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ASTM A572 Grade 60 is a high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) structural steel — a hot-rolled plate made for welded and bolted structures that need more strength than ordinary carbon steel without paying for a heavily alloyed or quenched-&-tempered grade. The grade name is a specification, and on A572 the number is the minimum yield strength in ksi: Grade 60 means a 415 MPa (60 ksi) minimum yield, with a 520 MPa (75 ksi) minimum tensile. (This is the mirror image of A573, where the number is the tensile — on A572 the number is the yield.) The “M” metric version renames it A572M Grade 415 (415 MPa). Strength comes from a small columbium (niobium, Nb) and/or vanadium (V) microalloy, not from high carbon or big alloy additions, so the steel stays weldable and workable.
A572 Grade 60 belongs to a five-grade family (42, 50, 55, 60, 65) — the old listing wrongly said “four grades” and dropped Grade 55. It is not a weathering steel (that is ASTM A588 — do not confuse the two), and it is not quenched & tempered. It is supplied as-rolled or normalized, and its higher strength-to-weight ratio is exactly why it is specified for bridges, buildings, heavy machinery, wind-turbine towers and transmission towers where every kilogram of structure matters.
415 MPa minYield Strength60 ksi — the “60” in the name
520 MPa minTensile Strength75 ksi — minimum (not a range)
16% / 18%Elongation200 mm / 50 mm gauge
Nb / VMicroalloycolumbium & vanadium, not nickel
02Technical Specifications
What this page publishes, and what must be confirmed on the mill certificate when you enquire.
Item
Specification
Executive Standard
ASTM A572 / A572M (American standard for high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) columbium-vanadium structural steel).
Steel Grade
A572 Grade 60 (ASTM A572M Grade 415 — 415 MPa)
Steel Category
High-strength low-alloy (HSLA) structural steel, microalloyed with columbium (niobium) and/or vanadium — a low-alloy grade, but NOT a weathering steel and NOT quenched & tempered; strength comes from precipitation strengthening, not heavy alloying.
Product Forms Covered
Steel Platehot-rolled plate for bridges, buildings and welded structures on this page
Thickness / Width / Length
1.2 – 680 mm × 1000 – 4000 mm × 1000 – 18000 mm— the rolling envelope carried by the mill; confirm the exact size you need on enquiry
Production Way
Hot-rolled plate; supplied as-rolled or normalized.
Delivery Condition
As-rolled (hot rolled) or normalized — see section 07
Heat Treatment
As-rolled by standard (columbium/vanadium precipitation strengthening). Normalized only when specified. (Not quenched & tempered.)
MOQ
1 PCsample and small-batch orders supported
Lead Time by Quantity
Stock items shipped promptly; custom production typically 10 – 40 working days by quantity
Payment Terms
T/TL/C at sight
Processing Services
Cutting to length and width, profiling, bevelling, bending, drilling, welding with standard HSLA procedures, and surface treatment.
Certification
Mill Test Certificate to EN 10204 3.1, or 3.2 with third-party endorsement; heat analysis and mechanical test report.
Four corrections to the old listing before you read the table. (1) A572 has FIVE grades (42, 50, 55, 60, 65), not “four” — the old page omitted Grade 55 (380 MPa / 55 ksi). (2) The microalloy is columbium/niobium (Nb) and vanadium (V) — the old page’s “nickel-vanadium” label is a typo; there is no nickel. (3) A572 Grade 60 is not a weathering steel; corrosion resistance comes from a separate grade (ASTM A588), not from A572. (4) Grades 60 and 65 are not listed for welded bridge members under AASHTO/A709 practice — Grade 50 (and below) is the bridge workhorse. We keep the old page’s real commercial data (size envelope, MOQ, lead time, payment) and rebuild the rest around the standard.
03How to Read the Grade
Every part of A572 Grade 60 is a specification, not a marketing name.
Part
Meaning
ASTM A572 / A572M
The US standard for high-strength low-alloy columbium-vanadium structural steel. The “M” denotes the metric (SI) version of the same requirements.
Grade 60
The number is the minimum yield strength in ksi: 60 ksi = 415 MPa minimum yield. Unlike A573 (where the number is the tensile) and unlike EN grades (where the number is the yield in MPa), on A572 the number is the yield in ksi. So “60” is not the tensile and not an arbitrary sequence — it is the yield.
