Wrought construction aluminium: Eurocode 9
Find the perfect construction aluminium alloy for your building needs. From extruded pipes to cold drawn profiles, select the optimal material for your project.
Below are the main construction aluminium alloys, which are recommended by Eurocode 9 for use in the construction industry.
Wrought aluminium alloys
Wrought aluminium alloys are applicable for manufacturing the following aluminium products:
- sheets (EN 485),
- tapes (EN 485),
- extruded pipes (EN 755),
- extruded profiles (EN 755),
- extruded rods and rods (EN 755),
- cold drawn profiles (EN 754),
- forgings (EN 586).
Eight series of wrought aluminium alloys
All wrought aluminum alloys are grouped into eight series – eight groups. According to the classification of the American Aluminum Association, which is accepted all over the world, designation of wrought aluminum alloys consists of four digits. The first of four digits characterizes the main alloying element (sometimes two) of this group, the remaining three digits are complementary and help to distinguish the alloys within this group.
Eurocodes 9 Recommended for use in structures of aluminum alloys not all series, but only a series of 3000, 5000, 6000, 7000 и 8000 – several, from 1 to 6, alloys of each series.
Technical aluminium: 1000 series
In this series, the aluminum content percentage is very high – from 98,80 to 99,00 %. Various impurities content technical aluminum variants called marks. Unlike alloys, brands do not have special alloying elements, and differ from each other only by the content of impurities.
Brand series of aluminum 1000 used in lightly loaded structures, mainly in the form of sheets. Electrical and chemical industries use aluminum brands in this series to cables and capacitors, them so they provide high corrosion resistance, which is typical for aluminum as a metal.
Yield strength grades of aluminum is very low – about 30 N / mm2, however, they have a very high ductility – their elongation is from 30 to 40 %.
If technical aluminum subjected to cold plastic deformation – work hardening, its yield stress may reach 100 N / mm2. However, Unfortunately, this occurs at the expense of ductility – elongation decreases with up to 3-4 %.
- Aluminium grades of 1000 series 1000 are not in the list of aluminum alloys, that Eurocode 9 recommended for use in construction.
Aluminum-copper alloys: 2000 series
These aluminum alloys are produced mainly in the form of profiles, sheets and pipes. The thermally hardened state they reach the yield strength to 300 N / mm2, while maintaining sufficient ductility with elongation of about 10 %.
As corrosion resistance of these alloys is not too high, they need to be protected from corrosion, particularly when used in corrosive environments. Due to the poor weldability series alloys 2000 they are rarely used in the construction industry. Basically, these alloys are used in aircraft to compound them to each other by rivets.
- Aluminium alloys of 2000 series are not in the list of construction aluminium alloys of Eurocode 9.
Aluminum-manganese alloys: 3000 series
These alloys do not possess the ability to thermal hardening. They have a strength slightly higher, than pure aluminum and very high ductility. High ductility level allows to apply to these alloys very intense cold plastic deformation processes to improve their strength properties. They are corrosion-resistant. The most commonly used for the manufacture of panels and parts for roofing systems.
- The list of construction aluminium alloys, recommended Eurocodes 9 for use in construction, is the follow:
– 3004
– 3005
– 3103.
Aluminum-silicon alloys: 4000 series
The properties of these alloys similar to those of a series of alloys 3000. However, as structural alloys, they are rarely used. their main application – welding wire.
- The list of construction aluminium alloys by Eurocode 9 alloys do not include the alloys of 4000 series 4000.
Aluminum-magnesium alloys: 5000 series
Even though these alloys do not have the ability to receive a thermal hardening, their mechanical properties can reach values, are higher, than the series alloys 1000, 3000 и 4000. The strength of these alloys is increased by the work hardening – cold plastic deformation – to yield stress 200 N / mm2 while maintaining a relatively high ductility (elongation up to 10 %). The corrosion resistance of these alloys is very high, particularly in the marine environment, magnesium at a content not higher 6 %. These alloys are often used in welded constructions, because their strength is not so drastically reduced, as a thermally hardened alloys.
- Among construction aluminium alloys, recommended Eurocodes 9, or use in construction, six of a series of 5000 alloys:
– 5005,
– 5049,
– 5052,
– 5083,
– 5454,
– 5754.
Aluminum-magnesium-silicon alloys: 6000 series
Using the heat treatment the strength of these alloys may be as high yield strength to 250 N / mm2 with a decent plasticity to 12 % elongation. These alloys are corrosion resistant. They are particularly well suited for extrusion and pipe profiles, but it is also used for rolling sheets. series alloys 6000 used in welded constructions, and in the construction of bolted and riveted.
- Eurocodes 9 recommends six alloys for use as construction aluminium alloys:
– 6060,
– 6061,
– 6063,
– 6005A,
– 6082 и
– 6106.
Aluminum-zinc alloys: 7000 series
Of these alloys produce aluminum as the extrusion, and rolling method. They are divided into two subfamilies based on the copper content as a third alloying element.
AlZnMg alloys
These alloys attain high strength with a yield higher 250 N / mm2 with good ductility (elongation approx. 10 %). Moreover, These alloys are corrosion resistant. These alloys are typically used in constructions, so they are particularly suitable for welded structures, due to their ability to self-hardening, that allows to restore the initial strength in the welding heat-affected zone.
AlZnMgCu alloys
These alloys reach their maximum strength after hardening by thermal. They reach the yield strength 500 N / mm2. However, these alloys have a low weldability and low corrosion resistance due to the presence of copper. Therefore, these require a corrosion protection alloy as plating or painting.
- Only one alloy of this series is included in the list of Eurocode 9:
– 7020.
Aluminum-iron-silicon alloys: 8000 series
Alloys of this series are mainly used for the production of foils for packaging, and electrical wires.
- In Eurocodes 9 there is only one alloy in this series:
– 8011A.
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