St 52-3 vs S355JR: differences explained
St 52-3 is the withdrawn DIN name for what EN 10025-2 calls S355. The catch: St 52-3 included an impact requirement, so its true successor is S355J2, not plain S355JR.
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Overview
Everyone in a Turkish, German or Balkan workshop still says St 52 when they mean 355 MPa structural steel, and they are almost right. DIN 17100 was withdrawn in 1994 and EN 10025-2 took over; the yield strength carried across unchanged.
The detail that trips people up is the suffix. St 52-3 was already an impact-tested grade — the "-3" class required a Charpy test — so translating it to S355JR quietly drops a guarantee. Read that way, this page is less a comparison than a warning about which modern grade to write on the order.
St 52-3 vs S355JR side by side
| Property | St 52-3 | S355JR |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | DIN 17100 (withdrawn 1994) | EN 10025-2:2019 |
| Material number | 1.0570 (St 52-3) | 1.0045 (S355JR) |
| Status today | Withdrawn — no valid certificate | Current, CE-markable |
| Min. yield ReH, ≤ 16 mm | 355 MPa | 355 MPa |
| Tensile Rm | 490–630 MPa | 470–630 MPa |
| Elongation A | 22 % | 22 % |
| Impact requirement | 27 J at −20 °C (St 52-3 N) or 0 °C (St 52-3 U) | 27 J at +20 °C only |
| True modern successor | S355J2 (−20 °C) or S355J0 (0 °C) | — |
| Max C, ≤ 16 mm | 0.20 % | 0.24 % |
| Max P / S | 0.040 / 0.040 % | 0.035 / 0.035 % |
| Carbon equivalent | ≈ 0.45 % | 0.45 % |
| Delivery condition | N (normalised) or U (untreated) | As rolled, M or N by agreement |
| Common forms | Plate, sections, tube | Plate, sections, hollow sections, tube |
| Price difference | None — same material family | None |
| Where the name survives | Türkiye, Germany, Austria, Balkans, Iran | — |
| ASTM parallel | A572 Gr 50 | A572 Gr 50 |
| JIS parallel | SM490A / SM490B | SM490A |
| GB parallel | Q345B | Q345B |
| Certificate you will receive | S355JR, J0 or J2 depending on what you ordered | S355JR |
| Risk if translated carelessly | Losing the impact guarantee that St 52-3 carried | — |
Which should you choose?
Do not translate St 52-3 as S355JR. The suffix -3 carried a Charpy requirement, so the honest successor is S355J2 (27 J at −20 °C) for St 52-3 N and S355J0 (0 °C) for St 52-3 U. Writing "S355JR (ex St 52-3)" on an order downgrades the toughness without anyone noticing until a cold-weather failure investigation. If the drawing simply says St 52 with no suffix, ask the designer; if the answer is unavailable, S355J2 is the safe reading.
- As a reading key for old drawings, machine manuals and stock lists
- When matching an existing structure whose documentation uses the DIN designations
- In conversation with fabricators who have used the name for forty years
- Only when the application is genuinely ambient and indoors — JR has no low-temperature guarantee
- Light fabrication, brackets and non-critical frames
- For anything outdoors, thick or welded under restraint, step up to S355J0 or S355J2 instead
Frequently asked questions
Is St 52 the same as S355?
The strength is: both are 355 MPa minimum yield. The impact class is not. St 52-3 required a Charpy test at 0 °C or −20 °C, so its modern equivalents are S355J0 and S355J2 rather than S355JR.
What is St 52-3 N?
The normalised version, tested at −20 °C — equivalent to S355J2+N. The U version was untreated and tested at 0 °C, corresponding to S355J0.
Can I still order St 52?
By name, yes; what arrives is an S355 grade. Specify the impact class you need, because that is the part the old name no longer carries automatically.
What is St 52 in ASTM?
A572 Grade 50 is the usual counterpart at 345 MPa yield. It is close but not identical: the chemistry limits and the impact regime differ, so check before substituting on a stamped drawing.
Is St 52 stronger than St 37?
Yes — 355 MPa against 235 MPa minimum yield, a 51 per cent difference. In modern names that is S355 against S235.
Which S355 sub-grade is stocked?
S355J2 in plate, S355JR and S355J2 in sections, S355J2H in hollow sections. J0 is the least commonly stocked of the three and is often supplied as J2 instead.
Related comparisons
Verified against EN 10025-2:2019 · DIN 17100 (withdrawn). Last checked: October 2026.