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What is the difference between SS400 carbon steel plate and S235JR?

Oct 10, 2025

What is SS400 carbon steel plate?
SS400 steel plate is a low-carbon structural steel that complies with the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS G3101). It features a tensile strength of at least 400 MPa. It is a cost-effective general-purpose structural material. Due to its high strength, durability, and excellent overall mechanical properties, it is widely used in construction, bridges, ships, and general engineering applications.

 

What is S235JR carbon steel plate?
S235JR is a structural steel grade specified in the European standard EN 10025-2. "S" stands for structural steel, "235" refers to the minimum yield strength of 235 MPa, and "JR" indicates that a Charpy impact test at 20°C is required. This low-carbon, non-alloy steel offers excellent weldability, workability, and impact resistance, making it suitable for load-bearing applications such as building frames, railway vehicles, and general structural components.

 

What is the difference between SS400 carbon steel plate and S235JR?

SS400 is a Japanese (JIS G3101) general structural steel with a minimum yield strength of 245 MPa and a tensile strength around 400 MPa, while S235JR is a European (EN 10025-2) non-alloy structural steel with a minimum yield strength of 235 MPa and a tensile strength of 360–510 MPa. Both are widely used for construction and engineering due to their good formability, weldability, and toughness, though S235JR is often considered to have better weldability due to its lower carbon content.

 

1. Standards and Origin

Grade Standard Region / Country Specification Type
SS400 JIS G3101 Japan Hot Rolled Carbon Steel Plate for General Structure
S235JR EN 10025-2 Europe Non-Alloy Structural Steel Plate, Hot Rolled

 

2. Chemical Composition Comparison

Element SS400 (JIS G3101) S235JR (EN 10025-2)
Carbon (C) ≤ 0.23% ≤ 0.17–0.20%
Manganese (Mn) ≤ 1.60% 0.30–1.40%
Silicon (Si) ≤ 0.50% ≤ 0.035–0.040%
Phosphorus (P) ≤ 0.050% ≤ 0.035%
Sulfur (S) ≤ 0.050% ≤ 0.035%
Iron (Fe) Balance Balance

 

3. Mechanical Properties Comparison

Property SS400 S235JR
Tensile Strength (MPa) 400 – 510 360 – 510
Yield Strength (MPa) ≥ 245 ≥ 235
Elongation (%) ≥ 23 ≥ 26
Hardness (HBW) ≤ 160 ≤ 140
Density (g/cm³) 7.85 7.85

 

Parameter SS400 S235JR
Standard JIS G3101 EN 10025-2
Type Hot Rolled Carbon Steel Plate Hot Rolled Non-Alloy Structural Steel Plate
Thickness Range 2 – 200 mm 3 – 200 mm
Width 1000 – 3000 mm 1000 – 3000 mm
Length 2000 – 12000 mm 2000 – 12000 mm
Surface Finish Hot rolled, pickled, oiled Hot rolled, pickled, oiled
Delivery Condition As rolled, normalized As rolled, normalized
Weldability Excellent Excellent
Machinability Good Good
Formability Good Excellent
Applications Construction, machinery, shipbuilding Construction, bridges, frames, pipelines

 

5. Applications

Both SS400 and S235JR are widely used in structural and industrial projects, including:

Construction and building frameworks

Machinery bases and structural components

Shipbuilding and marine structures

Automotive frames and trailers

Pressure vessels (low-medium stress)

S235JR is preferred in European projects or where impact-tested material is required.
SS400 is widely used in Asian markets for cost-effective structural solutions.


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