7/10/2019 ASTM Specifications | American Galvanizers Association

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ASTM Speci cations

ASTM s copyright does not allow the AGA to include full-text versions of the listed specifications online. However, the AGA
does provide a compilation of specifications pertinent to galvanizing. Purchase a copy from the AGA, or contact your local
galvanizer.

The following is a summary of the various pertinent hot-dip galvanizing specifications.

ASTM Main Standards

ASTM Pre-Galvanizing Design Supporting Specifications
ASTM Post-Galvanizing Supporting Specifications
Other Specifications

ASTM Main Standards

ASTM A123/A123M
 Standard Specification for Zinc (Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coatings on Iron and Steel Products covers individual steel pieces as well
as assemblies of various classes of material.  The material categories covered in the specification include structural steel
and plate, strips and bars, pipes and tubing, and wires.  Fabrications can have more than one material category, such as a
frame assembly.  Any combination of these products can be assembled into a single fabrication and then hot-dip
galvanized.

It is the responsibility of the designer and fabricator to ensure the product has been properly designed and built before the
hot-dip galvanizing process (supporting specifications). The galvanizer s responsibility is to ensure compliance with the
specifications as long as the product has been designed and fabricated in accordance with the referenced specifications.
However, if the galvanizer has to perform additional work in order to prepare the product for hot-dip galvanizing, such as
drilling holes to facilitate drainage or venting, the galvanizer will communicate and resolve the issue with the customer.

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The requirements listed in ASTM A123/A123 M include coating thickness,

finish, appearance, and adherence.  The specification requirements for
coating thickness only contain minimums, there is no maximum coating
thickness limitation in the specification.  The finish requirement is
continuous, smooth, and uniform, while appearance requires no
uncoated areas or issues that interfere with the fabrication s intended
use.  Finally, the adherence requirement is for the entire coating to have
a strong adherence throughout the service life of the galvanized steel.

ASTM A153/A153M
Standard
Specification for Zinc
Coating (Hot-Dip) on
Iron and Hardware
applies to hardware
products such as
castings, fasteners,
rolled, pressed, and
forged products,
and miscellaneous
threaded objects
that will be
centrifuged, spun,
or otherwise
handled to remove
the excess zinc.  The
requirements of this
specification are very similar to those in A123, except for the addition of
threaded products and embrittlement requirements.

A153 requires a continuous, smooth, and uniform finish with no

uncoated areas (including on the threads) or issues that interfere with
its intended use.  There are coating thickness minimums, but no
maximums, and the threads are not subject to the coating thickness
requirement.  The adherence requirement is the same as A123, for strong bond throughout the life of the hot-dip galvanized
steel.  Finally, A153 contains information that high strength fasteners (>150ksi) and castings can be subject to
embrittlement.  There are precautions provided in ASTM A143/A143M that should be considered to prevent embrittlement,
as well as selecting steels with appropriate chemistries.

ASTM A767/A767M
Standard Specification for Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement is exclusively applicable to hot-dip
galvanizing of reinforcing steel bars, known as rebar, both smooth and deformed (wire is excluded).  The requirements in
the specification facilitate the production of a high-quality zinc coating and are similar to those found in A123 and A153. The
requirements for finish, appearance, and adherence are identical to those in the other main standards.  However, there are a
few additional requirements for galvanized rebar.  First, the specification details the coating thickness requirements based
on bar size.  Also, A767 outlines the galvanizer s responsibility for consistent material tracking and identity.  Finally, there
are requirements for passivating the material (chromating) to prevent reaction between concrete and the zinc coating, and
on bend diameters.  Rebar is commonly bent prior to galvanizing, and the recommendations for diameter and best practices
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are provided in A767.  If rebar is bent (fabricated) a er the galvanized coating is applied and any flaking or cracking occurs, it
is not rejectable.

ASTM Pre-Galvanizing Design Supporting Speci cations

ASTM A143/A143M
Standard Practice for Safeguarding Against Embrittlement of Hot-Dip
Galvanized Structural Steel Products and Procedure for Detecting
Embrittlement covers procedures to safeguard against the possible
embrittlement of steel hot-dip galvanized a er fabrication, as well as
test procedures for detecting embrittlement.  Embrittlement is the loss
or partial loss of ductility in a steel where an embrittled product
characteristically fails by fracture without appreciable deformation. 
Types of embrittlement commonly encountered with galvanized steel
are related to aging phenomena, cold working, and absorption of
hydrogen.  The design of the product and selection of proper steel for its
suitability to withstand normal galvanizing operations is the
responsibility of the designer and fabricator.

ASTM A384/A384 M
Standard Practice for Safeguarding Against Warpage and Distortion During Hot-Dip Galvanizing of Steel Assemblies details
best design practices to avoid warpage and distortion during the hot-dip galvanizing process.  Common distorted and
warped members of assemblies are sheets or plates assembled by welding or riveting. The following can cause warpage and
distortion: use of nonsymmetrical sections such as channels; use of checkered plate; not properly vented overlapping joint
for two pieces of steel; and too large assembly for a particular galvanizing kettle.

ASTM A385/A385 M
Standard Practice for Providing High-Quality Zinc Coatings (Hot-
Dip) provides details on steel selection and other design practices such
as venting and draining, welding, etc. to ensure the best quality product
a er galvanizing.  Assemblies should consist of elements of similar
chemistry and surface condition. Whenever di erent analyses of steel or
di erent surfaces of steel are united in an assembly the galvanized finish
is not generally uniform in appearance. All fabricated assemblies shall
be designed with vent and drain holes such that no air is trapped during
immersion of the assemblies into cleaning solutions or molten zinc.

