Guides/Comparisons
A36 vs 1018 steel
a36-vs-1018-steelA36 structural carbon steel and Carbon steel 1018 at a glance
This page compares A36 structural carbon steel and Carbon steel 1018 using only values that carry a source, a test condition and an evidence level. Ranges run across temper, heat treatment and product form, measured at room temperature where the source says so.
- Composition: Carbon (A36 up to 0.26%; 1018 0.14 to 0.2%), Manganese (A36 up to 1.03%; 1018 0.6 to 0.9%), Phosphorus (A36 up to 0.04%; 1018 up to 0.040%), Sulfur (A36 up to 0.05%; 1018 up to 0.050%).
- Yield strength: the ranges overlap (A36 at least 220 MPa; 1018 240 to 370 MPa).
- Tensile strength: the ranges overlap (A36 400 to 552 MPa; 1018 430 to 440 MPa).
- Density: the ranges overlap (A36 7.8 g/cm³; 1018 7.67 to 7.9 g/cm³).
- Young's modulus: the ranges overlap (A36 200 GPa; 1018 190 to 210 GPa).
"Higher" means the whole range is higher, not just one value. Where a value is a specified minimum, the table says "at least".
Side by side
| Property | A36 structural carbon steel | Carbon steel 1018 |
|---|---|---|
| Yield strength | at least 220 MPa | 240 to 370 MPa |
| Tensile strength | 400 to 552 MPa | 430 to 440 MPa |
| Density | 7.8 g/cm³ | 7.67 to 7.9 g/cm³ |
| Young's modulus | 200 GPa | 190 to 210 GPa |
| Thermal conductivity | no data | 25 to 93 W/(m·K) |
| Melting point | no data | 1,480 to 1,526 °C |
Composition
| Element | A36 structural carbon steel | Carbon steel 1018 |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | balance | balance |
| Carbon | up to 0.26% | 0.14 to 0.2% |
| Silicon | up to 0.4% | not listed |
| Manganese | up to 1.03% | 0.6 to 0.9% |
| Phosphorus | up to 0.04% | up to 0.040% |
| Sulfur | up to 0.05% | up to 0.050% |
| Copper | up to 0.2% | not listed |
Shares are as printed in the sources, by weight.
When to use which
| Material | Best for | Weakest at |
|---|---|---|
| A36 structural carbon steel | Welded and bolted structural frames, girders and shapes that will be painted or galvanized | Rusts outdoors and corrodes first when it touches copper or tin in a wet electrolyte; minimum strength falls above 650 °F (343 °C) |
| Carbon steel 1018 | Machined shafts, pins and gears, and cost-sensitive structural parts that are coated against rust | Rust in moist air and salt unless it is coated, and strength that depends on whether the bar was cold drawn or hot rolled |
Where each is used
| Material | Use |
|---|---|
| A36 structural carbon steel | General construction and structural framing |
| A36 structural carbon steel | Girders, structural shapes and angle iron |
| A36 structural carbon steel | Bolted and welded structural joints |
| Carbon steel 1018 | Shafts, pins and gears |
| Carbon steel 1018 | Low-stress structural components |
| Carbon steel 1018 | Car parts, pipes and construction steel |