Q460E High Strength Structural Steel Plate

Strictly Compliant with GB/T 16270-2009 | Quenched & Tempered State | Thickness Up to 150mm | Excellent Ultra-Low-Temperature Toughness | Custom Sizes Available

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Product Overview

Q460E is a high strength structural steel plate specified in GB/T 16270-2009 High strength structural steel plates in the quenched and tempered condition standard, replacing the old GB/T 16270-1996 version. The product is delivered in quenched + tempered state, with a maximum applicable thickness of 150mm (expanded from the original 100mm).

Q460E is smelted by oxygen converter or electric furnace, with strict control of chemical composition and carbon equivalent (CEV ≤0.47%), ensuring excellent high strength and superior ultra-low-temperature toughness (-40℃ impact resistance). It is widely used in engineering machinery, construction structures, port machinery, bridge engineering and other fields that require high load-bearing capacity and ultra-low-temperature stability.

According to GB/T 16270-2009 Appendix A, Q460E has approximate equivalent grades in European standards, and is the preferred material for high-strength structural components working in ultra-low-temperature environments (-40℃) in domestic and international engineering projects.

★ Key Standard Update:

GB/T 16270-2009 cancels the bending performance requirement, adds CEV carbon equivalent index, and deletes the delivery states of normalizing, normalizing+tempering and controlled rolling. It also defines Q460E grade with -40℃ ultra-low-temperature impact requirement and Z-direction performance requirement for thickness ≥15mm.

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Technical Specifications (GB/T 16270-2009)

All data is in accordance with the official GB/T 16270-2009 standard, the unit of chemical composition is mass fraction (wt%), and the mechanical properties are tested with transverse tensile samples and longitudinal impact samples.

Chemical Composition (wt%, Max) & Carbon Equivalent CEV

Grade Thickness mm C Si Mn P S Cu Cr Ni Mo B V Nb Ti CEV
Q460E ≤50 0.20 0.80 1.70 0.020 0.010 0.50 1.50 2.00 0.70 0.0050 0.12 0.06 0.05 0.47
>50~100 0.20 0.80 1.70 0.020 0.010 0.50 1.50 2.00 0.70 0.0050 0.12 0.06 0.05 0.48
>100~150 0.20 0.80 1.70 0.020 0.010 0.50 1.50 2.00 0.70 0.0050 0.12 0.06 0.05 0.50

Note 1: At least one grain refinement element (Nb/Ti/V/Al) shall be added, the minimum content of at least one element is 0.015% (Als for Al), or Alt can be used instead of Als with a minimum of 0.018%.
Note 2: CEV calculation formula (GB/T 16270-2009): CEV = C + Mn/6 + (Cr+Mo+V)/5 + (Ni+Cu)/15.
Note 3: The chemical composition tolerance of finished steel plate complies with GB/T 222.
Note 4: Q460E has stricter P/S control (P≤0.020%, S≤0.010%) to ensure excellent ultra-low-temperature toughness and weldability.
Note 5: Q460E requires Z-direction performance test (Z15/Z25/Z35) for thickness ≥15mm to prevent lamellar tearing.

Mechanical Properties (GB/T 16270-2009)

Grade Yield Strength ReH (MPa) ≥ Yield Strength ReH (MPa) ≥ Yield Strength ReH (MPa) ≥ Tensile Strength Rm (MPa) Tensile Strength Rm (MPa) Elongation after Fracture A (%)  Impact Absorption Energy KV2 (J) 
≤50mm >50~100mm >100~150mm ≤100mm >100~150mm All Thickness -40℃ (Longitudinal)
Q460E 460 440 400 550~720 500~670 17 34

Note 1: When the yield phenomenon is not obvious, Rp0.2 is used instead of ReH.
Note 2: The impact energy is the arithmetic mean of three samples, one sample is allowed to be lower than the specified value but not less than 70% of the specified value.
Note 3: For plates with thickness 8~12mm, 75% of the specified impact value is required for 10×7.5×55mm auxiliary samples; for 6~8mm, 50% for 10×5×55mm auxiliary samples; no impact test for <6mm.
Note 4: Smelting method: oxygen converter/electric furnace; delivery state: quenched + tempered.
Note 5: Q460E impact test temperature is -40℃ (KV2≥34J), reflecting excellent ultra-low-temperature toughness for ultra-low-temperature environments.
Note 6: Q460E requires Z-direction performance test for thickness ≥15mm (Z15/Z25/Z35 grade optional) to ensure resistance to lamellar tearing.

