IS 2062:2011 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for hot rolled medium and high tensile structural steel - specification. This standard specifies the requirements for chemical composition, mechanical properties, and testing of hot-rolled medium and high tensile structural steel. It is the primary material specification for structural steel sections, plates, and bars used in welded, bolted, and riveted construction in India.
Specifies requirements for hot rolled medium and high tensile structural steel plates, sheets, sections and bars.
Grade designations (E250–E650), yield/UTS/elongation, chemistry limits, CE, Charpy and bend test requirements.
| Reference | Value | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Grade designation — system | E165 / E250 / E300 / E350 / E410 / E450 / E550 / E600 / E650 | Cl. 4 (Table 1) |
| Quality sub-classes | A, B, C, BR, D (rising notch / impact requirement) | Cl. 4 / Table 1 |
| Yield stress — E250 (≤20 mm) | 250 MPa min | Cl. 8.1 (Table 2) |
| UTS — E250 | 410 MPa min | Cl. 8.1 (Table 2) |
| Yield stress — E350 (≤20 mm) | 350 MPa min | Cl. 8.1 (Table 2) |
| UTS — E350 | 490 MPa min | Cl. 8.1 (Table 2) |
| Yield stress — E410 | 410 MPa min | Cl. 8.1 (Table 2) |
| UTS — E410 | 540 MPa min | Cl. 8.1 (Table 2) |
| Yield stress — E450 | 450 MPa min | Cl. 8.1 (Table 2) |
| UTS — E450 | 570 MPa min | Cl. 8.1 (Table 2) |
| Min elongation (% on 5.65√So) — E250 A | 23 % | Cl. 8.1 (Table 2) |
| Min elongation — E350 / E410 / E450 | 22 / 20 / 20 % | Cl. 8.1 (Table 2) |
| Carbon (max) — E250 A | 0.23 % | Cl. 7 (Table 1) |
| Carbon (max) — E250 B / BR | 0.22 / 0.22 % | Cl. 7 (Table 1) |
| Sulphur (max) — all main grades | 0.045 % | Cl. 7 (Table 1) |
| Phosphorus (max) — all main grades | 0.045 % | Cl. 7 (Table 1) |
| Carbon equivalent (CE) — E250 / E350 weldable | 0.42 / 0.45 (max) | Cl. 7.3 (Table 1) |
| Charpy V-notch — Grade B / BR / C / D | 27 J at 0 °C / 27 J at 0 °C / 27 J at −20 °C / 27 J at −40 °C | Cl. 8.2 (Table 3) |
| Bend test — mandrel diameter | 2 t (E250) to 4 t (E450) — t = thickness | Cl. 8.3 (Table 4) |
| Bend angle | 180° | Cl. 8.3 |
| Impact test — sub-size correction | 10 × 10 mm full size; smaller → reduced energy | Cl. 8.2.1 |
BIM-relevant code. See the BIM Hub for ISO 19650, IFC, and LOD/LOIN frameworks used alongside it.
IS 2062:2011 specifies requirements for hot-rolled medium and high-tensile structural steel used across Indian civil and industrial construction. It is the source material for:
You cite IS 2062 whenever: - Specifying steel grade in steel design drawings or BOQ - Accepting mill certificates at site - Conducting tensile tests per IS 1608 - Designing per IS 800:2007 — which takes its material properties from IS 2062 - Bolted/welded connection design — weldability and chemical composition requirements from IS 2062
Pair with: - IS 800:2007 — steel structure design code - IS 808:1989 — section dimensions and properties - IS 816:1969 — welding of mild and medium tensile structural steel - IS 1363 / IS 1367 — bolt and fastener requirements
IS 2062:2011 defines structural steel by yield strength grade and quality class:
Grades (minimum yield in N/mm²): - E250 (old: Fe 410) — 250 MPa yield, 410 MPa UTS. Standard grade for general construction. Cheapest. - E300 (old: Fe 440) — 300 MPa yield. Transitional grade, less common now. - E350 (old: Fe 490) — 350 MPa yield, 490 MPa UTS. Preferred for moderate spans and industrial buildings. 40% more capacity than E250 for 0-5% price premium. - E410 (old: Fe 540) — 410 MPa yield. For large spans and high-load industrial structures. - E450 (old: Fe 570) — 450 MPa yield, 570 MPa UTS. High-tensile, for bridges, heavy industrial, long-span warehouses. - E550, E600, E650 — very-high-tensile grades added in Amendment No. 5 (2020). For specialized use (transmission towers, crane girders, pressure vessels).
Quality classes (determines impact toughness): - A — no impact test required (warm climate, non-dynamic loads) - B — impact test at room temperature (27 J at +27°C) - BR — impact test at 0°C (27 J at 0°C) — cold climate - C — impact test at 0°C with higher energy (27 J at -20°C for grades E350+) - D — impact test at -20°C (for dynamic or fatigue-sensitive applications)
Practical specification: For 80% of Indian steel buildings, E250 BR or E350 BR covers site-cast and factory-fabricated steelwork. E350 C for seismic Zones IV-V. E450 D for bridges and crane girders.
Problem: Industrial warehouse, 15 m clear span, 6 m eave height, in Chennai (Seismic Zone III, Coastal terrain). Select steel grade for primary portal frame (column + rafter).
