S235J0 steel (1.0114): properties, composition, equivalents
S235J0 (1.0114) is the EN 10025-2 structural steel with 235 MPa yield and 27 J impact at 0 °C — S235JR strength, tested twenty degrees colder.
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What is S235J0?
S235J0 is the middle member of the S235 family in EN 10025-2, and the only thing that separates it from S235JR is the temperature at which the steel has to absorb 27 joules in a Charpy test: 0 °C instead of +20 °C. Strength is identical — 235 MPa minimum yield up to 16 mm, 360–510 MPa tensile — and so is the carbon ceiling.
The tighter numbers are on phosphorus and sulphur, capped at 0.030 % against 0.035 % for S235JR. Those two elements are what embrittle steel at low temperature, so the specification does not ask for a different steel; it asks for a cleaner one.
In practice S235J0 is specified for structures that will be erected, handled or loaded in cold weather, and for welded assemblies where a brittle failure at a notch is the risk being designed against. If the structure lives indoors or in a temperate climate and sees no dynamic load, S235JR is the correct and cheaper answer. If the design temperature goes below about −10 °C, the grade to jump to is S235J2, tested at −20 °C and supplied fully killed.
S235J0 chemical composition
| Element | Mass % | Note |
|---|---|---|
| C | ≤ 0.17 | ≤ 0.17 % for all product thicknesses; same ceiling as S235JR |
| Mn | ≤ 1.4 | |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | 0.005 % tighter than S235JR |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | 0.005 % tighter than S235JR |
| N | ≤ 0.012 | |
| Cu | ≤ 0.55 |
Ladle analysis per EN 10025-2:2019 Table 2. Silicon is not limited. CEV maximum 0.35 % up to 30 mm and 0.38 % above 40 mm — identical to S235JR. The whole chemical difference between the two grades is 0.005 % on phosphorus and 0.005 % on sulphur.
S235J0 mechanical properties
| Thickness / condition | Yield strength ReH / Rp0.2 MPa (ksi) | Tensile strength Rm MPa (ksi) | Elongation A % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 16 mm | 235 (34.1) | 360–510 (52.2–74.0) | 26 | ≈ 100–140 HB (typical) |
| > 16 ≤ 40 mm | 225 (32.6) | 360–510 (52.2–74.0) | 26 | — |
| > 40 ≤ 63 mm | 215 (31.2) | 360–510 (52.2–74.0) | 25 | — |
| > 63 ≤ 80 mm | 215 (31.2) | 360–510 (52.2–74.0) | 24 | — |
| > 80 ≤ 100 mm | 215 (31.2) | 360–510 (52.2–74.0) | 24 | — |
| > 100 ≤ 150 mm | 195 (28.3) | 350–500 (50.8–72.5) | 22 | — |
| > 150 ≤ 200 mm | 185 (26.8) | 340–490 (49.3–71.1) | 21 | — |
Identical to S235JR at every thickness — the J suffix changes the impact test, not the strength. Elongation is for L0 = 5.65√S0, longitudinal; transverse values are two points lower on flat products.
Impact toughness
S235J0 requires a minimum Charpy V-notch energy of 27 J at 0 °C (longitudinal, ≥ 10 mm thick). The 0 in J0 is the test temperature in degrees Celsius. S235JR is tested at +20 °C, S235J0 at 0 °C and S235J2 at −20 °C, all to the same 27 J minimum.
S235J0 equivalent grades
| Grade | System | Match | Why / differences |
|---|---|---|---|
| A36 | ASTM / ASME | Near | A36 has a higher yield (250 MPa) and no Charpy requirement at all, so it does not substitute where the 0 °C toughness is the reason for the specification. |
| S235JR | EN (European) | Near | Same chemistry ceiling and identical mechanical properties; only the impact test temperature differs (+20 °C against 0 °C) plus 0.005 % on P and S. |
| Q235 | GB/T (China) | Near | Q235C is the Chinese quality tested at 0 °C and is the closest GB/T 700 match; Q235B corresponds to S235JR. |
| St3sp | GOST (Russia/CIS) | Near | St3sp category 4 or 5 is the closer match where low-temperature testing is required — tested at −20 °C, against 0 °C for S235J0. |
| SS400 | JIS (Japan) | Functional | JIS G3101 SS400 has comparable strength but no impact requirement, so it matches S235J0 on strength only. |
Identical = same composition and mechanical limits within rounding. Near = one limit differs (e.g. carbon max or impact temperature). Functional = interchangeable for most uses after an engineering check. Full cross-reference for S235J0 →
Old and superseded designations
| Old name | Standard | Note |
|---|---|---|
| St 37-3 U | DIN 17100 (withdrawn 1994) | The unalloyed, non-normalised quality; the closest legacy German name and still seen on older drawings. |
| Fe 360 C | EN 10025:1990 | The pre-1993 European designation; C corresponded to the 0 °C impact class. |
| E 24-3 | NF A 35-501 (France, withdrawn) | French legacy designation of the same quality class. |
| Fe 360 C | UNI 7070 (Italy, withdrawn) | Italian legacy designation. |
Product forms and tolerance standards
Product forms: hot-rolled plate and wide flat, sections (IPE, HEA/HEB, UPN, angles), merchant bar and flat bar, hot-rolled coil and sheet, welded hollow sections (as S235J0H, EN 10219).
