Hot-rolled steel plates, sheets and coils

Processing of material
Impact strength and through-thickness properties

We have compiled in this data sheet general information on the impact strength of our hotrolled steel products and their through-thickness properties (properties perpendicular to the
plate surface, Z properties) to provide help in selecting materials.

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Selection of material. Impact strength and through-thickness properties

Definitions

strength class affects, for example, the selection of

welding consumables. By using steel grades with a limited number of impact strength classes, the fabricator
becomes familiar with those particular steels and can
have suitable working methods developed for them.

Impact strength refers to the ability of a material to

sustain impact loads. A fracture caused by an impact
may be either brittle or ductile. The impact strength of
steels is measured with an impact test standardised in
EN10045-1:1990. A typical impact test procedure is
Charpy V.

The selection of steel grade for a structure, when done

on the basis of impact strength, depends on several factors:
- Temperature during transports and installation:
< +20C
- Service temperature: < +20C
- Heavy plate: thickness > 20 mm
- Steel grade: Fe, alloyed
- Load, stress rate
- Welded structure, welding process, weld locations
- Thermal cutting
- Structural solutions, shape and form.

A materials ductility, i.e. its deformation properties

perpendicular to the plate surface, is measured in the
through-thickness tensile test. The through-thickness
tensile test gives the percentage reduction of area in the
through-thickness direction, or the Z property. Conducting a through-thickness tensile test is standardised in
EN 10164:2004. If required, hot-rolled steel plates can
be delivered with improved through-thickness deformation properties, which are referred to as Z plates.

Symbols of impact strength

Selection of the impact strength class can also be

affected by the availability of steel products.

The impact test temperature, as stated by the steel

manufacturer, does not represent the lowest permissible service temperature for the steel. It rather serves
for experimental checking of quality and for comparison
between steel grades. In some standards, the impact
strength designation means the same as the quality
designation.

Standards and calculation instructions applied in certain

fields specify impact strength requirements for steels:
- The Finnish Ministry of the Environment Building
Code B7, Guidelines for Steel Structures.
- ENV 1993-1-1:1993, Design of steel structures
General rules, Appendix C (Eurocode 3).
- ENV 1993-2:1997, Design of steel structures
Bridges, Appendix C (Eurocode 3).
- Standard EN 13001-1:2004, Cranes General design
General principles and requirements.
- Standard EN 14015:2004, specification for the design
and manufacture of metal tanks for the storage of liquids.
- Pressure Equipment Directive, PED 97/23/EY;
standard EN 13445-2, pressure vessels.
- Proposal for a European standard ENV 1993-4-2:1999
(Eurocode 3), large unpressurised steel silos and
tanks.
- National regulations on the impact strength
requirements in various steel structures in different
fields.

For flat products, the test specimens for impact strength

are taken either in the transverse or longitudinal direction to rolling. The direction is specified on the steel
standard, or it has been stated in the data sheet of the
steel grade. The impact energy obtained with transverse
specimens is usually lower than that with longitudinal
specimens. In some standards, the direction of impact
testing is made subject to agreement.
Table 1 provides a list of impact strength designations
used in new and old standards and related explanations.
The designations used for steel grades conforming to
EN standards are given in EN 10027-1:2005.

Selection of impact strength class

Particular attention is to be paid to the selection of

impact strength class already in the design stage for
applications, where the service temperature remains
constantly below -40C and the structure is either
welded or subject to impact loads.

Building Code B7:1996

The proper impact strength class of steel in accordance
with the Finnish Ministry of the Environment Building
Code B7 concerning steel structures can be derived
from Table 2.

The impact strength class of a steel grade makes only

a little difference to its price per unit weight. From the
users point of view, a great variety of steel grades with
different impact properties tends to increase costs, while
a limited variety of steel grades means lower costs
in the storage and handling of materials. The impact

The Building Code B7 divides steel structures into three

main classes:
- Structural class 1 includes buildings frequently
occupied by a large number of people and special
structures, such as masts and towers.


Selection of material. Impact strength and through-thickness properties

- Structural class 2 covers buildings that do not belong

to any of the structural classes 1 and 3.
Structural class 3 includes buildings only occasionally
occupied by people.

