Steel Grade Equivalents — Cross-Reference Table for ASTM, AS/NZS, EN 10025, CSA G40.21, JIS

Every structural steel design code references its own national grade designations. ASTM grades (A36, A572, A992) anchor US design under AISC 360. AS/NZS grades (250, 300, 350, 400) do the same for Australian practice under AS 4100. EN 10025 grades (S235, S275, S355, S460) serve Eurocode 3. CSA G40.21 grades (300W, 350W, 400W) support Canadian design under CSA S16. JIS grades (SM400, SM490, SM570) cover Japanese practice. This page provides a unified cross-reference table so you can find the closest equivalent across any of these seven standards — and understand when "equivalent" does not mean "identical."

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Steel Grade Equivalents Table — ASTM, AS/NZS, EN 10025, CSA G40.21, JIS

Grades are grouped by yield strength (Fy) tier. The table reads across each row to find the closest match in the other standards. An em dash (—) means no direct equivalent exists in that standard at that strength/application combination. Fy and Fu values are the specified guaranteed minimums for the most common thickness range (typically t ≤ 16 mm for EN grades, Group 1-3 for ASTM W-shapes, and standard plate thickness for AS/NZS and CSA). Check the actual specification for thickness derating.

PRELIMINARY — NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION. This cross-reference is for general technical information and educational use. Equivalents are approximate; substitution requires a formal engineering review against the governing project specification and a review of the Mill Test Report for the specific heat.

~235-250 MPa Tier (Mild / General-Purpose Structural Steel)

~275-300 MPa Tier

~345-355 MPa Tier (Standard Structural — Most Common Design Grade)

This is the dominant strength tier for rolled W-shapes, UB/UC sections, and general building construction worldwide. The small difference between 345 MPa (50 ksi) and 355 MPa is within typical mill over-strength margins and is considered functionally equivalent for preliminary comparison.

~380-400 MPa Tier (High-Strength Structural)

~450-460 MPa Tier (Very High-Strength Structural)

JIS-Centric Reference Rows (Viewed from Japanese Standards)

These rows show the JIS grade and its closest international match. Useful for engineers reviewing Japanese designs or sourcing JIS material.

How to Use the Equivalents Table

1. Start from the governing specification. Identify the grade specified in the project documents (e.g., A992, S355J2, 350L15). Locate that grade in the table and read across to find the closest matches in other standards.

2. Match by yield strength first. The primary design parameter for most member and connection limit states is Fy. Grades within ±5% of each other in Fy are functionally equivalent for preliminary sizing. For example, A572 Gr 50 (Fy = 345 MPa) and AS/NZS 350 (Fy = 350 MPa) differ by only 1.4%.

3. Check the toughness designation. Yield strength alone does not guarantee suitability. If the project requires low-temperature toughness (e.g., an outdoor structure in Canada, Alaska, or Scandinavia), you need a grade with the matching Charpy subgrade — S355J2 or S355K2 for European specifications, 350L15 or 350WT for Australian/Canadian specifications, and A913 or A992 for US specifications where fracture-critical service applies.

4. Verify with the Mill Test Report before substitution. The equivalents table shows guaranteed minimums per the relevant specification. Actual properties for a specific heat of steel must be confirmed via the MTR. A heat of A36 from a particular mill may have actual Fy = 52 ksi (well above the 36 ksi minimum) and could qualify as A572 Gr 50 if the MTR supports it — but you cannot assume this without documentation.

Important: Equivalents Are NOT Identical

The term "equivalent" in steel grades means similar yield strength range — nothing more. Two grades matched in the table above will differ in at least some of the following:

• Chemical composition limits. ASTM A992 caps carbon at 0.23% max with manganese at 0.50-1.35%. EN 10025 S355JR allows carbon up to 0.24% and manganese up to 1.60%. The higher manganese in S355JR can improve strength but also increases carbon equivalent, making preheat more likely for thicker sections. AS/NZS 350 typically has different phosphorus and sulfur limits than either ASTM or EN grades, reflecting different steelmaking traditions.

• Charpy toughness requirements. A992 requires 40 ft-lb (54 J) at 70°F (21°C) for Groups 4-5, with 40 ft-lb at 0°C for seismic applications. S355JR requires only 27 J at 20°C — substantially less demanding. S355J2 requires 27 J at -20°C, which exceeds A992's standard toughness requirement. 350L15 requires 27 J at -15°C. You cannot use yield strength equivalence as a proxy for toughness equivalence.

