LECTURE 3

Steel and Properties

PREPARED BY:
ENGR. TIMOTHY JOHN S. ACOSTA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
 Discussion Outline

I. Introduction
II. Steels for Hot-Rolled Applications
III. Fastener Steels
IV. Weld Electrode and Filler Materials
V. Production of Steel
VI. Mechanical Properties
I. INTRODUCTION
 I. INTRODUCTION

◉ Some factors to be considered in choosing a steel material

1. Rigidity
2. Least Weight
3. Ductility
4. Corrosion Resistance
5. Weldability
 Classification
of Metals:

Non-ferrous
Ferrous Metal -
Metal - Copper,
Principal
tin, lead, nickel,
element is iron
aluminum

Cast Iron
Steel (carbon
Iron – (0.008% (carbon content
content between Wrought Iron
carbon) between 2% &
0.04% & 2.0%)
4.0%)

INCREASING CARBON CONTENT

II. STEELS FOR HOT-ROLLED APPLICATIONS
 II. STEELS FOR HOT-ROLLED APPLICATIONS

1.) Carbon Steels

2.) High- Strength Low- Alloy
3.) Alloy Steels

*all requirements are under ASTM A6/A6M

 Carbon Steels

Effect of Carbon on Steel

• Up to 0.90% - increases hardness, tensile strength, &

responsiveness to heat treatment with corresponding
increase in strength & hardness

• Over 0.90% - increases hardness & brittleness

• Over 1.2% - causes loss of malleability

Steel Classifications

Carbon Steels

are steels with the maximum specified

amounts of carbon. manganese, silicon,
and copper.

Increasing carbon content increases yield

stress but decreases ductility, making
welding more difficult.

ASTM A36 is the most common structural

carbon steel for channels and angles.

Fy = 36 ksi, Fu = 58 ksi
 Carbon Steels

Carbon Steels
• Low Carbon - less than 0.15%
• Mild Carbon - 0.15% - 0.29%
(ex. Structural carbon steel, A36)
• Medium Carbon - 0.30% - 0.59%
• High Carbon - 0.60% - 1.70%

Examples - A36, A53, A500, A501, A529, A570, A611, A709

Steel Classification

High-Strength Low Alloy

Steels (40 to 70 ksi)
have similar chemical content to carbon steels, with
addition of small amounts of alloy elements such as
chromium, columbium, nickel, vanadium, and
zirconium.

Increase in tensile strength is not due to addition of

carbon; it is due to a fine microstructure obtained by
controlled cooling.

ASTM A992 is the most common structural steel for

W and WT-Shapes.

Fy = 50 ksi, Fu = 65 ksi
 Alloying Elements in Steel

Manganese 0.50% to 2.0% - imparts strength & responsiveness to heat treatments; promotes
hardness, uniformity of internal grain structure

Silicon Up to 2.50% - same general effects as manganese

Sulfur Up to 0.05% - maintained below this content to retain malleability at high temperatures,
which is reduced with increased content
0.05% to 3.0% - improves machinability
Aluminum Variable - promotes grain size & uniformity of internal grain structure

Copper Up to 0.25% - increases strength & corrosion resistance

Lead 0.15% to 0.35% - improves machinability without detrimental effect on mechanical

properties

Chromium 0.50% to 1.50% - in alloy steels, increases responsiveness to heat treatment &
hardenability
4.0% to 12% - in heat-resisting steels, causes retention of mechanical properties @ high
temperatures
Steel Classification

Heat-Treated Alloy Steels

(80 – 110 ksi)
are quenched and tempered to obtain
high yield strengths; yield strengths
determined at 0.2% offset strain.

ASTM A514 is the most common

structural heat-treated alloy steel, for
plates only.

Fy = 80-110 ksi, Fu = 100-130 ksi

 Note:
*Can be found in “PART 2:
General Considerations for
Design” of AISC MANUAL
Note:
*Can be found in “PART 2: General Considerations
for Design” of AISC MANUAL
FROM SUPPLIERS

https://www.jfe-steel.co.jp/en/products/shapes/catalog/d1e-101.pdf
RELATIVE COST OF STRUCTURAL STEEL

Brockenbrough et. Al.,1991, Structural Steel Handbook

III. FASTENER STEELS
 Fastener Steels

1.) A307, CARBON STEELS BOLTS AND STUDS

2) A325, High-Strength Bolts for Structural Steel Joints
3) A449, Quenched and Tempered Steel Bolts and Studs
4) A490, High-Treated Steel Structural Bolts (~150ksi)
5) Galvanized High-Strength Bolts (A325)
 Fastener Steels

1.) A307, CARBON STEELS BOLTS AND STUDS

○ Used as machine bolts and temporary installations
2) A325, High-Strength Bolts for Structural Steel Joints
○ Grade A (60 ksi) – general applications
○ Grade B (100 ksi) – flanged joints in piping systems
 Fastener Steels

2) A325, High-Strength Bolts for Structural Steel Joints

○ Medium carbon steel
○ Max carbon content (0.30%)
3) A449, Quenched and Tempered Steel Bolts and Studs
○ Yield strength @ 0.2% offset (81 ksi to 92 ksi)
○ Ultimate strength (105 ksi to 120 ksi)
 Fastener Steels

3) A449, Quenched and Tempered Steel Bolts and Studs

○ Have the same strength as A325 for bolts 1
½” and smaller
○ Regular hexagon head and longer thread
length than A307
○ For high strength anchor bolts and
threaded rods
 Fastener Steels

