SECTION 906 – STRUCTURAL STEEL
906.01 Structural Steel Materials
Provide structural steel materials conforming to the requirements in Table 906.01-1 and as shown on the Plans. Table 906.01-1 Structural Steel Materials Requirements Product Test Method Type/Grade/Class Structural Steel Plate1 ASTM A 709 Grade 36, 50, 50W, or HPS70W2 Tie rods, plate washers, tie backs, turnbuckles, plates, shapes, and shims ASTM A 709 Grade 36 Steel tube and pipe for Sign Structures3, 4, 5 ASTM A 53 or ASTM A 500 Type S, Grade B or Type E, Grade B Grade B or C Steel tube for drilled shafts9 ASTM A 53 Schedule 40 Steel Piles Steel H-piles ASTM A 572 Grade 50 Steel sheet piles ASTM A 572 Grade 50 Steel pipe piles ASTM A 252 Grade 2 Casings for Drilled Shafts6 ASTM A 252 Grade 2 Flooring Grid Flooring ASTM A 709 Grade 36 Formed Steel Flooring ASTM A 1011 Grade 30 Steel Forgings ASTM A 668 Class C Shear Connector Studs7 ASTM A 108 Grades G1015, 1018, or 1020 Stay-In-Place (SIP) Forms8 ASTM A 653 Grades 33, 37, 40, 49, or 80
1.For steel used in tension zones, ensure that the steel conforms to Zone 2 impact testing requirements.
2.For the manufacture of Grade HPS70W, the Department will allow the use of the Thermo-Mechanical Controlled Process.
3.For sizes less than or equal to 24 inches in diameter, only use electric resistance welded single seam pipe.
4.For pipe with wall thickness greater than 1/2 inch, the fabricator may substitute API Specification 5L, Grade B.
5.ASTM A 500 Grade B or C is approved for use only with equivalent tensile and yield strengths as that specified for ASTM A 53 Grade B, Type E or S, with additional CVN testing for materials with wall thickness 1/2 inch or greater. Provide mill certs for approval by the ME prior to fabrication.
6.For casings, use smooth, non-corrugated steel pipe.
7.For shear connector studs, use cold-drawn bars that are killed or semi-killed.
8.For SIP, use a galvanized coating designation G235 or Z700.
9.Steel tubes are to be used for crosshole sonic logging testing in drilled shafts. Before using, submit to the ME a representative sample of each size for material testing and approval. Provide a mill certification that indicates the chemical and physical properties for each heat of material. For SIP forms, steel forgings and shear connector studs, submit certifications of compliance, as specified in 106.07, with the mill certifications attached.
906.02 Steel Piles
Use materials as specified in 906.01. When used in a marine environment, coat piles with coal tar epoxy paint as specified in 912.01.03. Ensure that the closure plate for steel pipe piles is equal to the pile outside diameter and has a m inimum thickness of 3/4 inch. Weld around the entire circumference. For H-pile tips, use steel castings that conform to AASHTO M 103, Grade 65-35 or 70-36 or high-strength steel castings that conform to ASTM A 148. Submit certifications of compliance, as specified in 106.07, with mill certifications attached.
906.03 Steel Casings for Drilled Shafts
Use materials as specified in 906.01. Ensure that the casing is capable of withstanding handling and driving stresses and the pressures of the concrete and surrounding earth. Use a casing with an inside diameter that is at least as large as the indicated shaft size. The Contractor may increase the size of the casing to facilitate construction operations. For permanent casings, used as a structural component within the drilled shaft, clean and coat the exterior surfaces with prime coat of an inorganic zinc coating system as specified in 906.06. Submit certifications of compliance, as specified in 106.07, with mill certifications attached.
906.04 Structural Steel Fabrication
906.04.01 AISC Certification
Ensure that the structural steel fabricating plant is certified under the AISC Quality Certification Program in the applicable categories by the type of work performed. See the following webpage: https://www.aisc.org/certification/.
