Method of preparing titanium-bearing low-cost structural steel

A method for preparing a steel piece, comprising the steps of:

• furnishing a fully killed molten steel alloy consisting essentially of, in weight percent, a carbon content selected from the group consisting of from about 0.05 to about 0.10 percent and from about 0.15 to about 0.27 percent, from about 0.5 to about 1.50 percent manganese, less than about 0.04 percent phosphorus, less than about 0.05 percent sulfur, from about 0.1 to about 0.4 percent silicon, from about 0.005 to about 0.020 percent titanium, from about 0.004 to about 0.015 percent nitrogen, from 0 to about 0.02 percent vanadium, and the remainder iron plus incidental impurities;
• continuously casting the molten steel alloy to produce a solid cast mass;
• hot rolling the solid cast mass to form a plate with a final thickness of no more than about 2 inches;
• and
• cooling the hot-rolled plate to a temperature of less than about 1100.degree. F. but more than about 900.degree. F. at an accelerated cooling rate lying in a cooling rate band extending from about 2.degree. to about 14.degree. F./sec at 2 inches plate thickness, from about 7.degree. to about 26.degree. F./sec at 1 inch plate thickness, and from about 13.degree. to about 45.degree. F./sec at 1/2 inch plate thickness, and thereafter air cooling the plate.