Calculated yield point fyl

t f y0
fyl = fy0 0,25

t1 235

ENV 1993-1-1:1993, Appendix C (Eurocode 3)

The calculation method to prevent brittle fracture presented in Eurocode 3, part 1-1, Appendix C, takes into
consideration factors such as the service conditions,
rate of loading, consequences of fracture, strength
of the steel, material thickness, service temperature,
toughness of the material and type of structural component. The calculation method must not be applied for
temperatures below -40C.

fy0 = basic value of the yield stress

t = thickness (mm)
t1 = 1 mm

The values of various factors to be used in calculations

are determined as shown in Table 3.

Service conditions:
S1:
- Unwelded structure.
- Welded structure with no local tensile stresses higher
than 0.2 times the yield stress.
- Welded structure that has been annealed and has no
local tensile stresses higher than 0.67 times the yield
stress.

Lowest permissible service temperature

for the structure
Tmin = 1,4 Tcv + 25 + + (83 0,08fyl) k

0,17

= 100 (InKIC 8,06)

Tcv = Charpy-V test temperature at which
the impact energy reaches the value of 27J

S2:
- Welded structure with no local tensile stresses higher
than 0.67 times the yield stress.
- Structures that have been annealed after welding and
no local(calculated) stress concentrations occur at
rates higher than 2 times the yield stress.

fyl t0,5
KIC = (c)0,55

1,226
1

=
ka + kbIn

S3:
- Welded structure with no (calculated) local tensile
stresses higher than 2 times the yield stress.
- Structures that have been annealed after welding
and have no local (calculated) tensile stresses 3 times
higher than the yield stress.

t
t
+ kc
t1)
t1)

0,5

Table 4 shows the lowest permissible service temperature for some of the most common structural steels calculated according to the method described above, using
the service condition class S2, rate of loading class R1
and consequences of fracture class C2. In terms of statics, the case represents the frame of a simple building.

Classes S2 and S3 represent ordinary welded steel

structures so that class S2 refers to a statically defined
structure of simple geometry. Plastic hinges occur in
structures of class S3 in failure limit state.

ENV 1993-2:1997, Appendix C (Eurocode 3)

Steel bridges
Materials used in bridges are required to have sufficient resistance to brittle fracture at the lowest service
temperature that is to be expected during the life time
of the structure. The lowest service temperature is to
be defined in the initial data for design. If the specifications shown in Table 5 are met, a separate assessment
of the brittle fracture can be omitted. The table has been
compiled using the calculation method proposed in the
standard ENV 1993-2:1997.

Rate of loading:
R1: Normal static load; floor load, traffic load, wind or
surge load, elevator load.
R2: Impact load; sudden yield, explosion, collision.
Consequences of fracture:
C1: Non-critical members in which fractures cause local
damage.
C2: Critical members in which local damage will result
in total collapse of the structure and thereby risk
human life or great material values.


Selection of material. Impact strength and through-thickness properties

Through-thickness properties of steel

which specifies the improved through-thickness properties presented as Z quality classes, i.e. minimum values
for reduction of area in through-thickness tensile test.
These Z quality classes are Z15, Z25 and Z35.

Material selection can also be affected by through-thickness properties. The percentage reduction of area in the
through-thickness direction is connected with the susceptibility of the material to lamellar tearing, which can
be caused by shrinking stresses in welded joints on the
surface of the steel plate or by external loading on the
joint, for example.

To verify the occurrence of lamellar tearing, steel structures may also be inspected after manufacturing. The
risk of lamellar tearing can be reduced by using steel
plates provided with guaranteed Z properties, and in
particular by using proper structural solutions applied
when designing the structure.

Through-thickness material properties for steel are

determined according to the standard EN 10164:2005,

Symbols of impact strength in the designations of steel grades

Table 1

according to some new and old standards

Impact strength

Symbols in the designation

Longitudinal

Transverse

t C

KV J

t C

KV J

SnnnJR

20

27

SnnnJ0

27

SnnnJ2

-20

27

SnnnK2

-20

40

S185

E295

EN 10025-2:2004
S = structural steel
nnn = minimum ReH (MPa) for thickness range 16mm
J = 27 J, K = 40 J, L = 60 J
R = 20 C, 0 = 0 C, 2 = -20 C, 3 = -30 C, 4 = -40 C, 5 = -50 C and 6 = -60 C
E = engineering steel
C = grade suitable for cold forming
The designations of steel grades are presented in standard EN 10027-1:2005.
EN 10025:1990. Old standard
Fe nnn B FN

20

27

Fe nnn C

27

Fe nnn D1, Fe nnn D2

-20

27

Fe nnn DD1, Fe nnn DD2

-20

40

Fe nn B

20

27

Fe nn C

27

Fe nn D

-20

27

nnn = minimum Rm (MPa) for thickness range <3mm

B, C = impact strength and delivery condition
FN = rimming steel not permitted
D2, D2, DD1, DD2 = impact strength and delivery condition

