Structural hollow section steel

01

Identify the material specification and edition on the certificate

STI’s August 2022 article describes A500 Grade C with 50 ksi yield and 62 ksi tensile strength for the shapes it discusses, referencing the revised 2021 material standard. It distinguishes A1085’s additional requirements and tighter tolerances. Keep the grade and edition with the specified material rather than using “structural tube” as the strength specification. [1]

ASTM’s A500/A500M-23 scope covers cold-formed welded and seamless structural tubing. A1085/A1085M-22 is a welded-HSS specification. The wider standard scope does not mean a supplier’s offered product was made by every permitted manufacturing route. [4] [5]

02

Separate nominal wall, design wall and delivered dimensions

STI’s article discusses the A500 wall tolerance and the 0.93 nominal-thickness factor with a specific reference to AISC 360-16. It separately discusses nominal-wall use for A1085. This is an edition-specific explanation; use the project engineer’s applicable design code and section-property basis rather than converting a tolerance into an independent capacity calculation. [1]

Atlas publishes outside-size and wall capabilities and section-property resources. Its brochure’s 18–125 ft entry is a mill cut-length range, not a length tolerance. Available section size, offered wall, supplied piece length and permissible dimensional variation are separate order fields. [2] [3]

03

Resolve the A1085 catalogue’s abstract and scope discrepancy

The ASTM A1085/A1085M-22 page is internally inconsistent: its Abstract states a maximum nominal wall of 0.875 in [22 mm], while Scope 1.2 states a maximum of 1.000 in [25.4 mm]. Both locations are retained here; ask ASTM and the supplying mill to confirm the applicable normative requirement before specifying an affected size. The full paid standard was not reviewed. [5]

That page gives a minimum nominal wall of 0.148 in [3.8 mm]. A general mill range listing thinner walls therefore does not establish that every listed size is certified to A1085. Confirm the specific section/standard combination on the mill documentation. [5] [3]

The A500/A500M-23 scope gives a periphery limit of 88 in [2235 mm] and a maximum specified wall of 1.000 in [25.4 mm]. It also says the inch-pound and SI systems are independently standardised and should not be combined as if every paired value were an exact conversion. [4]

Standard Norge’s EN 10219-1:2006 abstract describes cold-formed welded structural hollow sections without subsequent heat treatment, with tolerances, dimensions and sectional properties addressed in Part 2. An EN grade and an ASTM grade need project-specific equivalence approval; matching shape is not evidence of interchangeable certification. [6]

04

Confirm the exact section and certificate offered

Atlas’ product information separates material specifications and capability resources. Ask a supplier which standard/edition and grade the actual section is manufactured and certified to, not just which standards appear elsewhere in its catalogue. [2]

Obtain the mill identity, heat/lot traceability, outside dimensions and nominal wall, permissible variations, ordered length and required testing. Agree finish/coating separately; a coated square or rectangular tube listing does not automatically establish the material grade or structural design assumptions. [4] [5]

05

Keep strength, geometry and toughness as separate evidence

The material specification controls a defined set of mechanical and manufacturing requirements, while section geometry and the adopted design-wall basis determine the section-property data used by the designer. A material strength entry alone does not state the load capacity of a completed member or connection. [1] [2]

ASTM’s A500 scope warns that applications where low-temperature notch toughness is important may need another specification with appropriate Charpy requirements. Identify the project’s required test and acceptance conditions instead of treating a general building or bridge application label as toughness qualification. [4]

06

Order material, dimensions and inspection against one project basis

State standard/edition, grade, shape, outside dimensions, nominal wall and design basis, ordered length/quantity and required finish. Request the applicable dimensional and mechanical inspection records and mill certificate for the delivered product. [4] [2]

Where catalogue entries differ, retain the differing locations and obtain clarification before accepting the affected size. Confirm the full applicable standard and project requirements; the public scope pages and an industry article are not a complete conformity assessment. [5] [6]

07

Send the specification, size and tolerance data together

Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.

Specification: [ASTM A500 Grade C; A1085; other]
Shape and size: [square; rectangle; round; outside dimensions]
Wall: [nominal thickness]
Length: [per piece; quantity]
Testing: [Charpy; seismic]
Finish: [black; galvanised; painted]
Documents: [mill test certificate]

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