M 183
Standard Specification for
AASHTO DESIGNATION: M 183M/M 183-941
1. SCOPE1
1.1 This specification2 covers carbon
steel shapes, plates, and bars of structural
quality for use in riveted, bolted, or
welded construction of bridges and
buildings, and for general structural
purposes.
1.2 Supplemental Requirements are
provided where improved internal quality
and notch toughness is important.
These shall apply only when specified by
the purchaser in the order, except that
Supplementary Requirement S5 is
mandatory for material designated on the
contract drawings as main load carrying
member components subject to tensile
stress.
1.3 When the steel is to be welded, it is
presupposed that a welding procedure
suitable for the grade of steel and
intended use or service will be utilized.
1.4 The purchaser should consider
specifying supplemental requirements,
such as fine austenitic grain size and
Charpy V -Notch Impactment
requirements, when Group 4 or Group 5
wide flange shapes are specified for use
in other than column or compression
applications.
1.5 This specification is applicable to
orders in either SI units (as M 183M) or
inch-pound units (as M 183). SI units and
inch-pound units are not necessarily
equivalent. Inch-pound units are shown
in brackets in the text for clarity, but they
are the applicable values when the
material is ordered to M 183.
2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
2.1 AASHTO Standards:
M 102 Steel Forgings, Carbon and
Alloy, for General Industrial
Use
M 103 Steel Castings, Carbon, for
General Applications
1
Except for Supplemental V-notch toughness
requirements and Tables I and 3, this specification
agrees with ASTM A 36/A 36M-91b.
2 for product forms not listed in the scope
For ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
applications, see related Specification SA-36 in
Section II of that Code.
SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS
Structural Steel
(ASTM DESIGNATION: A 36/A 36M-92)
M 160 General Requirements for
Rolled Steel Plates, Shapes,
Sheet Piling and Bars for
Structural Use
M 164 High Strength Bolts for
Structural Steel Joints
M 164M Specification for High-
Strength Bolts for Structural
Steel Joints [Metric]
M 291 Carbon and Alloy teel Nuts
M 291M Specification for Carbon
and Alloy Steel Nuts [Metric]
T 243 Sampling Procedure for
Impact Testing of Structural
Steel
2.2 ASTM Standards:
A 283/A 36M Low and Intermediate
Tensile Strength Carbon Steel
Plates
A 307 Carbon Steel Bolts and Studs
60,000 PSI Tensile Strength
A 500 Cold Formed Welded and
Seamless Carbon Steel
Structural Tubing in Rounds
and Shapes
A 501 Hot Formed Welded and
Seamless Carbon Steel
Structural Tubing
A 502 Steel Structural Rivets
A 570/A 570M Steel, Sheet and Strip
Carbon, Hot-Rolled,
Structural Quality
F 568 Carbon and Alloy Steel
Externally Threaded Metric
Fasteners
3. APPURTENANT MATERIALS
3.1 When components of a steel structure
are identified with this AASHTO
designation but the product form is not
listed in the scope of this standard, the
material shall conform to one of the
standards listed in Table 1 unless
otherwise specified by the purchaser.
Table 1 does not provide any
specification requirements to a 7. CHEMICAL REQUIREMENTS
manufacturer or processor. Orders to a
manufacturer or processor should
describe the required ASTM designation
of this standard.
4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
FOR DELIVERY
4.1 Material furnished under this
specification shall conform to the
requirements of the current edition of
AASHTO M 160M/M 160, for the
ordered material, unless a conflict exists,
in which case this specification shall
prevail.
NOTE 1-The specifications shown in Table 1
are only those adopted by AASHTO. The
requirements of ASTM A 36/A 36M are also
applicable to additional ASTM specifications
not shown here.
5. BEARING PLATES
5.1 Unless otherwise specified, plates
used as bearing plates for bridges shall be
subjected to mechanical tests and shall
conform to the tensile requirements of
Section 8.
5.2 Unless otherwise specified,
mechanical tests shall not be required for
plates over 40 mm [1 ½ in.] in thickness
used as bearing plates in structures other
than bridges, subject to the requirement
that they shall contain 0.20 to 0.33
percent carbon by heat analysis, that the
chemical composition shall conform to
the requirements of Table 2 in
phosphorus and sulfur content, and that a
sufficient discard shall be made to secure
sound plates.
6. PROCESS
6.1 The steel shall be made by one or
more of the following processes:
openhearth, basic-oxygen, or electric
furnace.
6.2 No rimmed or capped steel shall be
used for plates and bars over 12.5 mm [½
in.] thick or for shapes other than Group
1.
7.1 The heat analysis shall conform to
the requirements prescribed in Table 2,
except as specified in Section 5.2.
204
M 183 SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS

TABLE 1 Material Specifications

NOTE-The specified should be satisfied of the suitability of these materials for the intended application.
Material AASHTO/ASTM Designation
Plate to be bent or formed cold ASTM A 283/A 283M, Grade C"
A
Steel rivets A 502, Grade 1
Bolts ASTM A 307 A, Grade A or F 568, Class 4.6
High-strength bolts M 164 or M 164M
Steel nuts M 291 or M 291M
Cast steel M 103M/M 103, Grade 450-240' [65-351"
Forgings (carbon steel) M 102, Class D
Hot-rolled sheets and strip ASTM A 570/A 570M, Grade 36
Cold-formed tubing ASTM A 500, Grade B
Hot-formed tubing ASTM A 501
A
These have a lower yield point than M 183/M 183M steel.

