af) Designation: A 6/A 6M — 89 Standard Specification for General Requirements for Rolled Steel Plates, Shapes, Sheet Piling, and Bars for Structural Use! ‘This andar s sued under he Fuad designation A 6/8 SM supererpt epson This standard has bs Standard for ohe speci 1. Scope {1 This specifiation® covers a group of common require: ments that, unless otherwise specified in the material speci fication, apply to rolled steel plates, shapes, sheet piling, and tars under each of the following specifications issued by ASTM: ast. Designation? Tide of Speciation ASIA3OM.—— Stacturl Stat AISA I3IM Strata! Shel fr Sips High-Sirenth Lou-alloy Sacto Stet ‘bow and Intermediate Tense Steath Carbon Sel tes {Low and Intermediate Tensile Strap Caton Scan See Pcs for Mathie Por and Genta Construction Ada 20M Sie! Shee Pi AASUA HIM HighSwongtm Cow-Afoy Stactral Manganese Vanadumm Sl ASIS{ASi4M High-Yield Suorgth Quenched and Tempel Alloy See Pate Suatle for Welding Structural Ste! with 42 Ls 1990 MPa) Mtnimuey Yield Pui (in {19 mont Minimum Thicknew HighSicensh LewAloy ColumemVanadiam Stet of Sirctaral Quality Awa out Asta sto ASA 379M Surucural Carbon Sel Pites of Improved Toughness ‘AS8BIN SEEM HighSirngth Low-Alloy Strctanl Sie! haaeso tal (345 MPa) Minimum Yield Pont toi {10} Pie ‘ANIA 35M Normalaed High Strength Low-aline Struc cee ASSIA SSEM — HotRoted Sirctural Stel HighSuenghLos-alloy Plate ‘ih Improsed Formabty Quenched and Tempered Carten-Sicel and Hien Stenth ‘Low-Alloy Sie! Fates for Sueur Appcauone High Srenath Low-Alloy Stel H-Pis and Shet Ping for Use tn Mane Envonincae AoTHa 67aM 80/4 6508 ArH ‘Stucturl Sie Yor Brdges ATIOA DOM Lom.Carbon “age Hrdeting. Nickl specification and the various material specifica enced in 1.1, values shail be rounded to the nearest unis the right-hand place of figures used in expressing the firm! values in accordance with the rounding method of Prac E29, 1.9 The values stated in either inch-pound unis or Units are to be regarded as standard. Within the teut, the Units are shiown in brackets. The values stated in exci sy are not exact equivalents: therefore, each system must used independently of the other. Combining values som {two sestems may result in nonconformance with the spe cation, 1.10 This spevifieation and the applicable materiai spec: fications are expressed in both inch-pound unite and tunuts, However, unless the order specifies the applicesie "M~ specification designation (SI units). the materials furnished to inch-pound units4) A6/A 6M. Referenced Documents 1 ASTM Standards: 13370 Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing of Steel Products" 4 673/A 673M Specification for Sampling Procedure for Impact Testing of Structural Stec!” 4.700 Practices for Packaging, Marking, and Loading Methods for Stee! Products for Domestic Shipment’ 1 Methods, Practices, and Definitions for Chemical Analysis of Steel Products? E 29 Practice Using Significant Digits in Test Data to Determine Conformance with Specifications* E 112 Methods for Determining Average Grain Si E 208 Method for Conducting Drop-Weight Test to Deter- ‘mine Nil-Ductility Transition Temperature of Fernitic Steels® PR American Welding Society Standards: T Mild Steel Covered Arc-Welding Etectrodes* Low-Alloy Steel Covered Arc-Weiding Electrodes* US. Military Standards: MIL-STD-129 Marking for Shipment and Storage” MIL-STD-163 Steel Mill Products Preparation for Ship- ‘ment and Storage” 24 US. Federal Standard: ; Fed. Sid. No. 123 Marking for Shipments (Civil Agencies)” A AS, 3. Descriptions of Terms Specific to This Standard 3.1 Plates (other than Noor plates or coiled product)— Flat hotrolled ste), classified as follows: 3.11 When Ordered 10 Thickness: 3.11.1 Over 8 in. [200 mm] in width and 0.230 in, [over 6 mm] or over in thickness. 3.11.2 Over 48 in. {1200 mm] in width and 0.180 in. lover 4'5 mm or over in thickness. 3.1.2 When Ordered to Weight: 3.12.41 Over 8 in, (200 mm} in width and 9,392 Ib/ Ug 47.10 gm] oF eave. ‘Over 48 in, [1200 mm] in width and 7.350 Ib/ft? {over 35.32 kg/m*] or heavier. 