International Standard Approximate Comparison

According to GB/T 16270-2009 Appendix A (informative appendix) and official international standard data, the approximate equivalent grades of Q460E are as follows:

Property Q460E (GB/T 16270-2009)
China | Quenched & Tempered		 S460QL2 (EN 10025-6:2004)
EU | Quenched & Tempered		 ASTM A514 Gr.Q (ASTM A514)
US | Quenched & Tempered
Min Yield Strength (MPa) 460 (≤50mm) 460 (≤100mm) 690 (≤100mm)
Tensile Strength (MPa) 550~720 550~720 760~895
Min Elongation (%) 17 17 15
Impact Test Temperature (°C) -40℃ (KV2≥34J) -60℃ (KV≥40J) -40℃ (KV≥27J)
Max Carbon Content (%) 0.20 0.20 0.21
Carbon Equivalent CEV ≤ 0.47~0.50 (by thickness) 0.48 0.50
Max Thickness (mm) 150 150 100
Main Applications Ultra-low-temperature engineering machinery, frigid region structural components Ultra-low-temperature high-rise structures, cranes Ultra-low-temperature heavy structural components

Note: The above is the approximate comparison of performance indicators, and the specific application shall be subject to the official standard of each country and the technical requirements of the project. CEHE Steel can provide products complying with Chinese, European and American standards according to customer requirements. Q460E is equivalent to S460QL2 in EN standard in terms of basic mechanical performance.

Application Cases

Ultra-Low-temperature Construction Machinery with Q460E Steel

Ultra-Low-temperature Engineering Machinery

Excavator arms, crane booms, loader buckets and hydraulic support components used in frigid regions (-40℃~-60℃). Q460E's high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent ultra-low-temperature toughness meet the load requirements of machinery in extreme cold environments.

Frigid Region Bridge Structures with Q460E Steel

Frigid Region Building Structures

Large-span bridge deck plates, high-rise building structural beams and columns in frigid regions, steel structure workshops in ultra-low-temperature areas. Q460E's excellent ultra-low-temperature toughness and stability adapt to harsh outdoor cold environments (-40℃).

Frigid Region Port Machinery with Q460E Steel

Frigid Region Port Machinery

Port cranes, container handlers, ship unloaders and hoisting equipment in frigid port areas. Q460E's high load-bearing capacity, wear resistance and ultra-low-temperature toughness meet the long-term heavy-duty operation requirements in harsh ultra-low-temperature environments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key updates of GB/T 16270-2009 compared to the old version? +

GB/T 16270-2009 has the following key updates: 1. Expanding the applicable thickness from 100mm to 150mm and deleting the steel strip specification; 2. Canceling Q420 grade and adding Q800/Q890/Q960 grades; 3. Adding quality grade C/F and adjusting composition and performance; 4. Canceling bending performance requirements and adding CEV carbon equivalent index; 5. Deleting delivery states such as normalizing and controlled rolling, and only retaining quenched + tempered state; 6. Adding Q460E grade with -40℃ low-temperature impact requirement and Z-direction performance requirement.

Why is Q460E suitable for low-temperature (-40℃) applications? +

Q460E is specially designed for low-temperature environments for the following reasons: 1. Strict control of impurity elements (P≤0.020%, S≤0.010%) to avoid cold brittleness; 2. CEV carbon equivalent ≤0.48% (for thickness ≤50mm) to ensure weldability and low-temperature toughness; 3. Mandatory -40℃ impact test (KV2≥34J) to verify low-temperature performance; 4. Addition of grain refinement elements (Nb/Ti/V/Al) to refine grains and improve low-temperature toughness; 5. Z-direction performance requirement (Z15/Z25/Z35) for thickness ≥15mm to prevent lamellar tearing in low-temperature welding.

What are the welding requirements for Q460E steel plates? +

Q460E welding key points: 1. Preheating temperature: 70~120℃ (adjust according to thickness, ≥50mm needs 90~120℃); 2. Interpass temperature ≤200℃ to avoid overheating affecting toughness; 3. Recommended welding materials: matching strength grade (yield ≥460MPa) low-hydrogen electrodes/wires (such as E7018-G, ER70S-G); 4. Post-weld heat treatment: generally not required, but stress relief annealing (550~600℃) is recommended for thick plates or complex structures; 5. Welding process: use low heat input, multi-layer multi-pass welding to reduce welding stress and deformation.

What is the difference between Q460E and Q460C/Q460D grades? +

The core difference lies in low-temperature impact requirements: 1. Q460C: 0℃ impact (KV2≥34J); 2. Q460D: -20℃ impact (KV2≥34J); 3. Q460E: -40℃ impact (KV2≥34J) (strictest). In addition, Q460E has stricter P/S control (P≤0.020%, S≤0.010%) than Q460D (P≤0.025%, S≤0.012%), and mandatory Z-direction performance requirement for thickness ≥15mm, making it suitable for low-temperature (-40℃) applications in cold regions engineering.

What are the customization capabilities of Q460E steel plates? +

CEHE Steel provides full customization for Q460E: 1. Size customization: thickness 6~150mm, width 1500~4000mm, length 3000~18000mm (can be cut to custom size); 2. Performance customization: Z-direction performance (Z15/Z25/Z35), impact energy upgrade (KV2≥40J), surface quality grade (A/B/C/D); 3. Processing customization: flame cutting, plasma cutting, beveling, shot blasting, painting, anti-rust oil coating; 4. Certification customization: provide mill test certificate (MTC) according to EN 10204 3.1/3.2, third-party inspection (SGS/BV/ABS) report; 5. Delivery cycle: stock for common sizes (3-5 days), customized production (15-25 days).

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