Grade 415 (A572M)
The metric designation of Grade 60: 415 MPa minimum yield — the same steel, named in MPa.
HSLA / microalloyed
Strength comes from a small columbium (niobium) and/or vanadium addition plus controlled rolling/precipitation, so carbon and total alloy stay low and the steel remains weldable.
Not weathering
A572 is a general HSLA grade; it has no added corrosion-resistant chemistry. For atmospheric-corrosion resistance use ASTM A588 (a weathering steel), not A572.
The A572 HSLA yield ladder — the grade number is the yield rung (ksi).
Grade
Standard
Min. yield
Tensile (min)
A572 Grade 42
ASTM A572
290 MPa
415 MPa
A572 Grade 50
ASTM A572
345 MPa
450 MPa
A572 Grade 55
ASTM A572
380 MPa
485 MPa
A572 Grade 60 (this page)
ASTM A572
415 MPa
520 MPa
A572 Grade 65
ASTM A572
450 MPa
550 MPa
Pick the rung by the yield you actually need. Grade 60 (415 MPa) is the second-strongest rung of A572 and the right call when you need a clear step above Grade 50 (345 MPa) but do not want a quenched-&-tempered plate. For lighter duty step down to Grade 50 (the bridge and general-construction favourite) or Grade 55; for the very top of the family there is Grade 65 (450 MPa). Remember the bridge caveat: Grades 60 and 65 are not listed for welded bridge members under AASHTO/A709 — for welded bridges use Grade 50 or below.
04Equivalent Grades
A572 Grade 60’s 415 MPa yield sits between the 355 MPa European/Japanese/Chinese structural grades and the higher 460 MPa class. The table maps the nearest grades — these are approximate strength neighbours, not drop-in substitutes; check chemistry, yield, toughness and thickness before swapping. Linked grades open their own page.
Standard
Grade
Min. Yield
What to check before substituting
ASTM A572 / A572M (this page)
A572 Grade 60 / Grade 415
415 MPa
The HSLA columbium-vanadium grade — 520 MPa min tensile, 415 MPa yield (this page)
ASTM A572 / A572M
A572 Grade 55 / Grade 65
380 / 450 MPa
The neighbouring rungs of the same HSLA family — choose when the duty is lighter or heavier.
EN 10025-3
S460N / S460M
460 MPa
The European normalized/weldable fine-grain grade — higher yield (460 vs 415 MPa); a close near-match for design, confirm impact class (N/M).
The Chinese low-alloy high-strength grade — higher yield (460 vs 415 MPa), the usual PRC-spec neighbour. Open the linked page.
DIN (legacy)
StE460
460 MPa
The old German high-strength structural grade — superseded by S460; named for cross-reference.
IS 2062
E410 / E450
410 / 450 MPa
The Indian structural steel grade — the E410 rung is the closest match to A572 Gr. 60.
Strength proximity is not interchangeability. A572 Grade 60’s defining property is its HSLA strength-to-weight ratio with good weldability; its yield (415 MPa) sits just below the 460 MPa European/Japanese/Chinese neighbours. A substitution into an S460 / Q460 / SM520 design must be signed off by the designer against the governing code — the chemistry and impact-class differences matter. The most common near-match on Asian projects is GB Q460 (higher yield) or JIS SM490 (lower yield); both must be checked grade-by-grade. Within ASTM, the honest “equivalent” is simply a lighter A572 rung (Grade 55 / 50) or, for genuinely higher strength, a different grade altogether (A514 / A709).
05Chemical Composition
Ladle (cast) analysis limits in weight percent, per ASTM A572/A572M Table 1 (Grade 60). A572 is a low-alloy HSLA steel, but it is deliberately lean: the strength comes from the Nb/V microalloy and controlled rolling, so carbon, manganese and total alloy stay modest and weldability is preserved.