TABLE 2 Chemical Requirements

Product ShapesA PlatesB Bars
To 20 [¾], Over 20 to 40 Over 40 65 [1 ½ Over 65 to 100 Over 100 To 20 [¾], Over 20 to 40 Over 40 to 100 Over 100
Thickness, mm [in.] All
incl [¾ to ½] incl, to 2 ½], incl [2 ½ to 4], incl [4] incl [¾ to 1 ½], incl [1 ½ to 4], incl [4]
Carbon, max percent 0.26 0.25 0.25 0.26 0.27 0.29 0.26 0.27 0.28 0.29 0.60
Manganese, percent - - 0.80-1.20 0.80-1.20 0.85-1.20 0.85-1.20 - 0.60-0.90 0.60-0.90 0.90
Phosphorus, max percent 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04
Sulfur, max percent 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05
Silicon, percent 0.40 max 0.40 max 0.40 max 0.15-0.40 0.15-0.40 0.15-0.40 0.40 max 0.40 max 0.40 max 0.40 max
Copper, min percent when
0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20
copper steel is specified
A
Manganese content of 0.85-1.35 percent and silicon content of 0.15-0.40 percent is required for shapes over 634 kg/m (426 lb/ft).
B
For each reduction of 0.01 percent below the specified carbon maximum, an increase of 0.06-percent manganese above the specified maximum will be permitted to the
maximum of 1.35 percent.

TABLE 3 Tensile RequirementsA

Plates, Shapes,B and Bars:
Tensile strength, MPa [ksi] 400-550 [58-80]
Yield point, min, MPa [ksi] 250 [36]C
Plates and Bars: D,E
Elongation in 200 mm [8 in.], min percent 20
Elongation in 50 mm [2 in.), min percent 23
Shapes:
Elongation in 200 mm [8 in.], min percent 20
Elongation in 50 mm [2 in.], min percent 21B
A
See Orientation under the Tension Tests section of Specification M 160/M 160M.
B
For wide flange shapes over 634 kg/m [426 Ib/ft], the 55 MPa (80 ksi) maximum tensile strength does not apply and minimum elongation in 50 mm [2 in.] of 19 percent
applies.
C
Yield point 220 MPa [32 ksi] for plates over 200 min (8 in.) in thickness.
D
Elongation not required to be determined for floor plate.
E
For plates wider than 600 mm [24 in.], the elongation requirement is reduced two percentage points. See elongation requirement adjustments under the Tension Tests
section of Specification M l60/M 160M.

7.2 The steel shall conform on product

analysis to the requirements prescribed in ADDED SUPPLEMENTARY
SUPPLEMENTARY
Table 2, subject to the product analysis REQUIREMENTS
REQUIREMENTS
tolerances in AASHTO M 160M/M 160,
except as specified in Section 7.3.
7.3 Product analysis is not applicable for These requirements shall not apply unless In addition, the following optional
bar-size shapes or flat bars 12.5 mm [½ specified in the order, except see Section supplementary requirements are also
in.] and under in thickness. 1.2. Standardized supplementary suitable for use with this specification.
requirements for use at the option of the S91. The steel shall be killed and have
7.4 When tension tests are waived in purchaser are listed in AASHTO M
accordance with Section 8.2, chemistry a fine austenitic grain size.
160M/M 160. Those which are
consistent with the requirements in Table S97. The steel shall be other than
considered suitable for use with the
2, and with the mechanical properties rimmed or capped steel.
specification are listed below by title.
desired must be applied.
TABLE S1 Toughness Requirements
S5. CHARPY V-NOTCH IMPACT Tbickness zone 1° Zone 2" Zone 3`
8. TENSILE REQUIREMENTS TEST 20 J [15 20 J [15 20 J [15
Up to 4
ft/lb] at - ft/lb] at 4°C ft/lb] at 21
in.
12°C [10°17] [40°F] °C [70°F]
8.1 The material as represented by the S5.1 The material supplied shall meet
a
Zone 1: Minimum Service Temperature -18°C [0°F]
test specimen, except as specified in the longitudinal Charpy V-notch tests
and above.
b
Sections 5.2 and 8.2, shall conform to the Zone 2: Minimum Service Temperature from -17 to
specified in Table S 1. Sampling and -34°C [I to -30°F].
requirements as to the tensile properties testing procedures shall be in accordance
c
Zone 3: Minimum Service Temperature from -35 to
prescribed in Table 3. with AASHTO T 243. The (H) frequency -51°C [-31 to -60°F].
8.2 Shapes less than 645 mm2 [1 in.2] in of heat testing shall be used.
cross section and bars, other than flats,
S14. BEND TEST
less than 12.5 mm [½ in.] in thickness or
diameter need not be subjected to tension
tests by the manufacturer. S91. The steel shall be killed and have
a fine austenitic grain size.
205