3.1.3 Slabs, sheet bars, end skelp, though frequently falling inthe foregoing size ranges, are not classed as plates 3.let- Coiled product is excluded from qualification to this specification until cut to length (see §.3.2) 3.2 Shapes (Flanged Sections) 2.1 structuraksize shapes—rolled anged _ sections having at least one dimension of the cross section 3 in. (75 mm] of greater. Structural shape size groupings used for tensile property classification are listed in Table A 3.2.2 bar size shupes—rolled flanged sections having a maximum dimension of the cross secliun less than 3 in. [75 mm 3.2.3: "H"* shapes—are doubly-symmetric. wide-flange shapes used as beams or columns whose inside flange * nual Bok of ASTM Standards, Vol 1602 dnmal Bonk of ASTM Standards, Vol O30 "avai fm te Amencie Weng Sosen, $50 NW. Leu Ra Mian, FL 33138. alse fram the procuring Aci o as aeted ts the somractng oct co ram the Naval Pablations and Fotns Ceres, AD! Tabor Ave, Paiaoda, Pa 19120, surfaces are substantially parallel. shape having essentially the samme nominal weight and dimensions as a “W" shape listed in Table A but whose inside flange surfaces are not parallel may also be considered a “W" shape having the same nomenclature as the tabulated shape. provided its average flange thickness i essentially the same as the flange thickness [5 of the “W” shape 1 3.2.4 "HP" shupes—are wide-lange shapes generally used as bearing piles whose flanges and webs are of the same ‘nominal thickness and whose depth and width are essentially the same. bens “S* shapes—doubly-symmetric shapes produced im Coat accordance with dimensional standards adopted in 1896 by ill the Association of American Steel Manufacturers f hl American Standard beam shapes, The essential part of these gin standards is that the inside Mange surfaces of American Yereg Standard beam shapes have approximatcly 16% % slope. two 3.2.6 "M” shapes—doubly-symmetric shapes that cannot 3 be classified as “W," °S,” or “HP” shapes, shear 4.2.7 “C* shapes—channels produced in accordance with 31 dimensional standards adopted in 1896 by the Association of ——yttin ‘American Steel Manufacturers for American Standard chan- 3,1 nels. The essential part of these standards is that the inside flame flange surfaces of American Standard channels have approx: or pos imately a 16% % slope, therm 3.2.8 “MC” shapes—channels that cannot be classified as In sp shapes design 3.2.9 °L" shapesshapes having equal-leg and unequal Rie leg angles denote 3.3 Sheer Piling—steel sheet piling consists of rolled —cireutc sections that ean be interlocked. forming a continuous wall four o when individual pieces are driven side by side. 3.4 hars-—rounds, squares. and hexagons, ofall sizes: Mats gg ‘aa in, (0.2031 in.) [over S$ mm} and over in specified thickness, not over 6 in, [150 mm] in specified width: and 4.1 flats 0.230 i, {over 6 mm) and over in specified thickness, j MECES% ‘over 6 10 8 in, [150 t0 200 mm} inclusive, in specified width} 4.1.1 3.5 exclusive—when used in relation tw ranges. as for | 442 ranges of thickness in the tables of permissible variations in | 4.1.3 dimensions, is intended to exclude only the greater value of | Sa the range. Thus, a range from 60 10 72 in. [1500 to 1200 | 4.14 mmm] exclusive includes 60 in, [1500 mm}, but does not | 41.5 include 72 in. {1800 mm} } 416 36 rimmed stecl—steel containing sufficient oxygen to | Produc give a continuous evolution of curbon monoxide during | "he soldification, resulting in a case or rim of metal virwally free } 42-7 of voids. ut fror 3.7 semi-killed steel—incompletely deoxidized steel con- | Panula taining sufficient oxygen to form enough carbon monoxide } Mration uring solidification to offset solidification shrinkage, 418 3,8 capped stecl—rimmed steel in which the nmming ay action is imited by an early capping operation. Capping may | 9g"? te came out mechanically by using a heavy metal cap ona | GLE botilestop mold or it may be carried out chemically by an | gait: addition of sluminuin or ferrosilicon tothe top of the malien + egyor steel in an open-top mold. j 3.9 killed steel—stecl deoxidized, either by addition of sarong deoxidizing agents or by vacuum treatment, 10 reduce ' S- Mam the oxygen content to such a level that no reaction occurs.) 