Element
Ladle analysis (max %, unless noted)
Carbon, C
≤ 0.26 %
Manganese, Mn
≤ 1.35 %
Phosphorus, P
≤ 0.040 % (≤ 0.030 % improved)
Sulphur, S
≤ 0.050 % (≤ 0.030 % improved)
Silicon, Si
≤ 0.40 %
Columbium (Niobium), Nb — Type 1
0.005 – 0.05 %
Vanadium, V — Type 2
0.01 – 0.15 %
Nb + V — Type 3
0.02 – 0.15 % (V:N ratio controlled)
Copper, Cu
≥ 0.20 % only when specified (optional — not a copper steel by default)
Read the certificate against this table, not against a one-line data sheet. A572 Grade 60 is a low-alloy HSLA steel, and the chemistry is short by design: the strength is delivered by the columbium (niobium) and/or vanadium microalloy plus controlled rolling, not by high carbon or big alloy. Two corrections to the old listing: the correct microalloy is niobium-vanadium (Nb-V); the old page’s “nickel-vanadium” label is a misprint — there is no nickel; and copper is optional (≥ 0.20 % only when specified), so A572 Grade 60 is not a copper / weathering steel by default. The P/S can be tightened (improved 0.030 / 0.030) for better toughness and weldability.
06Mechanical Properties
Minimum room-temperature values, per ASTM A572/A572M Table 2 (Grade 60). Unlike a quenched & tempered grade, A572 Grade 60 carries a single set of values across the covered thickness.
Property
ASTM A572 Grade 60
Yield strength, min
415 MPa (60 ksi)
Tensile strength, min
520 MPa (75 ksi) — a minimum, not a range
Elongation, min (200 mm / 8 in gauge)
16 %
Elongation, min (50 mm / 2 in gauge)
18 %
Charpy impact
Not a default requirement — add as a supplementary requirement (temperature and energy to be agreed) when the service is cold-ambient
Three points on reading the table. First, the headline is the yield: 415 MPa (60 ksi) — and that is exactly what the grade number means. Second, the tensile is a minimum of 520 MPa (75 ksi), stated as a floor rather than a band. Third, elongation is given for two gauge lengths (16 % at 200 mm, 18 % at 50 mm); the shorter gauge gives the higher number. The old listing printed 20 % / 24 % for thickness bands — that does not match the A572 Grade 60 table (16 % / 18 %); we publish the ASTM values and recommend confirming elongation on the mill certificate. Because A572 is an HSLA grade, the values apply across the plate thicknesses the standard covers — there is no thickness ladder for the mechanical minimums.
A572 Grade 60 is defined by its HSLA chemistry and controlled-rolling / precipitation practice — the base condition is as-rolled or normalized, not quenched & tempered.
Item
Options
Delivery Condition
As-rolled (hot rolled)Normalized
Heat Treatment (base)
None required by A572; normalized only when specified
What the specification sets, and what has to be added by the order.
Item
Status in ASTM A572
How it is obtained
Delivery condition
As-rolled or normalized
Specify “normalized” only if you want the extra toughness/uniformity margin; otherwise as-rolled is the standard supply.
HSLA strength
Built into the grade (Nb/V microalloy, controlled rolling)
Confirmed by the heat analysis and tensile test.
Charpy impact
Not specified as a default
Add as a supplementary requirement (temperature and energy to be agreed) when the structure sees cold-ambient service.
Ultrasonic testing
Not specified
EN 10160 (or ASTM A578) at an agreed acceptance level, by agreement — recommended on thicker plate.
Through-thickness (Z) properties
Not specified
Z15 / Z25 / Z35 by agreement where the joint pulls through the plate thickness.
Third-party inspection
Not specified
SGS, BV, TUV or Intertek at the mill before shipment.
Certificate
MTC per the specification
EN 10204 3.1 as standard, 3.2 with third-party endorsement on request.
Keep the grade and the extras in the enquiry. A572 Grade 60 is delivered as-rolled or normalized and microalloyed by the standard; anything beyond that — UT, Z-direction, Charpy, third-party inspection, surface treatment — has to be written into the order before rolling. Because the grade name already carries the HSLA practice, just name the standard (ASTM A572 / A572M) and the grade (Grade 60, 415 MPa yield). And remember: there is no quenching and tempering on this grade, so there is none of the welding discipline a Q&T plate demands — though thick HSLA sections can still need preheat, so state your welding procedure.
08Typical Applications
Where a higher strength-to-weight ratio and good weldability let you use less steel safely.
Bridges & Highway
Girders, trusses and plate for bridges — note the AASHTO/A709 caveat: Grade 60 is not listed for welded bridge members; for welded bridges use Grade 50 or below, or an A709-specific grade.