4) A490, High-Treated Steel Structural Bolts (~150ksi)

○ Up to 0.53% carbon content for 1 ½” bolts
○ Minimum yield strength of 115 ksi to 130 ksi
 Fastener Steels

5) Galvanized High-Strength Bolts (A325)

○ In order to provide corrosion protection, A325 bolts may be
galvanized
○ Steels having tensile strength in the range of 200 ksi or
higher are subjected to hydrogen embrittlement
○ Hydrogen introduction occurs during the prickling operation
of galvanizing

**Galvanizing – process of applying a protective zinc coating to prevent rusting.

- Must common method is hot-dip galvanizing
IV. Weld Electrode and Filler Material
 Weld Electrode and Filler Material

• Denotes Electrode
• Tensile strength in ksi
• Indicates the welding position (1,2,4)
• Type of flux, coating, the amount of penetration and
type of current that can be used
V. Production of Steel
MANUFACTURING PROCESS

https://www.jfe-steel.co.jp/en/products/shapes/catalog/d1e-101.pdf
MANUFACTURING PROCESS

https://www.jfe-steel.co.jp/en/products/shapes/catalog/d1e-101.pdf
MANUFACTURING PROCESS

https://www.jfe-steel.co.jp/en/products/shapes/catalog/d1e-101.pdf
 Production of Steel

Finishing Processes
• Rolling - compressing & shaping an ingot into a
useful shape by squeezing it through a succession
of rollers, each succeeding set of rollers squeezing
the material smaller in cross section and closer to
the final shape
• Extrusion - forcing a billet of hot, plastic steel
through a die of the desired shape to produce a
continuous length of material
• Drawing - pulling a steel through a small die to
form a wire or a small rod of round, square, oval, or
other cross section
• Forging - deforming steel by pressure or blows into
a desired shape
Production of Steel
 Heat Treatment of Steel
Consists of raising the material’s temperature to a
specified value. The process is performed to
change certain characteristics of steel to make
them more suitable for a particular kind of service.
Some of the reasons for heating are:

1. To soften part so that it can be machined easily

2. To relieve internal stresses so that a part will

maintain its dimensional stability (i.e., not warp
or fail prematurely due to locked in stress)

3. To refine the grain structure so that the part will

be less likely to fracture abruptly (or to
toughen)
Heat Treatment of Steel
◉ Normalizing - heating the steel to a temperature
of about 1500 F or higher & cooling several
hundred degrees slowly in air to increase
uniformity of structure
◉ Annealing - heating the metal slightly lower than
for normalizing, holding it at that temperature for
the proper period of time, & then slowly cooling,
usually in a furnace

Reasons for annealing

○ To refine the grain
○ To soften the steel to meet definite
specifications
○ To remove internal stresses caused by
quenching, forging, & cold working
○ To change ductility, toughness, electrical, and
magnetic properties
 Heat Treatment of Steel

◉ Quenching - cooling steel very

rapidly in oil, water, or brine from a
temperature about 1500 F to
increase hardness and strength (but
reduces ductility & toughness);
residual stresses are also introduced

◉ Tempering - process of re-heating

a hardened steel to a temperature
of about 300 to 1200 F, holding it at
that point for a time, and cooling it
to reduce residual stresses &
increase ductility
 Mechanical Properties of Metals

• Modulus of Elasticity - slope of the stress-strain diagram in the region wherein the stress
is proportional to the strain
• Yield Point - point in the stress-strain curve wherein the steel ceases to behave as an
elastic material and undergoes an increase in strain without an increase in the loading
• Offset Yield Strength - value of the stress obtained by the intersection of the stress-strain
diagram with a straight light drawn from an arbitrary offset strain (0.1% or 0.2%) with a
slope equal to the constant of proportionality
• Proportional Limit - stress at the limit of linear proportionality; generally determined by
the stress corresponding to a permanent strain of 0.01%
• Ductility - amount of permanent strain (i.e., strain exceeding proportional limit) up to the
point of fracture; obtained from the tension test by determining the percent elongation of
the specimen
• Fatigue - process of gradual or progressive fracture of the crystals under repeated stress
Mechanical Properties of Metals
 Mechanical Properties of Metals

• Impact - resistance of a material to failure due to brittleness under service conditions in a structure

Brittle Fracture - a type of catastrophic failure that occurs without prior plastic deformation and at
extremely high speeds
Toughness - measure of the ability of steel to resist fracture; resistance to unstable crack propagation
in the presence of a notch; measured by the area under the stress-strain curve of the material
• Flow or Creep - very slow flow of material at elevated temperatures under sustained stresses
Relaxation - loss of tension with time in a stressed tendon maintained at constant length and
temperature
• Corrosion & Wear
Atmospheric - determined by the quantity of moisture in the air and the length of time in contact
Water Immersion - determined by the amount of oxygen dissolved in water
Soil - ingredient coming in contact with iron or steel
Chemicals other than water
Electrolytic process
Take Note of these!
 Thanks!

ANY QUESTIONS?

You can find me at:

RM 206
tsacosta@up.edu.ph
REFERENCES
• Salmon, C.G., Johnson, J.E. and Malhas, F.A. (2009). Steel Structures
Design and Behavior, Prentice Hall, 5th edition.

• AISC – ASD/LRFD Steel Construction Manual, 14th edition

• NSCP 2015 Volume 1, Seventh Edition