906.04.02 Fabrication
Before fabrication, submit a copy of the proposed welding procedure s to the ME for approval. Follow the approved welding procedures and ensure that welders are qualified according to ANSI/AWS D1.5. Use structural steel materials as specified in 906.01 and bolting materials as specified in Section 908. Fabricate according to AASHTO LRFD Bridge Construction Specifications and as shown on the working drawings. Construct welds according to the requirements of ANSI/AASHTO/AWS D1.5 Bridge Welding Code, as modified by the following:
1.Do not use electro-slag welds on main structural members.
2.Remove all steel weld backing on the outside faces of fascia girders. Grind or finish the joints smooth. Induce camber in structural steel girders at the mill, or fabricate structural steel girders in the shop in a manner that provides a true curve without abrupt changes. In the shop, completely pre-assemble stringers involving field splices and built-up girders with field splices. Submit to the Department, for approval, all changes in the number or location of shop or field splices. Without the Department’s approval, do not weld to members or parts of members subject to tension or reversal of stress. If necessary to weld in these areas, ensure that the actual stress range (FSR) at the point of attachment does not exceed the value for Category F according to the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. Obtain the ME’s approval for all shop fabrication and assembly before blast cleaning and coating.
906.04.03 Cleaning and Coating
A.Weathering Steel (Grade 50W or HPS70W). As soon after fabrication as practical, blast-clean all structural steel components including diaphragms, cross frames, and welded connections, according to SSPC-SP6. Ensure that the steel is kept free and clean of all foreign materials, such as grease, oil, concrete spatter, chalk marks, crayon marks, dirt, and any foreign matter that may affect the natural oxidation of the steel. If foreign matter gets on the steel after it has been blast cleaned, remove as soon as possible with solvent according to SSPC-SP 1. Clean and paint weathering steel, as specified in 906.06, in the following areas:
1.Cap Girders. Clean and paint the exterior surfaces of the top and the sides, including the brackets.
2.Structural Steel Adjacent to Deck Joints. With the exception of steel designated to be galvanized, clean and paint all structural steel from the ends of the girder to a distance of 3 times the depth of the girder. For steel designated to be galvanized, galvanize as specified in 912.02.01.
3.Integral Abutment Construction. On structures that include integral abutment construction, clean and paint the ends of the girder for a distance that extends 1 foot beyond the concrete diaphragm.
B.Non-Weathering Steel. If coating is specified or shown on the Plans, clean and paint as specified in 906.06 or galvanize as specified in 912.02.01.
906.04.04 Shipping and Handling
Notify the ME at least 3 days before shipping to the Project so that a final quality inspection can be performed. The ME will seal all materials approved for shipping and provide written approval to the fabricator. Ensure that members are loaded, hauled, and unloaded so that they are not deformed, damaged, or subjected to stresses in excess of those provided for in the design. When hauling and storing steel members, to the extent possible, place the members in a position similar to their final erected position. Ensure that all steel girders are shipped and stored with their webs vertical, unless their size p recludes vertical shipment. Place points of bearing within 20 percent of the length of the girder from the ends, and secure with chain tie downs. If not provided for in the design, brace long members during shipment with temporary vertical stiffeners extending the full height of the web on both sides of the member. Place the temporary stiffeners at the bearing points, mid-span, and at additional locations to ensure that the maximum interval between bracing does not exceed 25 feet. Ensure that temporary stiffeners are in full contact with the web and both flanges. Pad the temporary stiffeners with a material that will minimize damage to the painted surface. For girders requiring shipment with their web horizontal, or for girders that will extend over 20 percent of the length beyond points of bearing, submit working drawings for approval. Include the following information:
1.Drawings or sketches, fully describing the shipping and handling procedures.
2.Calculations showing the dead load plus impact stresses induced by the loading and transportation procedure. Ensure that impact stresses do not exceed 200 percent of the dead load stress.
3.Location of all support points.
4.Type and locations of tie-downs. Include a sufficient number of tie downs for redundancy to ensure that if any one tie-down fails, the member will remain stable.