1 between carbon and oxygen during solidification. tion, the 3.10 groupings for tensile property classifcation—in some! oxygen,ib A/AGM material specifications. the tensile property require- Gary for different sizes of shapes due to mass effect, + the convenience of those using the specifications, the {Gres of shapes have been divided into groups based ‘ion thickness at the standard tension test location Steams, channels, and zee; legs of angles: and stems {The material specifications designate shape sizes by sce to the group designations. The groupings are shown wea. ‘mill edge—the normal edge produced by rolling sn horizontal Gnishing rolls. A mill edge does nat “nto any definite contour. Mill edge plales have two ges and two trimmed edges, universal mill cdge—the normal edge produced by {between horizontal and vertical Finishing rolls, Uni- mill plates, sometimes designated UM Plates, have aivefsal mill edges and two trimmed edges. iW ad edge—the normal edge produced by ne, Sneared edge plates are trimmed on all edges. Teas cul edge—the edge produced by gas lame & special cur edge—usvally the edge produced by gas ‘citing involving special practices such as pre-heating Seheating, or hath, in order to minimize stresses, avoid ‘al cracking and reduce the hardness ofthe gas cut edge. ‘ecial instances, special cut edge may be used to rate an edge produced by machining. 5 sketch—when used 10 describe form of plate, es a plate other than recuangular, circular, or semni- ar. Sketch plates may be furnished to a radius or with oe more straight sides. cdering Information Orders should include the following information, as sary, to adequately describe the desired material 1 ASTM designation and grade, etc. (if applicable). 2 Jape of material (shapes, plates, bars), 3 ‘e designation, or size and thickness or diam- and length, 4 Quantity (weight (mass] or number of pieces) 5 Condition. if other than as-rolled (normalized, etc.). 6 Either plates from coil or discrete cut lengths of flat ct may be supplied, unless one is specifically excluded ve order (see Appendix X1. 7 Should the processor (5.3.2) intend to quality plates “om a coiled product as structural plates, the order to the facture (5.4.1) should state the intended ASTM speci- on designation, grade, and type, 8 Mechanical property test feport requirements, if .9 Thermal treatment of test specimens by the mill. if ited (see 6.3 and 6.3), and 1.10 Supplementary requirements. if any, including any onal information called for in the supplementary irements, tanufacture 1 Unless otherwise specified in the material specifica the steel shall be made by the openshearth, basic sen. or electrie-furnace process. Additional refining by vacuum-arc-remelt (VAR) oF clectrosiag-remelt (ESR) is permitted. 5.2 The steel may be cast in stationary molds or may be strand cast. 5.2.1 Strand Cast 5.2.1.1 When heats of the same nominal chemical com- position are consecutively strand cast at one time, the heat ‘umber assigned to the cast product may remain unchanged ‘nti all of the steel in the cast product is from the following, heat, 5.2.1.2 When two consecutively strand cast heats have different nominal chemical composition ranges, the manu- facturer shall remove the transition material by an estab- lished procedure that positively separates the grades. 5.3 Plates are produced in either discrete cut lengths of flat product or from coils. 3.3.1 Plates produced from coil means plates that have been cut 10 individual lengths from a coiled product and are furnished without heat treatment. For the purposes of this, paragraph, stress relieving is not considered to be a heut treatment 22 Plates that are heat treated (except stress relieving) after decoiling shall be considered to be discrete cut lengths, of flat product 5.4 When plates are produced from coils: 54.1 The manufacturer directly controls one or more of the operations (that 1s, melting, rolling, coiling, exc.) that affect the chemical composition or the mechanical proper- ties, or both, of the material 514.2 The processor decoils, cuts to length, and marks, performs and certifies tests, examinations. repairs, inspec- tion, or operations not intended to affect the properties of the material. The processor may subsequently heat treat the plate (see Section 7). Specific sections of this specification for which the processor is responsible are 9. 