TABLE 2.

2 Comparing Common Structural Shapes and Grades of Three

Metals
Property
Aluminum
6061-T6
Carbon steel
A36
Stainless steel 304,
cold-finished
extrudability (see
Section 3.1)
very good not practical very limited
weldability fair, but reduces
strength
good, no strength
reduction
good
corrosion resistance good fair very good
tensile yield strength 35 ksi 36 to 50 ksi 45 ksi
modulus of elasticity 10,000 ksi 29,000 ksi 27,000 ksi
elongation 8% to 10% 20% 30%
density 0.098 lb / in.3 0.283 lb / in.3 0.284 lb / in.3
fatigue strength (plain
metal, 5 million
cycles)
10.2 ksi 24 ksi
relative yield strengthto-
weight ratio
2.8 1.0 to 1.4 1.2
cost by weight $1.20/ lb $0.30/ lb $1.40/ lb
cost by volume $0.12/ in.3 $0.084/ in.3 $0.42/ in.3
cost index (see text) 2.0 1.0 4.7
into play, such as operation and maintenance costs over the life of the structure.
Also, in specific applications, the rule of thumb that an aluminum component
weighs one-half that of a steel member doesn�t always hold true. For
example, an aluminum component might weigh considerably less when a
corrosion allowance must be added to the steel. In other cases, the low material
cost of steel is offset by higher fabrication costs, such as applications
requiring complex cross sections (for example, curtainwall mullions). In such
cases, the cost of steel is much more than just the material cost since the part
must be machined, cold-formed, or welded to create the final shape, while
the costs of aluminum fabrication are almost nonexistent (the material cost
includes the cost to extrude the part to its final shape).
Because of stainless steel�s high cost, it is used only when weight is not a
consideration and finish and weldability are. In fact, when stainless steel is
used in lieu of aluminum, the reason is often only concern about welding
aluminum.
The families of structural metals, and the individual alloys within each,
then, offer a wide range of choices for designers. Each recipe or alloy designation
results in certain characteristics that serve specific purposes.
When corrosion resistance, a high strength-to-weight ratio, and ease of fabrication
are significant design parameters, aluminum alloys merit serious
consideration.