ASTM A709 HPS 70W Steel Plate | A709 HPS 70W Bridge Steel supplie
What is ASTM A709 HPS 70W Steel?
ASTM A709 HPS 70W, also searched as A709 HPS70W, A709-HPS70W, HPS 70W, HPS70W, ASTM A709 HPS 70W plate and A709 HPS 70W 70ksi, is the 70 ksi high-performance weathering grade in ASTM A709/A709M. That book covers structural steel for bridges. HPS means High Performance Steel: lower carbon for welding, tighter sulfur, and toughness that a plain 50W heat does not carry.
HPS 70W is not Grade 50 and not Grade 50W. Yield is 70 ksi / 485 MPa. Tensile is 85–110 ksi / 585–760 MPa. The plate is weathering. Delivery is heat-treated HSLA, usually quench and temper or an agreed TMCP route that still meets the HPS table. A709 says HPS 70W shall not be substituted for Grade 36, Grade 50, Grade 50S, Grade 50W or HPS 50W. SHH STEEL will not make that swap on a silent order.
Do not treat HPS 70W as A572 Gr.50. Do not treat it as A36. Do not treat it as ordinary A588 Grade A or B. Those stay at 50 ksi. Do not treat A709 as a pressure-vessel plate. That work sits on ASTM A516 or pressure vessel steel plates. Old A852 Grade 70W is withdrawn. Current 70 ksi bridge plate is HPS 70W.
General requirements follow A6/A6M. Fine-grain practice applies. Common plate thickness is 6 mm – 100 mm, heavier by enquiry. Density is 7.85 g/cm³.
SHH STEEL is a global steel mill sourcing partner and steel manufacturer & exporter (mill-direct, China origin). We source A709 HPS 70W from first-line Chinese mills, print heat and product analysis when ordered, record the impact zone when named, and ship plate to fabricators in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa and South America.
Related category pages: weathering steel plates, structural steel plates, high strength low alloy plates and EN 10025-6.
Material Specification
| Specification Element | Requirement | SHH STEEL Compliance |
|---|---|---|
| Plate book | ASTM A709/A709M HPS 70W | Confirmed |
| Other search names | A709 HPS70W, HPS 70W, A709-HPS70W | Covered |
| Steel type | Heat-treated HPS weathering bridge plate | Confirmed |
| General requirements | A6 / A6M | Confirmed |
| Yield | 70 ksi / 485 MPa min | Confirmed |
| Tensile | 85–110 ksi / 585–760 MPa | Confirmed |
| Weathering | Yes | Confirmed |
| Product analysis | A6 product column when ordered | Confirmed |
| Toughness | A709 HPS / FCM as ordered | Confirmed |
| Supply role | Global steel mill sourcing partner | SHH STEEL |
| Certification | EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 / third-party | As ordered |
Nearby pages that buyers compare, but must not swap blindly, include A572 Gr.50, Corten A, EN 10025-5 S355J2W and EN 10025-6 S690QL.
Chemical Composition
HPS 70W uses a low-carbon Cu-Ni-Cr-Mo-V window so the plate can weld at 70 ksi without the old A852 crack risk. Heat analysis is the mill table. Product analysis, when ordered, follows A6 product tolerances on that heat.
Heat Analysis and Product Analysis — ASTM A709 HPS 70W
| Element | Heat analysis (%) | Product analysis (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon (C), max | 0.11 | 0.13 |
| Manganese (Mn) | 1.10 – 1.50 | 1.04 – 1.56 |
| Phosphorus (P), max | 0.020 | 0.025 |
| Sulfur (S), max | 0.006 | 0.008 |
| Silicon (Si) | 0.30 – 0.55 | 0.25 – 0.60 |
| Copper (Cu) | 0.25 – 0.40 | 0.22 – 0.43 |
| Nickel (Ni) | 0.25 – 0.40 | 0.22 – 0.43 |
| Chromium (Cr) | 0.45 – 0.70 | 0.41 – 0.74 |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 0.02 – 0.08 | 0.01 – 0.11 |
| Vanadium (V) | 0.04 – 0.08 | 0.03 – 0.09 |
| Aluminum (Al) | 0.020 – 0.040 | 0.015 – 0.050 |
| Nitrogen (N), max | 0.015 | 0.017 |
Sulfur is held very low on purpose. That is not Grade 50W practice. If the purchase order writes product analysis, SHH STEEL prints both columns. Confirm the ordered A709 year if a mill table differs by edition.