Step 1 — Service conditions assessment: - Climate: warm, but coastal humidity → corrosion concern - Seismic: Zone III, moderate → need some ductility - Loads: factory equipment, 20 kN/m² floor live + wind per IS 875 Part 3 → significant cyclic component - Quality class needs: BR or C for moderate toughness
Step 2 — Preliminary portal frame sizing (using IS 800:2007): For 15 m span with 30 kN/m UDL, preliminary rafter section requires Zp ≈ 900 cm³. - Option A: ISMB 500 (Zp = 1808 cm³), E250 grade → overdesigned by 2×, 86 kg/m - Option B: ISMB 400 (Zp = 1176 cm³), E250 grade → Zp adequate, 61 kg/m - Option C: ISMB 350 (Zp = 889 cm³), E350 grade → Zp adequate at higher allowable stress, 52 kg/m
E350 multiplies capacity by 350/250 = 1.4. So ISMB 350 in E350 ≈ ISMB 500 in E250 in terms of moment capacity.
Step 3 — Economic comparison (approximate Chennai rates): - E250 rate ≈ ₹62/kg; E350 rate ≈ ₹65/kg (5% premium) - Option B (ISMB 400 E250): 61 × 62 = ₹3,782/m - Option C (ISMB 350 E350): 52 × 65 = ₹3,380/m → 11% cheaper
Also 15% less dead load → smaller foundations.
Step 4 — Quality class: Chennai coastal, moderate seismic, no extreme cold → BR quality (impact at 0°C) is adequate and standard.
Final specification: Structural steel to IS 2062:2011, Grade E350 BR, rolled sections per IS 808:1989, welding per IS 816:1969 using low-hydrogen electrodes.
Specify in your DBR: 'Structural steel shall conform to IS 2062:2011 Grade E350 BR for all primary frame members (columns, rafters, bracings, purlins). Secondary elements (gantries, platforms, handrails) may be E250 BR.'
1. Old-nomenclature confusion. Fe 410 = E250, Fe 490 = E350, Fe 540 = E410, Fe 570 = E450. Old drawings use Fe nomenclature; newer drawings use E. Mill certificates may use either. Verify both the numerical grade (MPa) and the nomenclature to avoid ordering wrong grade.
2. Missing quality class in specification. Writing 'IS 2062 Grade E350' without specifying quality class A/B/BR/C/D is incomplete. The mill may default to class A (no impact test), which is unsuitable for any dynamic or seismic application. Always specify the letter suffix.
3. Over-specifying E450 for small projects. For residential steel structures, warehouses under 500 m², and low-rise commercial buildings, E250 BR or E350 BR is adequate. Specifying E450 D adds 10-15% material cost with no benefit. Used on projects that don't need it, purely because the designer defaulted to 'best' grade.
4. Ignoring weldability constraints. IS 2062 specifies carbon equivalent (CE) limits: 0.41% for E250, 0.42% for E350, 0.44% for E450. High-CE steels require pre-heating and specific electrode grades per IS 816. Using uniform welding procedures across mixed-grade steel on the same project can lead to cold cracks in higher-grade sections. Your WPS (welding procedure specification) must match the highest CE steel on the project.
5. Skipping chemical composition verification. Mill certificates report C, Mn, P, S, Si, and CE. These must be within IS 2062 Table 1 limits. Tier-3 mills occasionally supply steel with P > 0.045% or S > 0.045% (specified max), causing hot-short cracking during welding. Always archive mill certificates and verify chemical composition matches IS 2062 grade limits — not just the yield/UTS.
IS 2062:2011 is the current structural steel specification. Five amendments published (2012, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020). Latest Amendment No. 5 added the ultra-high-tensile grades (E550/E600/E650) for specialized applications.
Indian structural steel market reality: ~60% of supply is E250 (traditional default); ~30% E350 (growing share as designers realise economic benefit); ~8% E450 (specialist industrial); ~2% E550+ (rare, project-specific).
Major producers: SAIL, TATA Steel, JSW, Vizag Steel (RINL), Jindal Stainless for primary steel. Most supply complies with IS 2062 with proper mill certification. Secondary mills (scrap-based re-rollers) show more variation — verify mill certificates for any project above ₹5 crore.
Import substitution: India used to import high-tensile structural steel for bridges and heavy industry. With Amendment No. 5 grades (E550-E650), domestic mills now supply these grades. Project specifications should default to Indian supply; Chinese and Korean imports (Q345, S355) are equivalent but attract 20% customs duty plus logistics cost.
A revision is expected in 2026-2027 to align with ISO 630 and EN 10025 nomenclature more closely, and to introduce fire-resistant steel grades (FR grades, similar to JIS G 3136 SN490). Watch for CED 7 consultation.
| Parameter | IS Value | International | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade Designation (Yield Strength basis) | E350 (denotes 350 MPa min yield) | S355 (denotes 355 MPa min yield) | EN 10025-2:2019 |
| Min. Yield Strength (t ≤ 16mm) | 350 MPa (for grade E350) | 355 MPa (for grade S355) | EN 10025-2:2019 |
| Min. Yield Strength (t ≤ 16mm) | 350 MPa (for grade E350) | 345 MPa (50 ksi) (for Grade 50) | ASTM A572/A572M-21 |
| Tensile Strength (16mm < t ≤ 40mm) | 490 MPa minimum (for grade E350) | 470 - 630 MPa (for grade S355) | EN 10025-2:2019 |
| Min. % Elongation (on 5.65√S₀ gauge length) | 22% (for grade E350) | 22% (for grade S355) | EN 10025-2:2019 |
| Max Carbon Equivalent (CEV) (t > 40mm) | 0.45 (for E350 Grade C) | 0.45 (for S355 Grade J2) | EN 10025-2:2019 |
| Min. Charpy V-Notch Impact Energy | 27 Joules @ -20°C (for Grade C) | 27 Joules @ -20°C (for sub-grade J2) | EN 10025-2:2019 |
| Max Sulphur (S) Content (Ladle analysis) | 0.040% (for Grade C) | 0.025% (for sub-grade J2) | EN 10025-2:2019 |