If your project requires
DOMESTICALLY MANUFACTURED bolts, studs, rods, and washers, we're your source for a variety of specifications such as ASTM F1554 GRADE 36, ASTM F1554 Grade 55, ASTM F1554 Grade 105, ASTM A193 GRADE B7, ASTM A194 Grade 2H, ASTM A563 GRADE DH, ASTM A307 Grade B, ASTM A325, ASTM A490, ASTM A449, SAE J429 Grade 8, ASTM A193 Grade B16, ASTM A103 Grade B8, ASTM A193 Grade B8M, ASTM A194 Grade 4, ASTM A194 Grade 7, ASTM A194 Grade 8, ASTM F436 and more.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A36 and A307 :
ASTM A36 is a steel (raw material) specification, while ASTM A307 is a fastener specification. In other words, once you take A36 round bar and cut it, thread it, bend it, forge a head on it, or otherwise process it and turn it into a fastener, it becomes an A307 bolt. Often times, ASTM A307 bolts (and all thread rod) are manufactured from A36 steel, but not always. A36 material should always be weldable and if A307 rods are manufactured from A36 steel, they will be weldable as well. However, an A307 bolt can be made from other steels which, in rare instances, may not be weldable.
CAN YOU SUBSTITUTE A307 HEX BOLTS FOR F1554 GRADE 36 ANCHOR BOLTS ?
Anchor bolts which are embedded in concrete and used for structural anchorage purposes can assume several forms. Common forms of anchor bolts include right angle bend anchor bolts, swedged rods, and threaded rods (typically with a nut and /or square plate attached to the bottom of the rod). Another common configuration for an anchor bolt is a hex head bolt, where the head is inserted into the concrete slab as it is being poured, with the threads projecting from the concrete. The forged head prevents the hex bolt from pulling out of the foundation.
Almost all imported A307 fasteners
will not meet the F1554 Grade 36 Specification, although they are very similar.
Many imported A307 fasteners have no traceability and are only available with a certificate of conformance that contains no chemistry or mechanical property information. When mill test reports are present for imported A307 hex bolts, they are often lacking data that will allow these bolts to be cross-certified to the F1554 Grade 36 specification.
The F1554 Grade 36 Specification requires that the bolts meet specific mechanical requirements including both tensile and yield strength. Since the A307 Specification does not possess a yield strength requirement, this value is rarely reported on the mill test reports.
In order to cross-certify imported A307 hex bolts to F1554 Grade 36, yield strength testing must have been performed, the results must be included on the test reports, and the value must fall within the parameters of the F1554 Grade 36 Specification.
Mild steel hex bolts are rarely, if ever, accompanied by test reports that verify that all of the mechanical properties of the F1554 Grade 36 Specifications will be met.
Unless hex bolts are specifically manufactured and tested to the requirements of F1554 Grade 36, they will undoubtedly not be accompanied by the correct certification documents with the additional requirements.
THE F1554 SPECIFICATION :
The ASTM F1554 specification covers anchor bolts designed to anchor structural supports to concrete foundations.
F1554 anchor bolts can take the form of either headed bolts, straight rods, or bent anchor bolts.
Applications for F1554 anchor bolts often include columns in structural steel framed buildings, traffic signal and street lighting poles, and overhead highway sign structures.
There are three grades (Grade 36, 55, and 105) which designate the minimum yield strength (ksi) of the anchor bolt.
A weldable Grade 55 can be substituted for Grade 36 at the supplier’s option. Often times, 36 blue, 55 yellow, and 105 red color coding on the end helps facilitate easy identification in the field.
F1554 Grade 36 : Low carbon, 36 ksi yield steel anchor bolts.
F1554 Grade 55 : High strength, low alloy, 55 ksi yield steel anchor bolts.
F1554 Grade 105 : Alloy, heat treated, high strength 105 ksi yield steel anchor bolts.