10. 1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, and 19, 5.4.3 When part of a heat is rolled into discrete plates of flat product and the balance of the heat into coiled product, cach part must be tested separately, 6. Heat Treatment 6.1 When material is required to be heat trested. the heat treuiment may be performed either by the manufacturer, processor. oF fabricator unless otherwise specified in the rateral specification. 6.2 When heat treatment isto be performed hy other than the material manufacturer, the order shall so state 6.2.1 When heat treatment is to be performed by other than the material manufacturer, the plates shall be acvepted con the basis of tests made on specimens taken from full thickness coupons heat treated in accordance with the requirements specified in the material specification or on the order. If the heat-treatment temperatures ate not specified, the manufacturer or processor shall heat treat the coupons under conditions he considers appropriate. ‘The purchaser shall be informed of the procedure followed in heat treating the specimens 63 When heat treatment is to be performed by the manufacturer or processor. the material shal! be heat treated a specified in the material specification. The purchaser may specify the heat treatment 10 be used provided it is not in SAREE pasa wei) Agjaem conflict with the requirements of the material specification. 64 When normalizing is to be performed by the fabri- ator, it may be accomplished by heating uniformly for hot forming, The tomperature to which the plates are heated for hhot forming shall not significantly exceed the normalizing temperature 6.8 When no heat treatment is required, the manufacturer oF processor may, at his option, heat treat the plates by normalizing, sures relieving, or normalizing and then stress relieving to mect the material specification, 6.6 If approved by the purchaser, cooling rates faster than ‘those obtained by coofing in sir are permissible for improve- ment of the toughness, provided the plates are subsequently tempered in the temperature range from 1100 19 1300"F 1595 to 705°C), 7. Chemical Analysis 7.1 Heat Analysis—An analysis of each heat shall be made by the manufacturer to determine the percentage of carbon, manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, and any other cle- ments specified or restricted by the applicable specification. This analysis shail be made from a test sample preferably taken during the pouring of the heat. The heat analysis shall be reported to the purchaser or his representative and shall conform to the heat analysis requirements of the applicable specification. 7.1.1 When vacuum-are-remelting or electrostag remelt- ing is used, a heat is defined as all the ingots remelted from & single primary melt. The heat analysis shall be obtained from one remelted ingot, or the product of one remelted ingot, of each primary melt providing the heat analysis of the primary melt meets the heat analysis requirements of the material specification, If the heat analysis of the primary melt docs not meet the heat analysis requirements of the material specification, one test sample shall be taken from the product ‘of each remelted ingot. in either case, the analyses. 50 obtained from the remelted material shall conform to the rat analysis requirements of the applicable specification 7.2 Product Analysise-The purchaser may analyze fin- ished material representing each heat. Sampling shall be in accordance with Methods, Practices, and Definitions A 751 ‘The chemical composition thus determined shall conform to the requirements of the product specification subject to the product analysis tolerances in Table B. If «range is specified, the determinations of any element in @ heut may not vary oth above and below the specified range. Rimmed or capped steel is characterized by a lack of homogeneity in its composition, especially for the elements carbon, phosphorus, ‘and sulfur. Therefore, the limitations for these elements shall ‘not be upplicable unless misapplication is clearly indicated. 