Structural steel grades from different standards are never identical: the chemistry, the impact test temperature and the thickness steps differ. For preliminary sizing, though, grades with the same nominal yield strength behave alike, and that is how the table groups them. Strengths are the specified minimum yield fy and tensile fu for the thinnest range of the product standard (up to 16 mm for EN 10025); the strengths of thicker material drop step by step, which the Steel Profiles Materials tool lists range by range.
| Group | Europe (EN) | USA (ASTM) | Canada (CSA G40.21) | Australia / NZ | Japan (JIS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 235 MPa 34 to 36 ksi |
S235 (235 / 360) S235JRH hollow |
A36 (36 / 58 ksi) A53 Gr B pipe (35 / 60 ksi) |
300W (300 / 450) | – | SS400 (245 / 400) SN400B (235 / 400) |
| 275 MPa 40 to 42 ksi |
S275 (275 / 410) S275J0H hollow |
A572 Gr 42 (42 / 60 ksi) | – | AS/NZS 3679.1 300 (320 / 440) | – |
| 355 MPa 50 ksi |
S355 (355 / 470) S355N, S355M |
A992 (50 / 65 ksi) A572 Gr 50, A913 Gr 50, A709 Gr 50 |
350W (350 / 450) 350A weathering |
AS/NZS 3679.1 350 (360 / 480) | SN490B (325 / 490) |
| 355 MPa hollow | S355J2H hot-finished (EN 10210) S355J2H cold-formed (EN 10219) |
A500 Gr B (46 / 58 ksi rect., 42 round) A500 Gr C (50 / 62 ksi rect., 46 round) |
– | AS/NZS 1163 C350 (350 / 430) | – |
| 380 MPa 55 ksi |
– | A572 Gr 55 (55 / 70 ksi) | 380W (380 / 480) | – | – |
| 420 MPa 60 ksi |
S420N (420 / 520) S420M |
A572 Gr 60 (60 / 75 ksi) | – | – | – |
| 450 to 460 MPa 65 ksi |
S450 (450 / 550) S460N, S460M |
A572 Gr 65 (65 / 80 ksi) A913 Gr 65 |
– | AS/NZS 1163 C450 (450 / 500) hollow | – |
Values in brackets are fy / fu in MPa unless marked ksi (1 ksi = 6.895 MPa, so 50 ksi = 345 MPa).
What "equivalent" does not cover
- Toughness: S355JR, J0, J2 and K2 are the same strength with Charpy tests at +20, 0, −20 °C and higher energy. A992 has no mandatory impact test; A709 Gr 50 for bridges does. Match the subgrade to the service temperature and the plate thickness, not only the yield strength.
- Thickness steps: EN 10025 drops fy at 16, 40, 63, 80 and 100 mm (S355 is 345 MPa from 16 to 40 mm and 335 MPa up to 63 mm). CSA 350W keeps 350 MPa up to 65 mm. ASTM A992 keeps 50 ksi for all rolled shapes.
- Yield to tensile ratio: A992 caps fy/fu at 0.85 and specifies a maximum yield of 65 ksi, which matters for seismic design. S355 has no upper limit on yield in the product standard.
- Modulus of elasticity: 210,000 MPa in Eurocode 3, 200,000 MPa (29,000 ksi) in AISC and CSA, 205,000 MPa in JIS. Deflections computed with one code and sections from another differ by up to 5 %.
- Hollow sections: cold-formed grades (EN 10219, A500) are not interchangeable with hot-finished ones (EN 10210) for buckling: Eurocode 3 assigns them different buckling curves and different corner radii.
- Weathering steels (S355J2W, A588, 350A) match the strength of their group but need their own detailing for corrosion.
Typical substitutions
- A European design in S355 built in North America: A992 for W shapes, A572 Gr 50 for plates, A500 Gr C for HSS. The design resistance must be recomputed with AISC 360 or CSA S16, not just the grade swapped.
- An American design in A992 built in Europe: S355J2 (or J0 for mild climates), with Eurocode 3 checks.
- S235 is rarely stocked outside small sizes: S275 or S355 is normally delivered and often costs the same per tonne.
In the app
The Materials tool of Steel Profiles lists every grade above, and the EN 10025-3 and -4 fine grain and thermomechanical grades, with fy and fu by thickness range, E, G, ν, density and thermal expansion, and shows the approximate equivalents of each grade. The design checks pick the grade list that matches the code: EN grades for Eurocode 3, ASTM and CSA grades for AISC 360.
Steel grades, sections and design checks in one app
The Materials tool is free in Steel Profiles on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Section properties and design checks to Eurocode 3 and AISC 360 come with the libraries.