Buildings
Columns, beams and bracing in low- and medium-rise steel-framed buildings where the 415 MPa yield trims tonnage versus Grade 50.
Heavy Machinery
Frames, booms, chassis and structural members of construction and mining equipment that must be strong yet light.
Wind Towers
Tower sections and transition pieces for wind-turbine towers, where HSLA strength reduces wall thickness and weight.
Tanks & Vessels
Storage tanks, low-pressure vessels, pressure-vessel and pipeline supports where the higher yield saves material.
Transmission Towers
Lattice transmission and communication towers where HSLA plate cuts weight without sacrificing strength.
Why specify A572 Grade 60 rather than ordinary carbon or a weathering grade: it gives a clear strength step above Grade 50 (415 vs 345 MPa yield) at only a modest cost and with good weldability, so you use less steel. Two things it is not: it is not a weathering steel (for atmospheric-corrosion resistance use ASTM A588), and it is not on the AASHTO/A709 list for welded bridge members (use Grade 50 or an A709 grade there). Because it is an HSLA grade, thick sections can still want preheat during welding — tell us your welding procedure so we can advise.
09Processing, Testing & Supply
From as-rolled plate to a cut, certified, ready-to-fabricate item — with the weldability an HSLA grade allows, plus sensible preheat on thick sections.
1
Cutting & Profiling
Plate cut to length and width, profiled to drawing and bevelled for weld preparation. Oxy-fuel, plasma or laser cutting are all routine on this HSLA grade.
2
Forming & Welding
Cold forming within standard HSLA practice. Welding uses ordinary structural procedures and consumables, but thick sections may need preheat and controlled heat input — state your WPS. Normalizing is applied only when specified.
3
Surface Treatment
Shot blasting to remove mill scale, then shop primer or full paint system, followed by export marking and seaworthy packing.
4
Inspection & Certified Delivery
Chemical analysis and tensile testing per heat, elongation and Charpy (when specified), UT and Z-direction testing when required, then the MTC carrying the grade, the ASTM A572 / A572M standard and any third-party report.
Mill Test Certificate to EN 10204 3.1, or 3.2 with third-party endorsement
MTC stating the grade (A572 Grade 60 / Grade 415) and standard (ASTM A572 / A572M)
Heat analysis and mechanical test report (yield, tensile, elongation)
Carbon, manganese, phosphorus, sulphur, silicon and Nb/V microalloy reported
Charpy impact report when the supplemental impact requirement is specified
Ultrasonic testing report to the agreed acceptance level (EN 10160 / ASTM A578)
Z-direction (through-thickness) test report where Z15/Z25/Z35 is ordered
Third-party inspection by SGS, BV, Intertek or another nominated agency
Export packing, marking and loading supervision
Quote checklist — you get a faster, comparable price if you send: thickness × width × length, quantity, whether you need as-rolled or normalized, any supplemental Charpy temperature and energy, UT acceptance level and any Z-direction requirement, surface treatment, MTC type, your welding procedure (for preheat advice), destination port and payment terms. MOQ is 1 PC. Because A572 is an HSLA grade, also tell us the plate thickness — thick sections can need preheat, which affects how we recommend you prepare edges and weld.
10Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What is ASTM A572 Grade 60?
A572 Grade 60 is a high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) structural steel to ASTM A572 / A572M, microalloyed with columbium (niobium) and/or vanadium for strength without heavy alloying. The grade number is the minimum yield in ksi: 415 MPa (60 ksi) yield, with a 520 MPa (75 ksi) minimum tensile. It is supplied as-rolled or normalized, is weldable, and is used in bridges, buildings, heavy machinery, wind towers and transmission towers. It is not a weathering steel (that is A588) and not quenched & tempered.
Q2Is the “60” the yield or the tensile, and how many grades are there?
On A572 the number is the minimum yield in ksi — Grade 60 = 415 MPa (60 ksi) yield, with a 520 MPa (75 ksi) minimum tensile. (This is the opposite of A573, where the number is the tensile.) A572 has FIVE grades — 42, 50, 55, 60, 65 (290 / 345 / 380 / 415 / 450 MPa yield). The old listing wrongly said “four grades” and omitted Grade 55; we publish all five.
