ASTM A400-69(2000)
(Practice)Standard Practice for Steel Bars, Selection Guide, Composition, and Mechanical Properties
Standard Practice for Steel Bars, Selection Guide, Composition, and Mechanical Properties
SCOPE
1.1 This practice is intended as a guide for the selection of steel bars according to section and to the mechanical properties desired in the part to be produced. This is not a specification for the procurement of steel. Applicable procurement specifications are listed in Section 5.
1.2 Several steel compositions intended for various sections and mechanical property requirements are presented in Tables 2 to 7. The criteria for placing a steel composition in one of the three general class designations, Classes P, Q, and R (described in Section 3) are as follows:
1.2.1 Classes P and Q should be capable of developing the mechanical properties shown in Tables 2 to 5 by liquid quenching from a suitable austenitizing temperature, and tempering at 800°F (427°C) or higher. A hardness indicated by tests made at a location shown in Fig. 1, A, B, or C, is taken as evidence that a composition is capable of meeting other equivalent mechanical properties shown in the tables. Normal good shop practices are assumed, with control of austenitizing and tempering temperatures, and mild agitation of the part in the quenching bath.
1.2.2 Class R should be capable of developing the mechanical properties shown in Tables 6 and 7 as hot rolled, by cold drawing, or by cold drawing with additional thermal treatment. The locations for obtaining tension tests are described in 6.2.
1.3 It is not implied that the compositions listed in the tables are the only ones satisfactory for a certain class and mechanical property requirement. Steels with lower alloy contents are often satisfactory through the use of special processing techniques.
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Designation:A 400–69 (Reapproved 2000)
Standard Practice for
Steel Bars, Selection Guide, Composition, and Mechanical
Properties
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A 400; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope A 108 Specification for Steel Bars, Carbon, Cold-Finished,
Standard Quality
1.1 This practice is intended as a guide for the selection of
A 304 Specification for Steel Bars, Alloy, Subject to End-
steel bars according to section and to the mechanical properties
Quench Hardenability Requirements
desiredintheparttobeproduced.Thisisnotaspecificationfor
A 311/A 311M Specification for Steel Bars, Carbon,
the procurement of steel. Applicable procurement specifica-
Stress-Relieved, Cold-Drawn, Subject to Mechanical
tions are listed in Section 5.
Property Requirements
1.2 Several steel compositions intended for various sections
A 322 Specification for Steel Bars,Alloy, Standard Grades
and mechanical property requirements are presented in Tables
A 633/A 633M Specification for Normalized High-
1-6. The criteria for placing a steel composition in one of the
Strength Low-Alloy Structural Steel Plates
three general class designations, Classes P, Q, and R (described
A 675/A 675M Specification for Steel Bars, Carbon, Hot-
in Section 4) are as follows:
Wrought, Special Quality, Mechanical Properties
1.2.1 Classes Pand Q should be capable of developing the
mechanicalpropertiesshowninTables1-4byliquidquenching
3. Significance and Use
from a suitable austenitizing temperature, and tempering at
3.1 If the desired mechanical properties are as described in
800°F (427°C) or higher.Ahardness indicated by tests made at
4.1.1 for material identified as Classes P-1 through P-7, or in
a location shown in Fig. 1,A, B, or C, is taken as evidence that
4.1.2 for material identified as Classes Q-1 through Q-7, the
a composition is capable of meeting other equivalent mechani-
strength level desired can be based on hardness or the
cal properties shown in the tables. Normal good shop practices
equivalent tensile or yield strength as shown in Tables 1-4. If
are assumed, with control of austenitizing and tempering
the desired mechanical properties are as set forth in 4.1.3 for
temperatures, and mild agitation of the part in the quenching
material identified as Classes R-1 through R-6, the strength
bath.
level is based on yield strength as shown in Tables 5 and 6.
1.2.2 Class R should be capable of developing the me-
3.2 The user, after determining the mechanical property
chanical properties shown in Tables 5 and 6 as hot rolled, by
requirements of the critical section (that carrying the greatest
cold drawing, or by cold drawing with additional thermal
stress) of the part, should select the composition or composi-
treatment. The locations for obtaining tension tests are de-
tions from Tables 1-6 that fulfills these requirements and is
scribed in 6.2.
most suitable for processing.
1.3 Itisnotimpliedthatthecompositionslistedinthetables
aretheonlyonessatisfactoryforacertainclassandmechanical
4. Classification
property requirement. Steels with lower alloy contents are
4.1 Steel bar compositions under this practice are classified
often satisfactory through the use of special processing tech-
according to mechanical property requirements and the critical
niques.
section size of the part to be produced, as follows:
4.1.1 Classes P-1 through P-7 comprise bars for parts to
2. Referenced Documents
operate under severe service conditions requiring high yield
2.1 ASTM Standards:
strength (90 000 psi (621 MPa) and over), good ductility, and
relatively high notch toughness. The applicable section sizes,
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A01 on Steel,
Stainless Steel, and RelatedAlloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
A01.15 on Bars.
