ASTM Standards for Galvanized Steel Products

Our sales people often ask me a common question among our customers in the construction industry; that is, whether our galvanized steel products conform to ASTM A 525 whose complete descriptive title is Standard Specification for General Requirements for Steel Sheet, Zn-coated (Galvanized) by the Hot-dip Process. Another standard similarly asked is ASTM 446 for Standard Specification for Steel Sheet, Zinc-coated (Galvanized) by the Hot-dip Process, Strucutral (Physical) Quality. The latter is the standard specs commonly quoted for Metal Decks or Steel Decks.

The answer to this is, both standards are not anymore used by ASTM. In my copy of the 1996 edition of ASTM Book of Annual Standards, Volume 1.06 Coated Steel Products, it is thus explained; to wit, "Formerly under the jurisdiction of Committee A-5 on Metallic Coated Iron and Steel products, this specification was discontinued in 1994 and replaced by Specification A 924 for General Requirement for Steel Sheet, Metallic- coated by the Hot-dip Process and Specification A 653 for Steel Sheet, Zinc-coated (Galvanized) or Zinc-iron Alloy-coated (Galvannealed) by the Hot dip Process.

In newer versions of this ASTM Book of Standards, such explanation can not anymore be found, leaving those who do not know the background wondering what happened to these standards. On the other hand, it is quite surprising and a pity to say the least that 15 years after these standards were discontinued, awareness and dissemination on the newer applicable standards are left wanting.