Today, the industrial steel market is very rich. And in this regard, it is very difficult to choose exactly the steel grade that is suitable for a particular project. We have to delve into the topic, study the characteristics, consider several options at once, hoping to find the right material.
In this article, we will make life easier for those who are looking for steel products for their projects. It will be about steel 235, which is very common and revered in the field of metal structures. We will try to describe as informatively as possible all the most important aspects related to this steel grade.
GOST
Absolutely every steel grade has a document clearly indicating its chemical and physical characteristics, as well as the scope and requirements for operation. Steel 235 was no exception. GOST 27772 provides the full amount of information about this brand, but first of all we are only interested in some of it.
In the composition of any of the steels, regardless of its purpose, there will be various chemical elements designed to improve the alloy structure and endow the resulting steel with some properties, whether it is strength, ductility, resistance to external influences, and much more.
Having familiarized yourself with the composition of the alloying elements of steel 235, you can determine its physical, as well as some chemical characteristics, with a small fraction of the error.
For the 235th, the following composition is characteristic:
- 0.2% carbon.
- 0.6% manganese.
- 0.05% silicon.
- 0.3% chromium.
- 0.3% nickel.
- 0.3% copper.
Among the negative impurities, an insignificant sulfur content of 0.05%, phosphorus of 0.04% and 0.08% of arsenic can be distinguished.
As you can see, the chemical composition of steel 235 does not differ outstanding properties. However, you should be assured that this is not necessary in the field of its application and, on the contrary, more malleable material will be valued higher.
Steel Specifications 235
The main application of this steel is the construction of metal structures. That is why very different, specific requirements are imposed on it. For such structural steel, not strength is much more important, but ductility, resistance to stress, and relative softness, which greatly simplifies its processing if necessary. More specifically, for steel 235 a characteristic feature is the yield strength in the range from 190 to 230 megapascals with a relative elongation at break of about 22%.
The next important indicator for any steel directly intended for use in various kinds of structures is its weldability. The better and easier the welding process is, the better it is. And 235 steel is ready to please the masters with its unlimited weldability. This means that the two parts can be joined together by a weld without preliminary heating and subsequent tempering to relieve stress in the metal. At the same time, the seam itself can be applied using any of the methods available to the master, and the quality of the connection will remain consistently strong.
Analogs
Fortunately for many, the market for structural steels is not so poor for steel with similar properties and compositions. The similar “twin brothers” are also available in the brand 235. The closest analogue is the well-known structural steel St18Kp, VSt3Kp2 or simple St3Kp2.
Be sure: each of these grades is quite common and must be available in large volumes at any enterprise engaged in the manufacture and sale of steel products.
Epilogue
At the end of this article I want to summarize all of the above. Steel 235 is perhaps one of the best structural steels for welded structures. It is easy to process, simple and reliable to weld, and structures can withstand high loads for a long time, but not break.