Do not treat this chemistry as A709 Grade 50W. 50W follows A588 Type A or Type B and stays at 50 ksi. Do not treat it as S355JR.
Mechanical Properties
Buyers search A709 HPS 70W mechanical properties, HPS70W yield, A709 HPS 70W 70ksi and HPS 70W tensile.
Tensile Properties — ASTM A709 HPS 70W plate
| Property | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Yield strength, min | 70 ksi / 485 MPa |
| Tensile strength | 85–110 ksi / 585–760 MPa |
| Elongation in 2 in. (50 mm), min | 19% |
Usual 70 ksi name applies through common bridge thicknesses up to 4 in / 100 mm. Thicker plate must follow the thickness note in the ordered A709 year. Toughness is mandatory HPS practice. Write non-FCM or FCM, zone and temperature. A silent 70 ksi heat without the HPS impact table is not HPS 70W.
Density is 7.85 g/cm³. Typical hardness after QT sits above ordinary 50W. Hardness is not the design value.
Material Comparison
Equivalent Material Grades
There is no official one-to-one worldwide twin for A709 HPS 70W. What buyers compare is a 485 MPa weathering, weldable bridge plate.
In the United States the withdrawn twin was A852 Grade 70W. Current book uses HPS 70W only. HPS 50W is the 50 ksi HPS sister. HPS 100W is the 100 ksi sister. Corten A and Corten B stay near 50 ksi and are not HPS 70W.
In Europe shops compare weathering S355J2W for patina only, and QT S690QL or S460QL for strength only. Neither is a free substitute. See EN 10025-5 and EN 10025-6.
In China compare GB/T 4171 weathering grades plus Q460/Q550 QT routes. Dual mark only when both books are fully met.
| Designation | Country / region | Standard | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A709 HPS 70W / HPS70W | USA | ASTM A709/A709M | Name on this page |
| A852 Grade 70W | USA | Withdrawn | Do not specify as current |
| A709 HPS 50W | USA | A709 | 50 ksi HPS sister |
| A709 HPS 100W | USA | A709 | 100 ksi HPS sister |
| S355J2W | Europe | EN 10025-5 | Weathering only |
| S690QL | Europe | EN 10025-6 | QT strength only |
| Q550 / Q355GNH family | China | GB/T | Comparison only |
High-Performance Bridge Service
Buyers pick A709 HPS 70W when a girder or flange wants 70 ksi yield, a patina and HPS toughness. Search phrases such as HPS70W, A709 HPS 70W, A709-HPS70W and HPS 70W 70ksi all point here.
It is the wrong plate for a painted 50 ksi girder. That work is A709 Grade 50. It is the wrong plate for a 50 ksi weathering girder. That work is Grade 50W or HPS 50W. It is the wrong plate for a 100 ksi member. That work is HPS 100W or A514 Grade Q. It is the wrong plate for a pressure vessel. That work is A516 Grade 70.
Unpainted HPS 70W still needs wet-dry cycles. Standing water and marine splash need a coating review. SHH STEEL will say that on the quotation.
Weldability
ASTM A709 HPS 70W was written so fabricators can weld 70 ksi plate with less preheat than old A852. Treat welding as HPS bridge production welding, not as A36 shop practice.
Typical consumables are matching 70–80 ksi weathering or low-hydrogen wires qualified on an HPS 70W PQR. A procedure written for Grade 50W is under-matched on strength. A procedure written for A514 Gr.B is a different QT family. A procedure written for S355JR is not an HPS procedure.
Preheat follows thickness, hydrogen and the approved WPS. After heavy forming, a stress relief may be required. The fabricator owns the WPS. SHH STEEL can share mill heat data, product analysis, CEV and the HPS impact table for that review.