• Thickness derating rules. Every standard derates Fy for thicker sections, but the derating schedules differ. EN 10025-2 reduces S355 Fy from 355 MPa (t ≤ 16 mm) to 345 MPa (16 < t ≤ 40 mm) to 335 MPa (40 < t ≤ 63 mm). ASTM A572 Gr 50 stays at 50 ksi (345 MPa) up to 4 inches but drops to 42 ksi for thicknesses over 4 inches. AS/NZS 3679.1 provides a simpler derating table but covers different thickness brackets.

• Dimensional tolerances. ASTM A6/A6M specifies American rolling tolerances for W-shapes. EN 10034 specifies European tolerances for IPE/HEA/HEB sections. AS/NZS 3679.1 specifies Australian tolerances for UB/UC sections. Even when the material grade is "equivalent," the section geometry may not be — an A992 W10x49 and an S355 254x254x73 UB are similar in weight but differ slightly in flange width, web thickness, and root radius. These geometric differences affect connection detailing and should not be assumed interchangeable.

• Quality assurance and certification. Different standards require different levels of mandatory testing. ASTM A6/A6M requires tension tests from each heat but Charpy testing is supplementary (only if ordered). EN 10025-2 requires specific inspection documents per EN 10204 — typically Type 3.1 for structural steel. AS/NZS 3679.1 has its own testing and certification regime. A grade that is "equivalent" in strength may have followed a different inspection and traceability pathway, which matters for regulated construction (bridges, nuclear, offshore).

Bottom line: Use the equivalents table for preliminary comparison, material sourcing research, and cross-referencing foreign designs. For any substitution on a real project, obtain the Mill Test Report for the specific heat, review the full specification (not just the Fy value), and confirm the substitution in writing with the Engineer of Record.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a steel grade equivalent and why do I need it?

A steel grade equivalent is a grade in one national standard that has similar yield strength (Fy) and tensile strength (Fu) to a grade in another standard. Engineers need equivalents when sourcing material internationally, reviewing foreign designs, or converting project specifications between jurisdictions. For example, a project designed in Australia to AS 4100 specifies Grade 350, but the fabricator can only source ASTM A572 Gr 50 — the equivalent table confirms these grades have similar Fy and are plausible substitutes for preliminary evaluation. No two grades from different standards are exactly identical in chemistry, toughness testing, or dimensional tolerances — always verify with the MTR before substitution.

Can I substitute S355 for A992 on my project?

Not without an engineering review. S355 (Fy = 355 MPa, Fu = 470-630 MPa) and A992 (Fy = 345 MPa, Fu = 450 MPa) have similar yield strengths, but they differ in chemistry limits, Charpy toughness requirements, thickness derating rules, and specification scope. A992 mandates a maximum Fu/Fy ratio of 1.25 for seismic ductility per AISC 341, which EN 10025 does not require. S355JR requires only 27 J Charpy at 20°C, while A992 guarantees 40 ft-lb (54 J) at 70°F for Group 4-5 shapes. Substitution requires a formal engineering review against the governing project specification, with particular attention to toughness requirements if the structure is in a seismic or cold-climate region.

What is the closest equivalent to 350W (AS/NZS Grade 350) steel?

The closest US equivalent to AS/NZS Grade 350 (Fy = 350 MPa, Fu = 450 MPa) is A572 Gr 50 (Fy = 345 MPa, Fu = 450 MPa) or A992 (Fy = 345 MPa, Fu = 450 MPa). All three are in the same yield strength tier. The closest EN equivalent is S355JR (Fy = 355 MPa, Fu = 470-630 MPa). The closest CSA equivalent is 350W (Fy = 350 MPa, Fu = 450 MPa) — these two are the most closely matched pair in the table. Despite the similar Fy values, AS/NZS 350 typically allows higher manganese than ASTM grades and has different Charpy testing requirements through the L0/L15 subgrade system. For Australian projects requiring toughness, specify 350L15, which has Charpy testing at -15°C.

Why do different standards list different Fy values for equivalent grades?