SFS 200:1986. Old standard

nn = designation for the tensile strength for thickness range < 3 mm

Multisteel. Ruukkis product name

Multisteel

-20

40

Multisteel N

-20

40

Multisteel W

-20

40

Laser nnn C

20

27

Laser nnn MC

-20

40

Multisteel = structural steel

N = normalised structural steel
W = structural steel with a lower CEV

Laser. Ruukkis product name

nnn = minimum ReH (MPa)
C = grade suitable for cold forming
MC = high-strength, formable

Optim. Ruukkis product name

Optim nnn MC

-20

40

Optim 900 QC

-40

60 1)

-40

50

Optim 960 QC

-40

50 1)

-40

50

Optim nnn ML

-50

27

nnn = minimum ReH (MPa)

C = grade suitable for cold forming
M = delivery condition: thermo-mechanically rolled
Q = delivery condition: quenched
L = low test temperature for impact strength

COR-TEN. Weathering structural steels. Ruukkis product name

COR-TEN A

COR-TEN B

COR-TEN B-D

-20

27

ReL 345 MPa

Selection of material. Impact strength and through-thickness properties

EN 10025-5:2004. Structural steels with improved atmospheric corrosion resistance. Old standard: EN 10155:1993
SnnnJ0W

27

SnnnJ2W

-20

27

SnnnJ0WP 1)

27

SnnnJ2WP 1)

-20

27

SnnnK2G1W, SnnnK2G2W

-20

40

S = structural steel
nnn = minimum ReH (MPa) for thickness range 16mm
J = 27 J and K = 40 J
0 = 0 C and 2 = -20 C
W = weathering steel
P = higher content of phosphorus
G1 = delivery condition: normalised or normalised rolled
G2 = delivery condition may be selected by the manufacturer
1)
Impact strength to be verified only per separate agreement.

EN 10025-3:2004. Normalised fine-grained structural steels. Old standard: EN 10113-2:1993

SnnnN 1)

-20

40

-20

20

SnnnNL 1)

-50

27

-50

16

S = structural steel
nnn = minimum ReH (MPa) for thickness range 16mm
N = delivery condition: normalised or normalised rolled
L = low test temperature for impact strength
1)
Longitudinal test pieces are used unless otherwise agreed.

EN 10025-4:2004. Normalised fine-grained structural steels. Old standard: EN 10113-3:1993

SnnnM 1)

-20

40

-20

20

SnnnML 1)

-50

27

-50

16

S = structural steel
nnn = minimum ReH (MPa) for thickness range 16mm
M = delivery condition: thermo-mechanically rolled
L = low test temperature for impact strength
1)
Longitudinal test pieces are used unless otherwise agreed.

EN 10028-2:2003. Non-alloy steels with specified elevated temperature properties

PnnnGH

27

16Mo3

20

31

P = steel for pressure purposes

nnn = minimum ReH (MPa) for thickness range 16mm
G = non-alloy steel
H = high temperature service

DIN 17155:1983. Old standard

HI

31

H II

31

17 Mn 4

31

19 Mn 6

31

15 Mo 3

20

31 1)

1)

For a material thickness of > 60 150 mm, KV is 27 J.

EN 10028-3:2003. Normalised fine-grain steels for pressure purposes

PnnnN, PnnnNH 1)

-20

45

-20

30

PnnnNL1 1)

-50

30

-40

27

PnnnNL2 1)

-50

42

-50

27

P = steel for pressure purposes

nnn = minimum ReH (MPa) for thickness range 16mm
N = normalised or normalised rolled
H = high service temperature
L = low service temperature
1)
Transverse test pieces are used unless otherwise agreed.

SFS 1100:1970. Ordinary pressure vessel steels. Old standard

Fe nn B P

27

Fe nn D P

-20

27

nn = designation for the tensile strength

B, D = impact strength

SFS 1150, 1977. Fine-grained pressure vessel steels. Old standard

Fe nnn CP

27

Fe nnn DP

-20

27

Fe nnn EP

-40

27

nnn = minimum ReL (MPa)

C, D, E = impact strength

DIN 17102:1983. Old standard

StE nnn 1)

-20

39

-20

21

WStE nnn 1)

-20

39

-20

21

TStE nnn 1)

-40

31

-50

16

EStE nnn 1)

-40

40

-50

27

S, WS, TS, ES = impact strength

1)

Transverse test pieces are used unless otherwise agreed.