Dimensional tolerances: plate: EN 10029; sections: EN 10034 (I/H), EN 10279 (channels), EN 10056-2 (angles); hot-rolled coil/sheet: EN 10051; flat bar: EN 10058.
Key property values
S235J0 yield strength
The minimum yield strength (ReH) of S235J0 is 235 MPa up to 16 mm thickness, falling stepwise to 215 MPa between 40 and 100 mm and 185 MPa between 150 and 200 mm. These are exactly the S235JR values — choosing J0 buys toughness, not strength, and a design calculation does not change.
S235J0 impact energy
27 J minimum at 0 °C, on a longitudinal specimen from material at least 10 mm thick. This single line is the reason the grade exists. Sub-size specimens are used below 10 mm with proportionally reduced energy, as set out in EN 10025-1.
S235J0 chemical composition
C ≤ 0.17 %, Mn ≤ 1.40 %, P ≤ 0.030 %, S ≤ 0.030 %, N ≤ 0.012 %, Cu ≤ 0.55 %. Silicon is unrestricted, which matters when the steel will be hot-dip galvanized: silicon content drives coating thickness and appearance, and it has to be agreed separately with the mill.
S235J0 weldability
CEV is capped at 0.35 % up to 30 mm, so S235J0 welds without preheat by every arc process up to roughly 40 mm. Use E42/G42 consumables. The lower phosphorus and sulphur also give slightly cleaner weld metal and less risk of solidification cracking than S235JR.
When S235J0 is worth the premium
The price step over S235JR is small — usually a few per cent, sometimes only a mill minimum quantity. It is worth paying where the service temperature approaches 0 °C, where the member carries dynamic or impact load, where thickness exceeds about 30 mm with notches or welded attachments, or where a design code sets a minimum service temperature that S235JR cannot satisfy.
Weldability
S235J0 is fully weldable by all arc processes (MMA, MAG, SAW, TIG) without preheat up to about 40 mm, on the same CEV limit as S235JR (≤ 0.35 % to 30 mm). Use E42/G42 class consumables matched to the parent strength. The tighter sulphur ceiling reduces the risk of hot cracking in restrained joints, which is a secondary but real benefit in heavy welded fabrication. Where a welded joint has to carry the 0 °C toughness requirement as well, the welding procedure should be qualified with impact testing at the design temperature rather than relying on the parent certificate alone.
Machining, forming and heat treatment
Machinability is good in the as-rolled condition, at roughly the same index as S235JR (≈ 70 % relative to 1212 free-cutting steel). Minimum inside bend radii follow EN 10025-2 Annex C, unchanged from S235JR. Flame and plasma cutting need no preheat at normal thicknesses; on sections over 40 mm with restrained geometry, a modest preheat reduces the hardness of the cut edge before welding.
Typical applications
- Outdoor steel structures in climates where erection and service temperatures reach 0 °C
- Welded frames and gantries carrying dynamic or impact load
- Bridge secondary steelwork and walkway structures where a toughness class is specified
- Crane runway supports and machine frames with notched or welded attachments
- Storage and silo structures in continental and northern European locations
- Any structure whose design code sets a minimum service temperature below +10 °C
S235J0 compared with related grades
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between S235JR and S235J0?
The Charpy test temperature and two chemistry limits. S235JR is tested at +20 °C, S235J0 at 0 °C, both to 27 J; and S235J0 caps phosphorus and sulphur at 0.030 % against 0.035 %. Yield, tensile and elongation are identical at every thickness.
Is S235J0 stronger than S235JR?
No. Both have 235 MPa minimum yield up to 16 mm and 360–510 MPa tensile, and both step down the same way with thickness. The J suffix in EN 10025-2 grades the impact test, never the strength.
What does J0 mean in S235J0?
J means a 27 J minimum Charpy energy and 0 means the test temperature in degrees Celsius. The family runs JR at +20 °C, J0 at 0 °C and J2 at −20 °C, all to the same 27 J.
What is the old name for S235J0?
St 37-3 U under the withdrawn DIN 17100, and Fe 360 C under the 1990 version of EN 10025. Drawings in Turkey, Poland and the Middle East still carry the St 37-3 designation, which is why the equivalence is asked for so often.
Can S235J0 replace S235JR?
Always, technically — it meets every S235JR requirement and one more. The reverse is not true: S235JR cannot be substituted where the 0 °C impact class was specified, because the certificate will not carry the test.
When should S235J2 be used instead?
When the design temperature goes below roughly −10 °C, when the section is thick and heavily notched, or when a code calls up a −20 °C toughness class. S235J2 is tested at −20 °C and is supplied fully killed with a finer grain, which is what the lower temperature requires.
Is S235J0 available as hollow section?
Yes, as S235J0H to EN 10219 for cold-formed welded sections and EN 10210 for hot-finished ones. The H suffix marks the hollow-section standard; the strength and impact class are the same as the plate grade.
Related grades
Verified against EN 10025-2:2019; EN 10025-2:2019 Tables 2, 4, 7 and 8; EN 1993-1-10:2005 (material toughness and through-thickness properties). Last checked: October 2026.