Historic Alloy Steel Properties
Historic Alloy Steel Properties
(OP)
Hello,
I am trying to identify the chemical and strength properties of high strength silicon steel used in the 1920's and 1930's.
More specifically, the steel would have been used in bridge construction and it would have likely been the highest strength steel being used in this industry at the time.
Does anyone know of any good sources of information for this data (free or fee-based)?
Thanks,
TTK
I am trying to identify the chemical and strength properties of high strength silicon steel used in the 1920's and 1930's.
More specifically, the steel would have been used in bridge construction and it would have likely been the highest strength steel being used in this industry at the time.
Does anyone know of any good sources of information for this data (free or fee-based)?
Thanks,
TTK





RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
Joe Tank
RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
Thanks for the reply. Silicon Steel was used sparingly in major bridges during the 1920's and 30's.
I have read that the steel mills did not market the material because their preference was to keep everyone using the carbon steels (why I do not know).
The silicon steel apparently had 70 ksi ultimate and 45 ksi yield, but I cannot find any information on the chemical composition of this steel.
I am working on a major bridge rehab and I beleive this steel was used for the primary members. We will be testing the material but I need to have a baseline chemical composition to compare the test results to.
Thanks again,
TTK
RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
The other case what higher strength, but a large amount of variation in properties.
You need to do some extensive hardness surveys in order to have some confidence in the scatter of properties.
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RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
Joe Tank
RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
ASTM A94-25T
"Tentatiave Specifications for Structural Silicon Steel"
Fy(min) = 45 ksi
Fu = 80 to 95 ksi
Carbon (0.44% max)
The specification was withdrawn by ASTM in 1963 (poor weldability), but I was not able to find the actual withdrawn spec. on their website.
I would still like to find the silicon content of the steel, so if anyone knows of a way to get a copy of this withdrawn spec, please let me know.
thanks,
TTK
RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
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RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
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RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
Many of the original ASTM specifications began as tentative specifications that were revised based on use (good and bad expierence) and fabrication.
In this situation, it is always best to obtain actual material core samples of the steel to assure chemical composition and mechanical properties. I have seen this done before with minimal effort. I would not use any database properties to draw conclusions.
RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
Just to clarify, it has always been my intent to sample and test the steel (strength, hardness & chemical composition on several samples), but I would also like to have the original ASTM standard to compare the test results against.
I have an e-mail into ASTM to see if I can still purchase a copy of the withdrawn specification, but if anyone knows of any other source, please let me know.
Thanks again,
TTK
RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
CODE
There is a book called "A Decade of Bridges, 1926-1936" which sounds like a good match to your needs. I don't know if it has the data you want. If you have a good library nearby, I would think their exchange service should find one. Then again???
There is one listed here at the Smithsonian:
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Good luck.
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RE: Historic Alloy Steel Properties
That's exactly what I was looking for...may I ask where you found it? If your source is prior to 1917, then all copyrights have expired and it's now in the public domain. If your source is newer than 1917, there is a chance that copyrights still apply.
You provided the steel spec from the Metropolis bridge, which is reported to be the very first use of this material in the US.
There is a chance the material specification changed between its first use in 1915 and when the tentative ASTM specification was eventually written in 1925, but the 1915 spec, along with my testing program should be enough to go by.
This forum is a great resource...thanks again everyone!!
TTK