Heat Treatment and Delivery Condition
Usual delivery from SHH STEEL for A709 HPS 70W is quenched and tempered. Some mills offer an approved TMCP route that still meets the HPS table. Write the route on the purchase order.
Austenitize typically 900–930 °C, quench, then temper in the mill window that holds 70 ksi yield and 85–110 ksi tensile. This is not as-rolled 50W. Do not order HPS 70W as A514 unless the file names A514.
The certificate lists ASTM A709 HPS 70W; heat number; heat analysis and product analysis when ordered; tensile to the 70 ksi table; HPS impact zone when ordered. Certificates may be EN 10204 3.1 or EN 10204 3.2.
Dimensions
Usual supply range from SHH STEEL for A709 HPS 70W bridge steel plate:
- Thickness: commonly 8 mm – 100 mm, heavier plate by enquiry
- Width: 1500 mm – 4000 mm
- Length: 3000 mm – 12000 mm
Cut-to-size flanges and girders are available. Browse more sizes on weathering steel plates, structural steel plates and the products index.
Tolerances
Dimensional limits for ASTM A709 HPS 70W follow A6 / A6M unless the purchase order names another table.
Typical A6 thickness tolerance idea for A709 HPS 70W
| Nominal thickness (mm) | Usual minus (mm) | Usual plus (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 – 10 | −0.3 | +0.8 |
| 10 – 20 | −0.4 | +0.9 |
| 20 – 30 | −0.4 | +1.0 |
| 30 – 40 | −0.5 | +1.1 |
| 40 – 50 | −0.5 | +1.2 |
| 50 – 80 | −0.6 | +1.4 |
| 80 – 100 | −0.8 | +1.6 |
Width on 1500–4000 mm plate is commonly held to about ±20–25 mm unless a tighter extra is named. Length on 3000–12000 mm plate is commonly held to about +50 / 0 mm or ±25 mm by mill practice. Flatness after QT follows A6 unless a tighter class is written. SHH STEEL will not assume a zero-minus extra on HPS70W unless the order says so.
Supplementary Requirements
HPS 70W already defines 70 ksi yield, the tensile band and weathering chemistry. Extra items still have to be written on the purchase order.
Book name. Write ASTM A709 HPS 70W. Do not write A852.
Impact zone. Write non-FCM or FCM, zone and temperature.
Product analysis. Write it if the file needs the second chemistry column.
Through-thickness / Z-test. When needed on thick flanges.
NDE. UT to the named class.
Heat-treat route. QT or approved TMCP.
Identification and stamping. Heat number, A709 HPS 70W, thickness and mill logo.
Third-party witness. EN 10204 3.2 with SGS, TÜV, BV, ABS or the inspector named.
Applications
| Industry | Typical components |
|---|---|
| Highway bridges | A709 HPS 70W / HPS70W girders and flanges |
| Long-span bridges | Lighter 70 ksi weathering members from SHH STEEL |
| Railway bridges | HPS fascia and box flanges |
| Comparison vs 50W | HPS70W next to A709 Grade 50W |
| Comparison vs Corten A | HPS70W next to Corten A |
| Comparison vs S690QL | HPS70W next to S690QL |
| Comparison vs A514 | HPS70W next to A514 Gr.Q |
A709 HPS 70W is the plate for a 70 ksi unpainted HPS bridge file. It is the wrong plate for a painted warehouse that can use S355JR. It is the wrong plate for a 50 ksi weathering girder. That work is 50W.
Supply Capability
SHH STEEL sources ASTM A709 HPS 70W from first-line Chinese mills and ships it on worldwide terms. Partner mills include Wuyang (Wugang), Angang, Shougang, Hanye, Anyang Iron & Steel, Baosteel, Xinyu, Xingcheng, TISCO (Taiyuan), Jiuquan (JISCO) and other qualified mills when the size requires it.
Mill test certificates are issued to EN 10204 3.1 as standard. EN 10204 3.2 is arranged when the order names a third-party hold point.
Usual rolling thickness: 10 mm, 12 mm, 16 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 32 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm, 60 mm, 80 mm, 100 mm.
Processing: CNC or flame cutting, bevel, flattening, light blast, UT to the named class.