Shipbuilding steels approved by classification societies

A 1)

27

-20

27

-40

27

-60

27

) Normal-strength shipbuilding steels A = 20C, KV = 27J

High-strength shipbuilding steels A = 0C, KV = 27J
TM-rolled shipbuilding steels A = 0C, KV = 27J
Offshore steels approved by classification societies A = 0C, KV = 27J

Selection of material. Impact strength and through-thickness properties

Selection of the impact strength class

Table 2

Calculation of the weighting factor Z: Z = Za + Zb + Zc + Zd

Influencing factor
Structural class

Weighting
factor Za

Influencing factor
Service temperature
T
C

Weighting
factor Zb

Influencing factor
(selected on the basis of
the thickest component
to be joined) mm

Weighting
factor Zc

Influencing factor
Tensile stress s in
failure limit state
MPa

Weighting
factor Zd

1
2
3

7
4
1

+100 >T
0 >T
-20 >T
-30 >T

0
5
8
10

t < 15
15 t < 25
25 t < 35
35 t < 45
45 t < 100

0
2
4
6
8

s < 235
235 s < 275
275 s < 355
355 s

0
1
2
3

0
-20
-30
-40

The lowest impact strength class of steel

Sum of weighting factors
Z = Za + Zb + Zc + Zd

Structural member with welds or

flame-cut components

Structural member with no welds or

flame-cut components

Z
12 < Z
18 < Z
22 < Z

JR
J0
J2
J4

JR
JR
JR
J0

12
18
22
24

Values of the constants in classes S, R and C

Table 3

Constant

Value of the constant

Service condition class

ka
kb
kc

S1
0.18
0.40
0.03

S2
0.18
0.15
0.03

Rate of loading
kd
Consequences of fracture
c

R1
10-3
C1
1.0

R2
1.0
C2
1.5

S3
0.10
0.07
0.04

Lowest permissible service temperatures for some structural steels

Material thickness mm

5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
60
80
100
120
150

Table 4

Lowest permissible service temperature C 1)

S235JR

S355J2

S420ML

-66
-44
-31
-21
-13
-7
-2
3
7
11
17
28
36
42
50

-83
-62
-49
-39
-31
-25
-19
-15
-10
-7
0
10
18
25
33

-110
-88
-75
-65
-58
-52
-46
-41
-37
-33
-27

Service conditions class = S2.

Rate of loading class = R1. Consequences of fracture class = C2.
1)

Selection of material. Impact strength and through-thickness properties

Maximum material thicknesses for steels according to

Table 5

EN 10025:2004 at various service temperatures

Standard

Maximum material thickness mm

Service temperature C

EN 10025-2:2004

EN 10025-3:2004, 1)
EN 10025-4:2004

S235J0
S235J2
S275J0
S275J2

EN10025-5.2004

-10

-20

-30

-40

-50

S235J0W
S235J2W

100
140
90
130
150
200
80
110
130
130
175
115
155
105
150

85
120
80
110
130
170
65
90
110
110
150
95
135
90
125

75
100
65
90
110
150
55
80
90
90
130
80
115
75
105

60
85
55
80
90
130
45
65
80
80
110
70
95
60
90

55
75
50
65
80
110
40
55
65
65
90
55
80
50
75

45
60
40
55
65
90
30
45
55
55
80
45
70
40
60

S275N/M
S275NL/ML
S355J0
S355J2
S355K2

S355J0W
S355J2W
S355K2W
S355N/M
S355NL/ML
S420N/M
S420NL/ML
S460N/M
S460NL/ML

1)

The thicknesses are valid for N/NL steels in accordance with EN 10025-3. The maximum thickness for M/ML steels is 120mm.

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Rautaruukki Corporation, P.O. Box 138, FI-00811 Helsinki, Finland.

info.metals@ruukki.com
tel. +358 20 5911

www.ruukki.com

This data sheet is accurate to the best of our knowledge and understanding. Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy,
the company cannot accept responsibility for any loss, damage or other consequence resulting from the use of this publication.
We reserve the right to make changes.
Copyright 2007 Rautaruukki Corporation. All rights reserved. Ruukki, More With Metals, Rautaruukki, Laser,
Raex and Multisteel are trademarks of Rautaruukki Corporation. Optim is a registered trademark of Rautaruukki Corporation.
COR-TEN is a registered trademark of United States Steel Corporation.