in Liège among others, is a strong illustration of sustainability.

The largest solar roof in Belgium

Eneco - the largest solar energy producer in Belgium - installed this 7.5 million Euro solar roof. The park consists of 27 104 solar panels for which 157.2 t of steel was used. The total weight of the installation amounts to 1.5 million kilos. This means that ArcelorMittal now owns the fourth largest solar park in Belgium and the largest solar roof in Belgium.

Supporting the move to clean energy

ArcelorMittal supports the move to clean energy generation by offering high-performance steels, advanced metallic coatings, and structural solutions for PV and solar thermal installations. We also offer tailormade services such as co-engineering and full project handling.

Reinforcing the sustainability strategy

The new solar panels at ArcelorMittal in Ghent will produce 10 000 MWh annually, equal to the energy consumption of 2900 households. The solar panels, together with the site’s current 10 wind turbines and the two additionally planned wind turbines, will soon provide approximately 50 MW of renewable power to the Ghent site. The sustainable energy that is generated is used entirely internally to feed the production of ArcelorMittal in Ghent.

Today, ArcelorMittal Belgium is a world-leader in energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions. With this investment, the company reinforces the implementation of its sustainability strategy. ArcelorMittal Belgium follows the climate agreement of Paris. The site’s emissions are already 25% lower than in 1990, which is 20% better than what the Paris climate agreement demands. By 2027, ArcelorMittal Belgium aims to produce 43% fewer emissions, with the ambition of being carbon neutral by 2050.

Manfred Van Vlierberghe, CEO of ArcelorMittal Belgium, states that: “The renewable energy generated by these 27 104 solar panels supports us in achieving our ambition to be climate-neutral by 2050. We’re fully committed to this ambition and excited to launch Belgium’s largest solar roof. Alongside our soon to be installed additional wind-turbines, we’re again taking steps in the right direction. In addition, the new solar panels are also a good example of the importance of steel in our daily lives.”

Fast growing energy vision within Ghent industry

The initiative of ArcelorMittal Belgium and Eneco is in line with the Flemish Government’s Energy Vision for 2021 – 2030. This Energy Vision states that energy consumption must be significantly reduced and that the industry must be 10% more energy efficient by 2030.

“Large renewable energy projects such as those at ArcelorMittal Belgium are necessary in order to put in place a real energy transition. It makes a big difference to a company’s energy bill, but also to the achievement of the renewable energy targets in Flanders. Many companies in the Ghent port area realise that this change of our mindsets is crucial, and we are therefore pleased to see that the concrete implementation of the Energy Vision is being taken seriously.” ~Lydia Peeters, Flemish Deputy Prime Minister and Flemish Minister of Finance, Budget, Energy, & Culture

“I am pleased that ArcelorMittal continues to focus on the reduction of CO2 reduction and energy efficiency. The investment in this new solar park is one of their projects to achieve the ultimate goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050. In this way, our industry is working towards a sustainable and climate-neutral society.” ~Koen van den Heuvel, Flemish Minister of the Environment, Nature, and Agriculture

“The city of Ghent and the North Sea Port are committed to renewable energy, CO2 reduction, and reuse. By installing solar panels and solar parks in the cross-border port area, like at ArcelorMittal in Ghent, the port companies are generating renewable energy, which is injected into the electricity grid accounting for the equivalent of more than 31 000 households. In this way, our port is increasingly becoming a sustainable energy port, and together with all port companies, we are building a climate-neutral city by 2050.” ~Mathias De Clercq, mayor of the city of Ghent

ArcelorMittal Belgium continues to work on similar projects at its sites in Liège, Genk, and Geel.

About Eneco

Eneco Belgium is a sustainable energy company that focuses on the production and supply of gas and electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind. Eneco is a leading player in the supply and production of renewable energy and one of the largest players in the wind sector with more than 1000 MW of renewable production capacity in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Eneco has been active on the Belgian consumer market since 2011 and has the ambition to supply 100% renewable energy generated on Belgian soil through 96 wind turbines and, currently, 295 000 solar panels. The company also focusses on energy efficiency through insulation projects, solar panels, energy storage, electric charging stations, and other innovative products and services.