5.Temporary stiffeners, if used.
6.Details of a 4 way articulating bolster for each truck transporter to ensure that truck movements will not produce unnecessary stresses in the structural steel.
906.04.05 Quality Control and Acceptance
Notify the ME, in writing, at least 21 days before beginning work at the fabrication shop. The ME may reject any work done in his absence if proper notification was not received. Perform at least the minimum specified number of quality control inspections according to the applicable ANSI/AASHTO/AWS specification and any other tests and inspections necessary to control the quality of the work. The ME will perform non-destructive testing quality assurance inspections following the non-destructive testing quality control (QC) inspection performed by the fabricator. Ensure that all quality control inspectors are AWS Certified Welding Inspectors, qualified according to the provisions of AWS QC1. Inspect and test structural steel bridge members according to ANSI/AASHTO/AWS D1.5 Bridge Welding Code, as modified by the following:
1.Assembly and fabrication may not continue until completed work has been inspected and accepted by the ME.
2.Grind flush complete-penetration butt welds scheduled for ultrasonic testing.
3.Test 100 percent of complete joint penetration groove and butt welds, including butt w elds in longitudinal stiffeners.
906.05 Sign Structures Fabrication
906.05.01 Fabrication
Ensure that the fabricating plant is certified under the AISC Quality Certification Program as specified in 906.04.01. Before fabrication, submit a copy of the proposed welding procedures to th e ME for approval. Follow the approved welding procedures, and ensure that welders are qualified according to ANSI/AWS D1.1 or ANSI/AWS D1.2, as appropriate. To fabricate sign structures, use structural steel materials as specified in 906.01, bolting materials as specified in Section 908, and aluminum materials conforming to ASTM B 308, Alloy 6061-T6. Weld and fabricate according to AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code. For aluminum members, weld and fabricate according to ANSI/AWS D1.2 Structural Welding Code – Aluminum. Do not flame cut aluminum alloy materials. For cantilever sign support structures, ensure that the splice plates and truss chords do not warp during fabrication. After fabrication and welding, hot -dip galvanize the steel assemblies as specified in 912.02.01. After galvanizing, but before shipment to the Project, return the truss and posts to the fabricator for final shop assembly to verify camber, alignment, and contact of splice mating surfaces.
906.05.02 Shipping and Handling
Notify the ME at least 3 days before shipping to the Project or galvanizer so that a final quality inspection can be performed. The ME will seal all materials approved for shipping and provide written approval to the fabricator. Ensure that members are loaded, hauled, and unloaded so that they are not deformed, damaged, or subjected to stresses in excess of those provided for in the design.
906.05.03 Quality Control and Acceptance
Notify the ME, in writing, at least 21 days in advance of beginning work at the fabrication shop, so that arrangements for inspection may be made. Perform at least the minimum specified number of quality control inspections according to the applicable ANSI/AASHTO/AWS specification, and any other tests and inspections necessary to control the quality of the work. The ME will perform non-destructive testing quality assurance inspections following the non-destructive testing quality control (QC) inspection performed by the fabricator. Ensure that all quality control inspectors are AWS Certified Welding Inspectors, qualified according to the provisions of AWS QC1. Inspect and test according to ANSI/AASHTO/AWS D1.1 Welding Code and the following:
1.Perform magnetic particle testing at a frequency of 10 percent of the number of welds per unit. For cantilever sign support structures, perform magnetic particle testing at a frequency of 100 percent on all chord splice assembly welds and post base welds.
2.Before shipping, assemble the completed and accepted truss units in the shop and check the truss span for dimensions, straightness, alignment, and camber. Measure the camber with the truss units on their sides.