ASTM A1068
Standard Practice for Life-Cycle Cost Analysis of Corrosion Protection
Systems on Iron and Steel Products provides the equation and
technology to perform a life-cycle cost (LCC) analysis of various
corrosion protection systems.  The LCC analysis considers not only the
initial cost of the system but also the future costs (maintenance,
replacement, etc.)  The purpose of the calculation is to provide
justification for the purchase of a higher initial cost system with a low
life-cycle cost over an initially less expensive coating which has high
future costs.

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ASTM Post-Galvanizing Supporting Speci cations

ASTM A780
Practice for Repair of Damaged and Uncoated Areas of HOt-Dip
Galvanized Coatings covers appropriate methods used to repair
damaged hot-dip galvanized coatings on hardware, structural shapes,
and other hot-dip galvanized products, including uncoated areas
remaining a er initial hot-dip galvanizing.  Requirements concerning
the renovation of uncoated areas a er initial hot-dip galvanizing are
contained within the material specifications (A123, A153, A767).  The
specification outlines three acceptable forms of touch-up: zinc-based
solders, zinc-rich paints, and metallizing, as well as the required coating
thickness of the repair. 

ASTM D6386
Practice for Preparation of Zinc (Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coated Iron and
Steel Product and Hardware Surfaces for Painting. See Specifying Duplex
Systems for more information.

ASTM D7803
Practice for Preparation of Zinc (Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coated Iron and
Steel Product and Hardware Surfaces for Powder Coating. See Specifying
Duplex Systems for more information.

ASTM E376
Standard Practice for Measuring Coating Thickness by Magnetic-Field or Eddy-Current (Electromagnetic) Examination
Methods. Eddy-current-type thickness measurement is a non-destructive test measuring variations in the impedance of an
eddy-current inducing coil caused by coating thickness variations. They can only be used if the electrical conductivity of the
coating di ers significantly from that of the substrate.

Other Related Speci cations

ASTM A36
 Specification for Structural Steel. This specification covers carbon structural 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.

ASTM A500
Specification for Cold-Formed Welded and Seamless Carbon Steel Structural Tubing in Rounds and Shapes. This specification
covers cold-formed welded and seamless carbon steel round, square, rectangular, or special shape structural tubing for
welded, riveted, or bolted construction of bridges and buildings, and for general structural purposes. This tubing shall be
produced in both welded and seamless sizes and must have the chemical requirements of carbon, manganese, phosphorus,
sulfur, and copper.

ASTM A501 
Specification for Hot-Formed Welded and Seamless Carbon Steel Structural Tubing. This specification covers black and hot-
dipped galvanized hot-formed welded and seamless carbon steel square, round, rectangular, or special shape structural
tubing for welded, riveted, or bolted construction or bridges and buildings, and for general structural purposes.

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ASTM A563 
Standard Specification for Carbon and Alloy Steel Nuts. This specification
covers the chemical, mechanical, and dimensional requirements for
eight grades (Grades O, A, B, C, D, DH, C3, and DH3) of carbon and alloy
steel nuts for general structural and mechanical uses on bolts, studs,
and other externally threaded parts. Steel materials and nuts shall be
manufactured, processed, and formed as appropriate for their
respective grades.

ASTM A572 
Specification for High-Strength Low-Alloy Columbium-Vanadium Steels of
Structural Quality. This specification covers the standard requirements
for Grades 42, 50, 55, 60, and 65,  of high-strength low-alloy columbium-
vanadium structural steel shapes, plates, sheet piling, and bars for
applications in bolted, welded, and riveted structures in bridges and
buildings.  It may also be known by its trade name, e.g. Exten  (USS0

ASTM A944 
Standard Test Method for Comparing Bond Strength of Steel Reinforcing
Bars to Concrete Using Beam-End Specimens. This test method deals
with the standard procedures for establishing the relative bond strength
of steel reinforcing bars in concrete using beam-end specimens. This
test method shall determine the e ects of surface preparation or
condition (such as bar coatings) on the bond strength of deformed steel reinforcing bars to concrete.

ASTM A992 
Specifications for Steel Structural Shapes for Use in Building Framing. This specification covers rolled steel structural shapes
for use in building framing or bridges, or for general structural purposes. Heat analysis shall be used to determine the
percentage of carbon, manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, vanadium, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, columbium, and copper
for the required chemical composition.

ASTM B6 
Standard Specification for Zinc. This specification covers zinc metal
made from ore or other material by a process of distillation or by
electrolysis in five grades as follows: LME grade, special high grade, high
grade, intermediate grade, and prime western grade.

ASTM B201 
Standard Practice for Testing Chromate Coatings on Zinc and Cadmium
Surfaces. This practice is applicable to chromate coatings of the
colorless (both one and two-dip), iridescent yellow or bronze, olive
drab, black, colorless anodic, yellow or black anodic types, and of the
dyed variety, when applied to surfaces of electrodeposited zinc,
mechanically deposited zinc, hot-dipped zinc, rolled zinc,
electrodeposited cadmium, or mechanically deposited coatings.

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ASTM B960
 Specification for Prime Western Grade-Recycled Zinc. This specification covers prime western grade-recycled (PWG-R) zinc
made by recycling zinc secondary materials including but not limited to drosses and skimmings.

ASTM F2329
Standard Specification for Zinc Coating, Hot-Dip, Requirements for Application to Carbon and Alloy Steel Bolts, Screws,
Washers, Nuts, and Special Threaded Fasteners. This specification covers the requirements for hot-dip zinc coating applied to
carbon steel and alloy steel bolts, screws, washers, nuts, and special threaded fasteners applied by the hot-dip coating
process.

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