Designation: A 690/A 690M 07

Standard Specification for

High-Strength Low-Alloy Nickel, Copper, Phosphorus Steel
H-Piles and Sheet Piling with Atmospheric Corrosion
Resistance for Use in Marine Environments1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A 690/A 690M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year
of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.
A superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope* A 6/A 6M Specification for General Requirements for

1.1 This specification covers high-strength low-alloy nickel, Rolled Structural Steel Bars, Plates, Shapes, and Sheet
copper, phosphorus steel H-piles and sheet piling of structural Piling
quality for use in the construction of dock walls, sea walls, A 36/A 36M Specification for Carbon Structural Steel
bulkheads, excavations, and like applications in marine envi- A 328/A 328M Specification for Steel Sheet Piling
ronments. G 101 Guide for Estimating the Atmospheric Corrosion
1.2 The atmospheric corrosion resistance of this steel is Resistance of Low-Alloy Steels
substantially better than that of ordinary carbon steels with or 3. General Requirements for Delivery
without copper addition (see Note 1). The steel has also shown
to have substantially greater resistance to seawater Splash 3.1 Structural products furnished under this specification
Zone corrosion than ordinary carbon steel (Specifications shall conform to the requirements of the current edition of
A 36/A 36M and A 328/A 328M) where exposed to the wash- Specification A 6/A 6M, for the specific structural product
ing action of rain and the drying action of the wind or sun, or ordered, unless a conflict exists in which case this specification
both. Where the steel is not boldly exposed, the usual provi- shall prevail.
sions for the protection of ordinary carbon steel should be 3.2 Coils are excluded from qualification to this specifica-
considered. tion until they are processed into a finished structural product.
Structural products produced from coil means structural prod-
NOTE 1For methods of estimating atmospheric corrosion resistance ucts that have been cut to individual lengths from a coil. The
of low-alloy steels, see Guide G 101.
processor directly controls, or is responsible for, the operations
1.3 When the steel is to be welded, it is presupposed that a involved in the processing of a coil into finished structural
welding procedure suitable for the grade of steel and intended product. Such operations include decoiling, leveling or
use or service will be utilized. See Appendix X 3 of Specifi- straightening, hot-forming or cold-forming (if applicable),
cation A 6/A 6M for information on weldability. cutting to length, testing, inspection, conditioning, heat treat-
1.4 The values stated in either inch-pound units or SI units ment (if applicable), packaging, marking, loading for shipment,
are to be regarded as standard. Within the text, the SI units are and certification.
shown in brackets. The values stated in each system are not
NOTE 2For structural products produced from coil and furnished
exact equivalents; therefore, each system must be used inde- without heat treatment or with stress relieving only, two test results are to
pendently of the other. Combining values from the two systems be reported for each qualifying coil. Additional requirements regarding
may result in nonconformance with the specification. structural products produced from coil are described in Specification
A 6/A 6M.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards: 2 4. Materials and Manufacture
4.1 The steel shall be semi-killed or killed.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A01 on Steel, 5. Chemical Composition
Stainless Steel and Related Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
A01.02 on Structural Steel for Bridges, Buildings, Rolling Stock and Ships.
5.1 The heat analysis shall conform to the requirements
Current edition approved March 1, 2007. Published March 2007. Originally prescribed in Table 1.
approved in 1974. Last previous edition approved in 2005 as A 690/A 690M 05. 5.2 The steel shall conform on product analysis to the
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or requirements prescribed in Table 1, subject to the product
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standards Document Summary page on analysis tolerances in Specification A 6/A 6M.
the ASTM website.

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.

Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

1
 A 690/A 690M 07
TABLE 1 Chemical Requirements TABLE 2 Tensile Requirements

Composition, % Heat Tensile strength, min, ksi [MPa] 70 [485]

Element
Analysis Yield point, min, ksi [MPa] 50 [345]
Elongation in 8 in. [200 mm], min, % 18A
Carbon, max 0.22
Elongation in 2 in. [50 mm], min, % 21
ManganeseA 0.600.90
A
Phosphorus 0.080.15 See elongation requirement adjustments under the Tension Tests section of
Sulfur, max 0.04 Specification A 6/A 6M. See specimen orientation under the tension tests section
Silicon, max 0.40 of Specification A 6/A 6M.
Copper, min 0.50
Nickel 0.400.75
A
Manganese, for each reduction of 0.01 percentage point below the specified NOTE 3The user is cautioned that the Guide G 101 section 6.3.1
carbon maximum, an increase of 0.06 percentage points manganese above the predictive equation (predictive method based upon the data of Larabee and
specified maximum is permitted, up to a maximum of 1.10 %. Coburn) is not applicable to this steel, due to composition limits listed for
this method.
5.3 Choice and use of alloying elements, combined with the
listed element requirements prescribed in 5.1 to give the 6. Tension Test
mechanical properties prescribed in Section 6.1, shall be made 6.1 The material, as represented by the test specimens, shall
by the manufacturer and included and reported in the heat conform to the requirements as to tensile properties prescribed
analysis of the steel. in Table 2.
5.4 When specified in the purchaser order or contract, the
atmospheric corrosion resistance index, calculated on the basis 7. Keywords
of the heat analysis of the steel, as described in section 6.3.2 of 7.1 bulkheads; corrosion resistance; dock walls; excava-
Guide G 101, shall be determined, the minimum index value tions; high-strength; H-piles; low-alloy; marine environments;
shall be by agreement between purchaser and manufacturer. sea walls; sheet piling; steel; structural steel

SUPPLEMENTARY REQUIREMENTS

Supplementary requirements shall not apply unless specified in the purchase order or contract.
Standardized supplementary requirements for use at the option of the purchaser are listed in
Specification A 6/A 6M. In addition, the following supplementary requirement is also suitable for use
with this specification.

S99. The minimum strength of the interlocked joint required

for certain services may be specified for certain sheet piling
sections subject to specific agreement between the material
purchaser and the manufacturer.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee A01 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue
(A 690/A 690M 05) that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved March 1, 2007.)

(1) Deleted unnecessary references from 2. (3) Deleted Table 1 on Appurtenant Materials.
(2) Deleted Section 4 Appurtenant Materials.

ASTM International takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights asserted in connection with any item mentioned
in this standard. Users of this standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such patent rights, and the risk
of infringement of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.

This standard is subject to revision at any time by the responsible technical committee and must be reviewed every five years and
if not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standards
and should be addressed to ASTM International Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting of the
responsible technical committee, which you may attend. If you feel that your comments have not received a fair hearing you should
make your views known to the ASTM Committee on Standards, at the address shown below.

This standard is copyrighted by ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959,
United States. Individual reprints (single or multiple copies) of this standard may be obtained by contacting ASTM at the above
address or at 610-832-9585 (phone), 610-832-9555 (fax), or [email protected] (e-mail); or through the ASTM website
(www.astm.org).