906.06 Cleaning and Painting of Structural Steel In The Shop
906.06.01 Painting Materials
Use an Inorganic Zinc coating system (IEU) of an inorganic zinc -rich primer, epoxy intermediate coat, and a urethane finish coat. Ensure that the coating system is as specified in 912.01.01. In the fabrication of steel box girders, apply the IEU coating system to all exterior surfaces. Coat the interior of the box girders with only a prime coat of an organic zinc primer selected from an organic zinc coating system (OEU) listed on the QPL and as specified in 912.01.01. Unless approved by the ME, use an organic zinc primer from the same manufacturer as the IEU system for the exterior of the girder.
906.06.02 Surface Preparation
Before blasting, remove any oil and grease, according to SSPC -SP 1, using No. 1 solvent. Reclean after blasting if contamination remains. Blast-clean all surfaces to a near-white condition, as defined in SSPC-SP 10. Ensure that the surface area of steel being blast cleaned is not greater than the surface area of steel that can be prime coated in the same day. If shot blast is used, use a NACE No. 2 Visual Standard T.M. -01-75 or Maryland Pictorial Standard to define the near-white blast condition. If sand or grit is used, use SSPC Pictorial Standard VIS-1 (Grade 2 1/2) to define the near-white condition. Blast clean to an anchor profile, from 1.5 mils to 3.0 mils deep. Grind any flame cut edges that do not attain the required anchor profile. Determine the profile depth using the elcometer surface profile gauge or Testex replica tape. Ensure that the pH of the abrasive is within the range of 6.0 to 8.5. Remove fins, tears, slivers, and burred or sharp e dges that are present, or that appear during the blasting operations, by grinding, and ensure that the reblasted area provides the required anchor profile. Before blast cleaning steel, ensure that all reaming and drilling of holes in the steel has been com pleted, and the steel is free of burrs or other imperfections, such as torn or ragged edges. Remove all abrasive residue and dust from steel surfaces, and keep the surfaces clean until the prime coat is applied. Protect freshly coated surfaces from subsequent blast cleaning operations. Repair blast damaged primed surfaces using a wire brush, or, if visible rust occurs, reblast the surface to a near-white condition, reclean, and reprime the repaired area.
906.06.03 Conditions for Painting
Perform shop painting in an enclosure that is maintained at the required atmospheric conditions and that prevents exposure to inclement weather before the paint has completely cured. Perform painting according to the conditio ns specified in SSPC-PA 1 and the following:
1.Apply paint to clean dry surfaces. Do not apply paint for the prime and final coats when the temperature of the air, paint, or steel is below 40 °F, or when the temperature is expected to fall below 40 °F before the paint is dried. Ensure that the temperature is at least 50 °F when applying the intermediate coat. Do not apply coatings when the relative humidity is greater than 85 percent or when a combination of temperature and humidity conditions could cau se moisture to condense on the surface being coated. During the drying time of the inorganic type primers, ensure that the relative humidity is at least 50 percent.
2.Do not apply paint when the steel surface temperature is less than 5 °F above the dew point. Determine the dew point using a psychrometer.
3.Remove all contaminants before applying subsequent coats of paint. Clean the primed surfaces with a high pressure water washing (800 pounds per square inch minimum).
906.06.04 Paint Application
Mix paint according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Apply paint as specified in SSPC-PA 1 and the following:
1.Apply the prime coat after the ME inspects and accepts the blast cleaned surface. Before the application of the full prime coat, apply a prime coating (striping) to all edges of plates and rolled shapes, corners, crevices, welds, rivet heads, and exposed parts of bolts. Before applying the full prime coat, allow the striping to set to touch. Apply the primer within 8 hours after cleaning the metal. If any blast cleaned metal remains unpainted after 8 hours, blast clean the metal again before priming. Do not apply succeeding coats until the previous coat is approved by the ME. Follow the manufa cturer’s recommendation for minimum and maximum drying time between coats. Allow additional time before applying succeeding coats in cooler temperatures. If the maximum time interval between coats is exceeded, submit to the ME the manufacturer’s written recommendation for corrective action. Remove all dry spray, by sanding if necessary, before applying the succeeding coat.