7.3 Referee Analvsis—For referee purposes, Methods, Practices. and Definitions A 751 shall be used. 8. Metallurgical Structure 8.1 When a grain size is specified, it shall be specified as fine austenitic grain size or coarse austenitic grain size ‘Austenitic grain size shalt be determined in accordance with Methods E 112. 8.2 Coarse Austenitic Grain Size—Whea coarse austenitic grain size is specified, stel having grain size umber of 1 to 3 as determined by the method described in 8,1 shall be 6 acceptable. Conformance to the specified grain size of 70 of the area examined shall constitute the basis of acceptance, ‘One test per heat shall be made. 8.3 Fine Ausieniic Grain Size 83.1 When fine austenite gran size is specified, eet} having grain size number 5 or higher as determined by the ‘method described in 8.1 shall be acceptable, Conformancety the specified grain size of 70% of the area examined shay" constitute the basis of acceptance. One grain size test per heat Shall be performed except as described in 8.3.2 & 8.32 When aluminum is used as the grain refining clement and on heat analysis the aluminum content is net Jess than 0.020 % total aluminum, or alternately, 0.01 acid soluble aluminum, the fine austenitic grain size require.“ ment shall be deemed fulfilled and the testing requirementat 8.1 shall be waived. The aluminum content shall be reported if the testing requirement is waived * see 8.3.3 When specified on the order, one grain size test (see? 8.1) per heat shall be made regardless of type or content of grain refining clement, Austenitic grain size shall conform wp 1 83.1 : 8.3.4 Blements other than aluminam may be used frp 3 grain refining. In such instences, the grain size tent of 81) Shall be required. The content of the elements shall ef (Sy reported with the heat analysis, thic 9 Jimi 9.1 General—The material shall be free of injuriowll ders defects and shall have a workmanlike finish. tion Nore—Unless otherwise specified, structural quality secs are nf 9 mally furnished in the asrolled condition and subjected to visa ant inspection by the manufacturer. Nom-injurious surface or inter sur: imperfections or Bosh may be present im the steel at delivered and mg 9 require coniioning bythe purchaser to improve the appearance of WE gui, sel ori preparation for welding, coating, or other frter proces poy t More resiricive requirements may be specified by invoking ‘mentary requirements or by agreement betwecn purchaser and supple In the event of any matenal exhibiting injunous defects dunt subsequent fabrication, such material shall be deemed not 19 cof ‘with the specification and shall be rejected and the supplier notified 16.2.) Fabricators should be aware that cracks may initiate of bending a sheared or burned edge during the fabrication process. This not considered to be fault of the steel but i rather a function of induced cold-work or heat affected zone. ‘The conditioning requirements in 92, 9.3, and 9.4 limit theo tioning alowed to be performed by the manufacturer. Conditioning imperfetions beyond the limits of 92, 9.3, and 9.4 may be perfor by panies other than the manufacturer atthe diseetion ofthe purc 9.2 Plate Conditioning: Plates may be conditioned by the manufacturer’ procestor for the removal of imperfections or depressions: the top and bottom surfaces by grinding, provided the ‘ground is well faired without abrapt changes in contour: the grinding does not reduce the thickness of the plate by more than 7% under the nominal thickness for pl ordered to weight per square foot or [mass per square m but in no case more than % in, [3 mm]; or (2) below t permissible minimum thickness for plates ordered to thi hess in inches or millimetres. 9.2.2 Imperfections on the top and bottom surfaces plates may be removed by chipping, grinding, or atc gouging and then by depositing weld metal (see 9.5), subj to the following limiting conditions: