Vol. 5, No. 3 - Fall 2009
Steel Joists and Joist Girders


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History of steel grades used in joist and joist girder fabrication

:: Manon Gauthier, Eng.
Canam Canada
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In the March 2008 Canam Info-Tech article entitled Field measurement for existing joists requiring reinforcement, we discussed the various criteria required to produce detailed field measurements for existing joists when the original design documents are no longer available. One of these criteria is the steel grade.


Figure 1: Joist fabrication at the St. Gédéon plant in Quebec

This article summarizes all of the information Canam has gathered on steel grades since 1961, the year we started fabricating joists in our St. Gédéon, QC plant. The information also pertains to the steel grades used in our Mississauga, ON and Calgary, AB plants. Please note that the steel grades used in our three plants have remained unchanged since 1992.


Figure 2: Canam joists and joist girders

History of steel grades (Canam Canada)

YearDescription
1961Start of production at the St. Gédéon plant (Quebec)
  • Steel A6
  • Fy = 36 ksi

1970
  • Round bar: Fy = 44 ksi (equivalent to G40.21 44W steel)
  • Coils used for cold-formed angles: Fy = 50 ksi (equivalent to G40.21 50W steel)
  • Hot-rolled angles: Fy = 50 ksi (equivalent to G40.21 50W steel)

1974
  • Introduction of cold-formed U-shaped sections
  • Thicknesses of 0.090" and 0.118"

1975
  • Higher steel grades for angles and U-shaped sections
  • Hot-rolled angles: Fy = 55 ksi
  • Cold-formed angles and U-shaped sections (ASTM A607 Grade 50): Fy = 50 ksi
  • Round bar: Fy = 44 ksi (equivalent to G40.21 44W steel)

1978
  • New coil thicknesses: 0.157", 0.197" and 0.236"

1984Start of production at the Mississauga plant (Ontario)

1984-1987Mississauga only:
  • Hot-rolled angles: Fy = 50 ksi
  • Round bar: Fy = 44 ksi

May 1987St. Gédéon and Mississauga only:
  • Higher steel grade for round bar: Fy = 50 ksi (equivalent to G40.21 50W steel)
Mississauga only:
  • Higher steel grade for hot-rolled angles: Fy = 55 ksi

May 1992St. Gédéon and Mississauga only:
  • Higher steel grades for cold-formed angles and U-shaped sections (ASTM A607 Grade 55): Fy = 55 ksi

1996Start of production at the Calgary plant (Alberta)
  • Since May 1992, the steel grades used in our three plants have remained unchanged.


This steel grade table is available in PDF format in the Technical documentation centre found on our website under Publications/Technical/Joists.

:: Information
For more information, please contact our experts:

  • Telephone: 1-877-499-6049
  • Online: Joists

:: Our projects
Consult the list of projects completed by Canam Canada.

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