Current edition approved Nov. 14, 1969. Originally published asA400–56. Last Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 01.05.
previous edition A 400–67. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 01.04.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
A 400–69 (2000)
TABLE 1 Steels for Moderately Quenched Parts—Classes P-1 Through P-7
(Applicable to oil-quenching or equivalent rate of heat-removal.)
NOTE 1—Steels listed as approved for a certain section or strength may be used for lighter sections and lower strengths.
NOTE 2—Steel composition numbers correspond to SAE, AISI, or ASTM designations. Those in italics are no longer considered standard grades due
to decreased usage.
NOTE 3—An H-steel with the same grade designation as a standard SAE-AISI steel is capable of meeting the same section and strength requirements
as the standard steel (see ASTM Specification A 304), and is the preferred method of specification.
NOTE 4—Steels having a maximum carbon content of 0.40 % or over, or a hardness of HB 293 or over after heat-treating, are not recommended for
applications involving welding.
Class
P-1 P-2 P-3 P-4 P-5 P-6 P-7
Diameter of Round (or Distance Between Faces of Square
B
Equivalent Equivalent Minimum
C
Desired Minimum or Hexagonal) Sections, in.
Tensile Yield As-Quenched
Hardness
A A
1 1 1 1
Strength, psi Strength, psi Hardness
To ⁄2 , incl Over ⁄2 to 1, Over 1 to Over 1 ⁄2 Over 2 to Over 2 ⁄2 Over 3
1 1 1
incl 1 ⁄2 , incl to 2, incl 2 ⁄2 , incl to 3, incl to 3 ⁄2 ,
incl
C
Thickness of Flat Sections, in.
To 0.3, incl Over 0.3 to Over 0.6 Over 1 Over 1.3 Over 1.6 Over 2.0
HB HRC HB HRC 0.6, incl to 1, to 1.3, to 1.6, to 2.0, to 2.3,
incl incl incl incl incl
229 to 293, 20 to 33, 110 000 to 90 000 to 388 42 1330
incl incl 145 000, 125 000,
4130 50B30
incl incl
Over 293 Over 33 Over 145 000 Over 125 000 409 44 1335 94B30 3140 4137 4142 9840 4337
to 341, to 38, to 170 000, to 150 000,
3135 4135
incl incl incl
4042 4640
incl
5135 8640
Over 341 Over 38 Over 170 000 Over 150 000 455 48 1340 4137 4140 4145 4147 4340
to 388, to 42, to 190 000, to 170 000,
3140 6145 TS4140 9840 4337
incl incl incl incl
4047 8642 86B45
4135 8645 94B40
5140 8742
TS14B50
50B40
Over 388 to Over 42 Over 190 000 Over 496 51 1345 8645 5147 4142 8660 4147 4150 E4340
429, incl to 45, to 205 000, 170 000 4063 8740 5155 4145 9840 4161 4161 9850
incl incl to 185 000, 4068 8742 5160 4337 4340 TS4150
incl 4140 9260 6150 8650 86B45
4640 9261 9262 8655
5145 TS4140 50B60
5150 50B46 94B40 51B60
8640 50B44 81B45
8642 50B50
A
1 psi = 0.006895 MPa.
B
Minimum as-quenched hardness for obtaining desired hardness after tempering at 800°F (427°C) or higher.
C
1 in. = 25.4 mm.
identified as Classes P-1 through P-7, are shown in Table 7. 4.1.3 Classes R-1 through R-6 comprise bars for parts
The steel compositions suitable for Classes P-1 through P-7 requiring a lower yield strength (30 000 to 120 000 psi (207
and for various desired mechanical properties are listed in to 827 MPa)), with fair to good ductility. The applicable
Tables 1 and 2. section sizes, identified as Classes R-1 through R-6, are shown
4.1.2 Classes Q-1 through Q-7 comprise bars for parts in Table 7. The steel compositions capable of developing the
operating under moderate service conditions requiring moder- various desired mechanical properties are listed inTables 5 and
ate to high yield strength (75 000 to 185 000 psi (517 to 1276 6.
MPa)), corresponding tensile-strength levels, and good ductil-
5. Applicable Procurement Specifications
ity. The applicable section sizes, identified as Classes Q-1
through Q-7, are shown in Table 7. The steel compositions 5.1 For procurement of steel, it is recommended that the
suitable for Classes Q-1 through Q-7 and various desired following ASTM specifications of latest issue be used: Speci-
mechanical properties are listed in Tables 3 and 4. fication A 108, Specification A 304, Specification A 311/
A 400–69 (2000)
TABLE 2 Steels for Drastically Quenched Parts—Classes P-1 Through P-7
(Applicable to water-quenching or equivalent rate of heat-removal — See Note 5)
NOTE 1—Steels listed as approved for heavier sections or higher strengths may be used in the same conditions for lighter sections and lower strengths.
NOTE 2—Steel composition numbers correspond to ASE, AISI, or ASTM designations. Those in italics are no longer considered standard grades due
to decreased usage.
NOTE 3—An H-steel with the same grade designation as a standard SAE-AISI steel is capable of meeting the same section and strength requirements
as the standard steel (see ASTM Specification A 304), and is the preferred method of specification.
NOTE 4—Steels having a maximum carbon content of 0.40 % or over, or a hardness of
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