I-Corten steel iyisigaba sensimbi ye-alloy, ngemuva kweminyaka eminingana yokuchayeka ngaphandle ingakha ungqimba oluminyene lokugqwala ngaphezulu, ngakho-ke ayidingi ukuvikeleka okupendiwe. Izinsimbi eziningi ezinengxubevange ephansi zivame ukugqwala noma ukugqwala ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lapho zivezwe kumswakama emanzini noma emoyeni. Lo ngqimba wokugqwala uba nezimbotshana bese uwela phezu kwensimbi. Iyakwazi ukumelana nokugqwala okutholwa ezinye izinsimbi ze-alloy eziphansi.
I-Corten steel imelana nemiphumela elimazayo yemvula, iqhwa, iqhwa, inkungu, nezinye izimo zezulu ngokwakha i-oxidizing ensundu emnyama endaweni yensimbi. I-Corten steel iwuhlobo lwensimbi ene-phosphorus, ithusi, i-chromium, i-nickel ne-molybdenum eyengeziwe. Lawa ma-alloys athuthukisa ukumelana nokugqwala kwe-atmospheric of weathering steel ngokwenza ungqimba oluyisivikelo ebusweni bayo.
Insimbi ye-Corten ayikwazi ukumelana nokugqwala ngokuphelele, kodwa uma isikhulile, inokumelana nokugqwala okuphezulu (cishe okuphindwe kabili kwe-carbon steel). Ezisetshenziswa eziningi zensimbi yesimo sezulu, ungqimba lokugqwala oluvikelayo luvamise ukuvela ngokwemvelo ngemva kweminyaka engu-6-10 yokuchayeka kwemvelo entweni (kuya ngezinga lokuchayeka). Izinga lokugqwala aliphansi kuze kube yilapho kuboniswa ikhono lokuvikela lengqimba yokugqwala, futhi ukugqwala kwe-flash kwasekuqaleni kuzongcolisa indawo yayo kanye nezinye izindawo eziseduze.