2.Ensure that paint is applied to at least the minimum specified thickness, and ensure that the final appearance is uniform and smoo th. If the coating is too thin in areas, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for recoating. Repair areas that run, bubble, sag, or mud crack by removing the coating back to soundly bonded coating and recoating to the required thickness and appearance.
3.Apply only a prime coat of paint to surfaces of steel that will be embedded in or in contact with concrete. Apply only a prime coat to contact surfaces at field bolted connections. Mask these surfaces during subsequent coating operations. Do not paint surfaces within 2 inches of field welds, except for stud shear connectors. Apply a light coat of rust-inhibitive coating to these surfaces, and mask these surfaces during subsequent coating operations.
4.Remove all bolted shop connections before blasting and coating girders. Separately blast and prime the parts, then reassemble the parts and fully tension the bolts. Do not paint the inside of bolt holes.
906.06.05 Number of Coats and Film Thickness
Apply all 3 coats in the shop. Ensure that the dry film thickness meets the minimum requirement as specified in Table 906.06.05-1 but does not exceed the manufacturer’s recommendation for maximum thickness. Determine dry film thickness according to SSPC-PA 2. Table 906.06.05-1 Dry Film Thickness Requirements Coat Minimum Thickness (mils) For the prime coat 1 mil more than the measured anchor profile For the intermediate coat 3.5 For the finish coat 2 For the 3 coat system 8.5 Ensure that the dry film thickness of the prime coat at the contact surfaces of bolted friction splices on main members, and the top of top flanges where stud shear connectors are to be welded, is within the range of 1 to 2.5 mils.
906.06.06 Stenciling
After the final coat has dried, stencil the following information in 4 inch high, C series, letters and numerals on the outside web of both fascia beams, on both ends of the structure:
1.The 7 digit structure number.
2.The month and year of completion.
3.The paint system code number. Stencil using a black paint that is the same type of paint as the finish coat. Locate the information at least 2 inches above the lower flange and within 3 feet from the abutment.
906.06.07 Additional Handling Requirements for Painted Members
Allow the paint to dry before load ing and shipping the steel. Protect the coated steel from the binding chains using softeners. Use padded hooks and slings to hoist steel. Space diaphragms and similar pieces to prevent damage to the coating during shipment. Before shipping, submit to the RE for approval, all shipping and work site storage details.
906.06.08 Quality Control and Acceptance
Notify the ME, in writing, at least 21 days in advance of beginning work at the fabrication shop, so that arrangements for inspection may be made. The ME will reject the coating system if rusting occurs; the paint lifts, blisters, wrinkles, or has excessive runs or sags; workmanship is poor; or unapproved paint is used. In addition, the ME will reject the total coating system if it is determined by measurement with a Tooke gauge that the dry film thickness of the prime, intermediate, or finish coat is less than the minimum specified or if the total dry film thickness is less than the 8.5 mil minimum for the 3 coat system.
906.07 Steel Bar Bridge Railing
For steel bar bridge railing, including NJDOT standard steel 4-bar bridge railing, provide anchor bolts, washers, and exposed bolts as specified in 908.01.03, and all other bolts and nuts as specified in 908.01.01 and 908.01.02. Provide rail bars according to ASTM A 500 Grade B, rail post according to ASTM A 709, Grade 50, and all other shapes and plates according to ASTM A 709, Grade 36. Fabricate steel bar bridge railing according to 906.04 and paint according to 906.06 or galvanize according to 912.02.01. Prohibit welded splices for steel rail tubes.
906.08 Steel Tube for Drilled Shafts
Use materials as specified in 906.01. Ensure tubes are water tight and have a round, regular, internal diameter free of defects or obstruction, including at tube joints, to allow the free, unobstructed passage of a 1.3 inch diame ter source and receiver probes. Ensure the tubes are free from corrosion with clean internal and external faces to ensure passage of the probes and a good bond between concrete and the tubes.
Referenced in this section
Structural Steel in other states
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Source: Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, 2019 (rev. 2022-12-21) Edition. Pages 498–504 of 651. View official source ↗