ASTM A36
ASTM A36 is a specification for structural steel products with a 36 ksi minimum yield strength. For general purposes, it provides an excellent balance between ease of fabrication and strength, and it’s widely utilized for applications such as bridge and building construction.
ASTM A36 uniquely endorses steel products outside of its listed scope of shapes, plates, and bars. For example, if sheets are ordered using ASTM A36, the specification refers to ASTM A1011 for material suitable for the intended use
Available Designations
Structural Steel: furnished to a chemical composition and defined mechanical properties.
grades designations
Grade 36
^ Yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation guaranteed in the transverse direction
ASTM A36 Characteristics
Property
specification
Define Sizes
ASTM A36 does not have thickness limits for its specified structural products.
Weldability
Increased carbon content is associated with increased hardenability, leading to the risk of cracking after welding. In this specification, steel plates up to ¾” have a maximum carbon limit of 0.25%. As a structural steel, this limit is higher than some popular HSLA specifications such as ASTM A572 or ASTM A656.
Steel Warehouse can limit carbon contents to improve thermal cutting, formability, and welding performance.
Thermal Cutting
Laser and plasma cutting is similar to weldability in terms of the heated cut edge hardening and cracking.
Bendability
ASTM A36 refers to ASTM A6 for bending guarantees.
Ease of Fabrication
Welding, thermal cutting, and basic forming can usually be accomplished without difficulty.
Available Customizations
Notes from the Technical Group
- ASTM A36 is the workhorse specification for structural products. If weight is a concern, Ask an Expert about using HSLA products for lightweighting.
