Tag Archives: substitution

SAE 4340 and ASTM F1554

Do bolts made from SAE 4340 material meet the requirements of ASTM F1554?

I have a client out of Israel and they manufacture equipment for use in power plants. They have a question about anchor bolts in seismic zones. They want to use anchor bolts made from SAE 4340 material and they would like to know if that is equivalent to ASTM F1554 material. Will this material be... Read more

Substituting F1554 Grade 55 for Grade 36

My bolt supplier said they can substitute ASTM F1554 Grade 55 anchor bolts for the F1554 Grade 36 anchor bolts that are specified on my project. Is this correct?

ASTM F1554 does specifically state in Section 6.4 that the manufacturing company can substitute weldable F1554 Grade 55 material in place of F1554 Grade 36 material at the option of the manufacturing company. So technically your supplier is correct that they can substitute F1554 Grade 55 for F1554 Grade 36 at any time, as long... Read more

Rod with Nut vs Headed Bolt

Can I substitute a rod with a nut for a headed bolt?

We do not recommend allowing this type of substitution without approval from the Engineer of Record. Based on performing mechanical tests to the ASTM specification F606 which covers the testing of construction fasteners, a rod with a nut would typically not produce the same strength characteristics as a bolt with a forged head. Under F606,... Read more

F1554-55 vs F1554-36

Can an F1554 Grade 55 anchor bolt be substituted for an F1554 Grade 36 anchor bolt?

Yes. According to ASTM F1554-15 when Grade 36 is specified, a weldable Grade 55 may be furnished at the supplier’s option. F1554 Grade 36 vs. F1554 Grade 55 F1554 is the ASTM specification for fasteners that have an intended use for anchoring structural supports to concrete foundations. The specification is available in three strength grades:... Read more

A307 Grade 36 vs F1554 Grade 36

Can the anchor bolts type ASTM F1554 grade 36 be replaced with ASTM A307 grade 36?

This question was submitted by a Port Authority on the East Coast. Anchor bolts were supplied by another company claiming they met or exceeded the requirements of F1554 grade 36. As it turns out, they did not. Hi Greg, Sorry for being late to send you a clear copy of the Mill certification. Just to... Read more

ASTM F1554 Grade 55

Grade 5 or A449 vs F1554 Grade 55

Can I substitute Grade 5 or A449 bolts for F1554 grade 55 bolts?

In most circumstances the answer is no. For Grade 5 the answer is never. Although, Grade 5 meets the minimum yield requirements of F1554gr55, the minimum tensile requirements exceed the maximum tensile requirements in all cases. A449 is similar in regards to meeting the minimum yield strength of F1554 Grade 55 across the board but... Read more

Fastener Substitution Liability

What are the liability issues involved in substituting one fastener grade or configuration for another?

Have you ever had a fastener company try to talk you into substituting A193 grade B7 all thread rod for F1554 grade 55 anchor rods, claiming it's "better"? Have you allowed them to substitute an all thread rod with a nut tack welded in lieu of a headed bolt? These are scenarios that come up... Read more

ASTM F1554 Grade 36

A307 Grade A vs F1554 Grade 36

Will imported A307 grade A hex bolts meet the requirements of F1554 grade 36?

Anchor bolts which are embedded in concrete and used for structural anchorage purposes can assume several forms. Common forms of anchor bolts include right angle bend anchor bolts, swedged rods, and threaded rods (typically with a nut and/or square plate attached to the bottom of the rod). Another common configuration for an anchor bolt is... Read more

Headed Bolts vs Rod with a Nut

Can a threaded rod with a welded nut be substituted for a bolt with a forged head?

When a threaded rod with a nut is substituted for a bolt with a forged head, two issues come into play. When in-house mechanical testing was performed by Portland Bolt on headed bolts versus rods with a nut, both from the identical lots of steel, the rod with a nut developed up to 12% less... Read more

High Strength vs Standard Nuts

Can an A563 Grade DH high strength heavy hex nut be substituted for a lower strength A563 Grade A hex nut?

Yes. According to ASTM A563, the specification covering carbon and alloy steel nuts, the supplier may supply any higher strength nut at anytime, but the supplier must give notice to the purchaser that the substitution is being made. The supplier cannot supply a nut that is prohibited by the inquiry and resulting purchase order. “1.2... Read more

F1554 Grade 55 vs A307 Grade C

My plans call for an A307 grade C anchor bolt and my supplier is offering F1554 grade 55 anchor bolts as a substitution. Is this acceptable?

Theoretically, this substitution makes sense. However, one should always check with the project engineer before making any alterations to the grade or configuration of product that has been specified for the structure. Please note that for liability reasons, Portland Bolt is not recommending that this substitution be made without appropriate approval. The A307 grade A... Read more