More info here: Eneco

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications, ArcelorMittal Corporate Communications, Constructalia

Photos: ArcelorMittal Europe

Videos: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications, ArcelorMittal, Eneco

It is common to see solar energy panels on land and on roofs, but one German company is now exploring the untapped potential of lakes to generate energy. Developed by Zimmermann, the Zim Float photovoltaic (PV) system can be deployed on almost any body of freshwater, and it benefits from the cooling effect of the lake to maximise power generation while limiting evaporation. To ensure the long-term viability of the installation, the system relies on a structure composed mainly of Magnelis® by ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products.

Floating solar structures offer power generation companies a flexible solution which can be deployed quickly and in areas where there is high demand on land use. The structures shield the water from the sun, limiting evaporation. At the same time, the lake keeps the PV modules cool thanks to the design of the system. This helps to maximise the efficiency of the solar panels.

Contending with water and nature

Development of the Zim Float-System began in 2017 with the first pilot installation a year later. Zimmermann quickly decided to use Magnelis® from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products as Franz Krug, project manager, explains: “We involved ArcelorMittal R&D at the start as we had a concern about steel and water being in such close proximity to each other. But it’s not just water. Bird droppings are another problem we need to contend with. We went to ArcelorMittal Bremen to discuss our ideas with the experts and came away convinced that Magnelis® was the solution.”

Around 80 percent of the structure is Magnelis®. It is used in the support structures for the solar panels and the walkways used by maintenance personnel. The clever design of Zim Float ensures that three-quarters of the Magnelis® is covered by panels which protect it from rain.

The system is designed to cope with the high wind loads and freezing conditions found in the Netherlands, where the first Zim Float-System was installed. “If the lake only freezes a few centimetres deep there is no problem as the structure is constantly moving,” notes Mr Krug. “That keeps the area around the floats clear of ice. The system is also designed to handle thicker ice if the lake freezes completely."

Low zinc runoff ideal for waterways

Before the first Zim Float could be deployed in the Netherlands, Zimmermann required regulatory approval from the Dutch environmental authorities. A key concern for the environmental agency was the level of zinc runoff from the corrosion protection system. “Zinc runoff from Magnelis® is four times lower than galvanised steel. This satisfied their concerns,” says Mr Krug. “The other major benefit is that Magnelis® is completely recyclable at the end of the system’s life.”

Zim Float is designed as a large-scale energy generator. A standard block covers 1.45 hectares and weighs around 190 tonnes including the inverter and transformer, but without the PV cells. Each block can generate up to 2.5 megawatts of energy, depending on the type of PV modules utilised.

Fast installation on water

A Zimmermann customer has just finished installing an 8 MW system on a lake in the Netherlands. The entire process was completed in just two and a half months. In August 2019, the customer started installing a 14 MW system which is expected to be fully operational by the end of November. “By the end of 2020, we expect to have delivered Zim Float systems with around 150 to 200 MW of capacity,” says Mr Krug.

To meet this goal, Zimmermann requires a reliable and flexible steel supplier, notes Mr Krug: “There is an excellent relationship between ArcelorMittal and Zimmermann. Quality is one of the most important considerations for us, but we also appreciate ArcelorMittal’s flexibility.”

About Zimmermann

Zimmermann is a dynamic, performance-oriented family business with a 50-year tradition. The company is headquartered in Germany, but also has operations in Canada, Turkey, Switzerland, and the USA. Since its foundation, Zimmermann has developed into one of the leading manufacturers of agricultural housing. In 2009, Zimmermann started to produce mounting structures for the PV industry and is renowned for their high-quality products. To date, Zimmermann have supplied mounting structures with a total capacity of over 3.3 gigawatt-peak (GWp).

More info: pv-stahlbau.de

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe - Flat Products

Photos: © Zimmermann