Mechanical Properties of ASTM A572 Grades 50 and 60 Steels at High Temperatures

Studies involving the mechanical properties of high-strength steel (HSS) at elevated temperatures have received considerable attention in recent years. However, current research on HSS at high temperatures is lacking. As a result, the design of fire-protective steel structures with high standards is not sufficiently conservative or safe. This study investigates the effect that elevated temperatures have on the mechanical properties of ASTM A572 Gr. 50 and 60 steels. Reduction factors for the yield strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus were derived and compared with the standard (AISC, EN1993-1-2) and previous studies (NIST). This study also provides extensive data on the reduction factors for the yield strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus of mild steel (MS), HSS, and very-high-strength steel (VHSS). The reduction factor for the yield strength was analyzed by expanding the strain level up to 20%. Equations for the yield strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus were proposed. In future studies, various strains should be analyzed according to the grade of the steel, with the derivation of a reduction factor that considers the plastic strain of the steel. Hence, the findings reported in this study generated a database that can be applied to fire safety design or performance-based fire-resistant design.