National standards define Fy as the guaranteed minimum yield strength under that nation's testing and quality assurance regime. The small differences (e.g., 345 MPa in ASTM vs 350 MPa in AS/NZS vs 355 MPa in EN) reflect different metallurgical traditions and safety calibration philosophies — not physically different steels. AISC 360 calibrated its phi resistance factors around Fy = 50 ksi (345 MPa). AS 4100 calibrated around Fy = 350 MPa. EN 1993-1-1 calibrated around Fy = 355 MPa. A W-shape that tests at Fy = 52 ksi (358 MPa) satisfies all three specifications because the actual yield exceeds all three minimums. The standard's own resistance factors are paired with its own Fy definition, so you should use the Fy value from the standard you are designing to — not from the equivalent grade in another standard.

How do I convert between ksi and MPa for steel grade values?

Use the conversion 1 ksi = 6.89476 MPa (approximately 6.9 MPa). Quick reference conversions for common structural grades: 36 ksi = 248 MPa (rounds to 250), 42 ksi = 290 MPa, 50 ksi = 345 MPa, 55 ksi = 379 MPa (rounds to 380), 60 ksi = 414 MPa (rounds to 415), 65 ksi = 448 MPa (rounds to 450). For tensile strengths: 58 ksi = 400 MPa, 65 ksi = 448 MPa (rounds to 450), 70 ksi = 483 MPa (rounds to 485), 80 ksi = 552 MPa (rounds to 550). The standard conversion is defined in ASTM A6/A6M Annex A2. Note that most ASTM grades use soft-metric rounding (e.g., A572 Gr 50 is officially listed as 345 MPa, not 344.7 MPa), while EN standards define Fy directly in MPa without ksi equivalents.

What does the L designation mean in AS/NZS grades like 350L0 and 350L15?

In AS/NZS 3679.1, the L suffix specifies the Charpy V-notch impact test temperature and minimum absorbed energy. 350L0 means longitudinal Charpy testing at 0°C (32°F) with a minimum of 27 J absorbed energy. 350L15 means testing at -15°C (5°F), also with 27 J minimum. 350 without an L suffix has no Charpy requirement — it is only tested for tensile properties. This system mirrors the EN 10025 subgrade convention: S355JR (27 J at +20°C), S355J0 (27 J at 0°C), S355J2 (27 J at -20°C), and S355K2 (40 J at -20°C). In CSA G40.21, the WT suffix (e.g., 350WT) indicates "weldable" with toughness testing — a combined designation that covers both chemistry for weldability and Charpy performance for low-temperature service.

Run This Calculation

→ Beam Capacity Calculator — enter the Fy and Fu values from this equivalence table to check beam moment and shear capacity under AISC 360, AS 4100, EN 1993, or CSA S16.

→ Column Capacity Calculator — column buckling resistance depends directly on Fy; confirm the correct grade before running axial and flexural buckling checks.

→ Bolted Connections Calculator — net section rupture, bolt bearing, and tear-out all use Fu. Cross-reference the grade table to verify the correct Fu applies.

→ Welded Connections Calculator — base metal strength (Fy and Fu) determines weld capacity and base metal check limits. Mismatched grades between connected parts require careful review.

→ Steel Grade Selection Tool — interactive tool to confirm Fy, Fu, chemistry limits, and preheat requirements for your specified grade.

→ Base Plate & Anchors Calculator — base plate bending uses the plate material Fy; anchor bolt design requires confirming the grade of both the plate and the anchor rods.

Related pages

• Steel Grades Fy & Fu Reference
• Bolt Grade Comparison — A325, A490, Grade 8.8, 10.9
• ASTM A36 Steel — Properties and Equivalents
• EN 10025 Steel Grades — S235-S460 for Eurocode 3
• CSA G40.21 Steel Grades — 300W, 350W, 400W
• Bolt Capacity Table — A325 & A490 Shear and Tension
• Beam Capacity Calculator
• Unit Converter — ksi ↔ MPa, in ↔ mm, ft-lb ↔ J
• All Reference Tables Directory
• How to Verify Calculator Results — Guide for Engineers

Disclaimer (educational use only)

This page is provided for general technical information and educational use only. It does not constitute professional engineering advice, a design service, or a substitute for an independent review by a qualified structural engineer. Any calculations, outputs, examples, and workflows discussed here are simplified descriptions intended to support understanding and preliminary estimation.

All real-world structural design depends on project-specific factors (loads, combinations, stability, detailing, fabrication, erection, tolerances, site conditions, and the governing standard and project specification). You are responsible for verifying inputs, validating results with an independent method, checking constructability and code compliance, and obtaining professional sign-off where required.

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