Structural steel grades
20 structural steel grades from 7 designation systems, each with a full data sheet. Sorted by system; the yield and tensile values are the first line of each grade's mechanical table.
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GOST (Russia/CIS)
ASTM / ASME
| Grade | No. | Type | C % | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A36 | K02600 | Carbon structural steel | ≤ 0.25 | 250 | 400–550 | S235JR, SS400, Q235B |
| A572 Grade 50 | K02303 | High-strength low-alloy (HSLA) columbium-vanadium structural steel | ≤ 0.23 | 290 | ≥ 415 | S355JR / S355J2, S355M / S355N, A992 |
IS (India)
| Grade | No. | Type | C % | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E250 | — | Hot rolled structural steel (Indian national standard) | ≤ 0.23 | 250 | ≥ 410 | s235jr, s275jr, a36 |
GB/T (China)
EN (European)
| Grade | No. | Type | C % | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S235J0 | 1.0114 | Non-alloy hot-rolled structural steel | ≤ 0.17 | 235 | 360–510 | s235jr, a36, q235 |
| S235JR | 1.0038 | Non-alloy hot-rolled structural steel | ≤ 0.17 | 235 | 360–510 | A36, A283 Gr. C, SS400 |
| S235JRH | 1.0039 | Non-alloy structural steel for cold-formed (EN 10219) and hot-finished (EN 10210) hollow sections | ≤ 0.17 | 235 | 360–510 | A500 Grade B, STKR400 / STK400, Q235B (GB/T 6728) |
| S275JR | 1.0044 | Non-alloy hot-rolled structural steel | ≤ 0.21 | 275 | 410–560 | A36, A572 Gr. 42, SS400 |
| S355J2 | 1.0577 | Non-alloy hot-rolled structural steel, −20 °C impact | ≤ 0.22 | 355 | 470–630 | A572 Gr. 50, A709 Gr. 50, SM490B |
| S355J2H | 1.0576 | Non-alloy structural steel for hollow sections, 355 MPa, −20 °C impact | ≤ 0.22 | 355 | 470–630 | A500 Grade C, A1085, STKR490 / STK490 |
| S355J2W | 1.8965 | Weathering (atmospheric-corrosion-resistant) structural steel, −20 °C impact | ≤ 0.16 | 355 | 470–630 | A588 Grade A / B, A242 Type 1, A606 Type 4 |
| S355JR | 1.0045 | Non-alloy hot-rolled structural steel | ≤ 0.24 | 355 | 470–630 | A572 Gr. 50, A992, SM490A |
| S355MC | 1.0976 | Thermomechanically rolled HSLA steel for cold forming | ≤ 0.12 | 355 | 430–550 | A1011 HSLAS-F Grade 50, A572 Grade 50, SAPH440 |
| S700MC | 1.8974 | Thermomechanically rolled ultra-high-strength steel for cold forming | ≤ 0.12 | 700 | 750–950 | A1011 HSLAS Grade 80, SAE J1392 100XF, S690QL |
JIS (Japan)
| Grade | No. | Type | C % | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SS400 | — | Rolled steel for general structure (Japanese national standard) | — | 245 | 400–510 | s235jr, a36, q235 |
DIN (superseded German)
| Grade | No. | Type | C % | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St37-2 | 1.0037 | General structural steel (DIN 17100, withdrawn) — today S235JR | ≤ 0.17 | 235 | 340–470 | S235JR, A36, SS400 |
| St52-3 | 1.0570 | General structural steel (DIN 17100, withdrawn) — today S355J2 / S355JR | ≤ 0.2 | 355 | 490–630 | S355J2, S355JR, A572 Gr. 50 |
What makes a steel a structural steel
A structural grade is defined by a guaranteed minimum yield strength and a guaranteed impact toughness, not by a chemistry recipe. EN 10025-2 says S355J2 must reach 355 MPa yield and absorb 27 J at −20 °C; how the mill gets there is its problem. That is why two S355J2 plates from different mills can have visibly different analyses and both be correct.
The number in the designation is always the yield in MPa for the thinnest thickness band. Yield falls as thickness rises — the same S355 is guaranteed 355 MPa up to 16 mm and 295 MPa above 150 mm — so a specification that names only the grade without the thickness is incomplete.
Reading the impact suffix
The letters after the number are the Charpy requirement, and they are the part most often ignored: JR at +20 °C, J0 at 0 °C, J2 at −20 °C, K2 at −20 °C with 40 J instead of 27 J. The N and NL suffixes add normalising; M and ML mean thermomechanically rolled.
Choosing JR for an outdoor structure in a cold climate is the classic error. The steel will not fail on a warm day, and the certificate will be correct — but the design temperature, not the delivery temperature, is what the suffix exists for.
Where the equivalents break down
S235, A36, SS400, Q235 and St37 are all called equivalent and they are close, but none of them are the same steel. A36 has no upper carbon limit for thin sections and no impact requirement at all; SS400 guarantees tensile but not yield in some thicknesses; Q235 comes in A, B, C and D impact classes that map onto JR/J0/J2 only loosely.
Equivalence tables are a starting point for an enquiry, not a substitute for the certificate. Where a code or a class society is involved, the named standard is what counts.
faq.h
What does the number in S355 mean?
The guaranteed minimum yield strength in MPa for the thinnest thickness band — 355 MPa for S355. It falls with increasing thickness: the same grade is guaranteed 335 MPa above 40 mm and 295 MPa above 150 mm.
What is the difference between S235, S275 and S355?
Only the guaranteed yield: 235, 275 and 355 MPa. S355 lets a designer use a lighter section for the same load, which usually repays the modest price difference, and it is the working default for exported structural steel.
Is A36 the same as S235?
Close but not identical. A36 guarantees 250 MPa yield against S235's 235, but it carries no Charpy impact requirement in the base specification while S235JR does. For a code-governed structure, specify the standard the code names.
What does J2 mean in S355J2?
The steel must absorb at least 27 joules in a Charpy V-notch impact test at −20 °C. JR is the same energy at +20 °C and J0 at 0 °C; K2 raises the energy to 40 J at −20 °C.
Which structural grade should I specify for export?
S355J2 covers most cases: it is widely stocked, universally understood, and its −20 °C toughness satisfies most temperate and cold-climate designs. Step down to S235JR only where the design is genuinely light and warm.