Q3What is the chemical composition of A572 Grade 60?
Ladle-analysis maxima per ASTM A572: C ≤ 0.26 %; Mn ≤ 1.35 %; P ≤ 0.040 % (0.030 improved); S ≤ 0.050 % (0.030 improved); Si ≤ 0.40 %; plus microalloying by type — Type 1 Nb (columbium) 0.005–0.05 %, Type 2 V 0.01–0.15 %, Type 3 Nb+V 0.02–0.15 %. Copper is optional (≥ 0.20 % only when specified). The microalloy is niobium-vanadium (Nb-V), not nickel-vanadium — the old page’s “nickel-vanadium” label is a typo.
Q4What are the mechanical properties of A572 Grade 60?
Minimum values per ASTM A572: yield ≥ 415 MPa (60 ksi); tensile ≥ 520 MPa (75 ksi) (a minimum, not a range); elongation ≥ 16 % (200 mm gauge) and ≥ 18 % (50 mm gauge). Charpy impact is a supplementary, not default, requirement. The old listing’s 20 % / 24 % does not match the A572 Grade 60 table — we publish the ASTM values; confirm elongation on the mill certificate.
Q5Is A572 Grade 60 a weathering or quenched-&-tempered steel, and what is the “nickel-vanadium” label about?
No to both common confusions. A572 Grade 60 is not a weathering steel — atmospheric-corrosion resistance comes from a separate grade, ASTM A588. And it is not quenched & tempered (as-rolled or normalized). On the microalloy: the old page calls it a “nickel-vanadium” steel — that is a typo (the correct microalloy is niobium/columbium and vanadium, Nb-V). A572 is microalloyed with columbium (niobium, Nb) and vanadium (V) (“Nb-V”), and contains no intentional nickel. Copper is also optional, so it is not a copper steel by default either.
Q6Can A572 Grade 60 be used for welded bridges, and what is it equivalent to?
With a caveat: AASHTO/A709 bridge-steel practice limits welded bridge members to A572 Grade 50 and below — Grades 60 and 65 are not listed for welded bridge members, so for welded bridges use Grade 50 or an A709-specific grade; Grade 60 is fine for non-bridge and bolted/non-welded-bridge structural use. By strength, A572 Grade 60’s nearest grades are EN 10025-3 S460N/S460M (460 MPa), GB/T 1591 Q460C/Q460D (460 MPa) and JIS G3106 SM490 (325 MPa, lower) — but a substitution must be signed off by the designer. In-family, the lighter rungs are Grade 55 and Grade 50, and the heavier is Grade 65.
Sources and limits: the figures on this page are reference information drawn from ASTM A572 / A572M (Grade 60) and published steel data sheets. A572 Grade 60 is a high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) columbium-vanadium structural steel; the chemistry limits (C ≤ 0.26 %, Mn ≤ 1.35 %, P ≤ 0.040 %, S ≤ 0.050 %, Si ≤ 0.40 %, Nb/V microalloy) and the yield / tensile / elongation floors are the standard requirements, while actual heat values are recorded on the EN 10204 certificate of the lot supplied. We have corrected the old listing’s data — it listed “four grades” (the standard has five: 42/50/55/60/65), labelled the microalloy as “nickel-vanadium” (it is niobium-vanadium, Nb-V, with no nickel), and omitted that A572 is not a weathering steel and that Grades 60/65 are not listed for welded bridge members — and we rebuilt the page into the standard’s chemistry, mechanical and equivalent-grade chapters. BBN supplies, cuts and processes the plate.
Get Your ASTM A572 Grade 60 Quotation Now
Send us your standard (ASTM A572 / A572M), grade (Grade 60, 415 MPa / 60 ksi yield, 520 MPa / 75 ksi tensile), thickness, width and length, quantity, whether you need as-rolled or normalized, any supplemental Charpy temperature and energy, UT acceptance level and any Z-direction requirement, your welding procedure and plate thickness (for preheat advice), and surface treatment. We will reply with what the mill can roll and certify, plate or cut-length options, mill price and production lead time — and tell you plainly if a lighter A572 Grade 50 / 55 would do, or if a higher-yield Q460 / S460 (or the weathering grade A588) is a better fit for your job.
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