Trade terms: FOB Shanghai main, CIF destination available. Payment: TT, LC, or TT + LC.
Ocean time from Shanghai: US West 14–18 days; US Gulf 28–35 days; Rotterdam / Antwerp 28–35 days; Jebel Ali 18–25 days; Singapore 7–12 days; other ports quoted.
Third-party: SGS, TÜV, BV, ABS, CCS, GL, VL, DNV, RINA, NK, KR, or the inspector named.
Global Delivery & Markets
SHH STEEL is a global steel mill sourcing partner with mill partnerships in China. We supply ASTM, ASME, EN, DIN, JIS and GB steel to buyers in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa and South America. Origin is mill-direct, China origin.
SHH STEEL has supplied steel plates to the USA, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, El Salvador, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, India, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan and Korea.
Typical lead time: ex-stock 5–7 days when plate is in yard; standard HPS rolling about 35–45 days; QT plus 3.2 inspection about 45–60 days.
Why Choose SHH STEEL
SHH STEEL is a global steel mill sourcing partner and steel manufacturer & exporter (mill-direct, China origin). For A709 HPS 70W that means mill-direct price, not a multi-layer stockist mark-up. We buy from first-line QT mills, so the heat already carries low sulfur, the 70 ksi table and the HPS impact route. That keeps the unit price competitive against imported HPS plate sitting in a third-country warehouse.
Delivery is short when the size is in rolling range: ex-stock 5–7 days, standard heat about 35–45 days, 3.2 inspection about 45–60 days. Cutting, bevel and UT can run in the same window so the girder shop does not wait on a second vendor. FOB Shanghai is the main term; CIF to US West, US Gulf, Rotterdam, Jebel Ali and Singapore is quoted on the same file.
Experience on this grade is simple: print HPS 70W, keep carbon at 0.11% max, and do not ship 50W or S690QL as HPS 70W. We will not drop nickel and copper to save alloy, will not stamp A852 on a current certificate, and will not treat A709 as A36. If the drawing is only 50 ksi weathering, we will move the inquiry to Grade 50W and keep the price on the right grade.
FAQ
- What is ASTM A709 HPS 70W steel plate?
- ASTM A709 HPS 70W, also searched as A709 HPS70W and HPS 70W, is 70 ksi / 485 MPa high-performance weathering bridge plate. Tensile is 85–110 ksi. Chemistry is low-carbon Cu-Ni-Cr-Mo-V. SHH STEEL supplies this plate worldwide as a global steel mill sourcing partner.
- Is HPS 70W the same as A709 Grade 50W?
- No. Grade 50W yields at 50 ksi on A588 chemistry. HPS 70W yields at 70 ksi on the HPS chemistry and heat-treat route.
- Can HPS 70W replace Grade 50 or Grade 50W?
- A709 says no, unless the purchaser agrees. Strength, chemistry and toughness are not the same.
- What is the withdrawn grade that HPS 70W replaced?
- ASTM A852 Grade 70W. Do not specify A852 as current bridge plate.
- What is the delivery time for A709 HPS 70W?
- Ex-stock about 5–7 days when plate is in yard. Standard rolling about 35–45 days. QT plus 3.2 inspection about 45–60 days.
Conclusion
ASTM A709 HPS 70W Steel Plate is 70 ksi / 485 MPa high-performance weathering bridge plate, with 85–110 ksi tensile, low-carbon Cu-Ni-Cr-Mo-V chemistry and A709 HPS toughness. Whether the inquiry says ASTM A709 HPS 70W, A709 HPS70W, HPS 70W, A709-HPS70W or HPS 70W 70ksi, SHH STEEL as a global steel mill sourcing partner and steel manufacturer & exporter (mill-direct, China origin) supplies plate with HPS chemistry, heat and product analysis as ordered, A6 tolerances and EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 certification.
SHH STEEL supplies ASTM A709 HPS 70W Bridge Steel to the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas for work that actually names this grade.
Contact SHH STEEL for mill rolling, QT route, FCM impact, cutting, blast, 3.2 inspection or a worldwide quotation.
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