Designation: A 153/A 153M – 01 American Association State Highway

and Transportation Officials Standard

AASHTO No. M232

Standard Specification for

Zinc Coating (Hot-Dip) on Iron and Steel Hardware1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A 153/A 153M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year
of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.
A superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope B 487 Test Method for Measurement of Metal and Oxide

1.1 This specification covers zinc coatings applied by the Coating Thicknesses by Microscopical Examination of a
hot-dip process on iron and steel hardware. Cross Section4
1.2 This specification is intended to be applicable to hard- B 602 Test Method for Attribute Sampling of Metallic and
ware items that are centrifuged or otherwise handled to remove Inorganic Coatings4
excess galvanizing bath metal (free zinc). Coating thickness E 376 Practice for Measuring Coating Thickness by
grade requirements reflect this. Magnetic-Field or Eddy-Current (Electromagnetic) Test
1.3 This specification is applicable to orders in either Methods5
inch-pound units (as A 153) or in SI units (as A 153M). 3. Materials and Manufacture
Inch-pound units and SI units are not necessarily exact
equivalents. Within the text of this specification and where 3.1 Steel or Iron—Ferrous articles to be hot-dip zinc coated
appropriate, SI units are shown in parentheses. Each system shall conform to specifications designated by the purchaser.
shall be used independently of the other without combining 3.2 Zinc—The zinc used for the coating shall conform to
values in any way. In the case of orders in SI units, all testing Specification B 6 and shall be at least equal to the grade
and inspection shall be done using the metric equivalent of the designated as “Prime Western.”
test or inspection method as appropriate. In the case of orders 3.3 Coating Thickness Grade—The thickness grades of the
in SI units, such shall be stated to the galvanizer when the order coating shall conform to the requirements prescribed in Table
is placed. 1 for the material category and thickness of material in which
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the the article belongs.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the 3.4 Threaded Articles—The zinc coating on threads shall
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- not be subjected to a cutting, rolling, or finishing-tool opera-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- tion, unless specifically authorized by the purchaser. In order to
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. meet overtapping allowances, tapping the threads of nuts or
tapped holes after galvanizing is not prohibited.
2. Referenced Documents 3.5 Bare spots that are found on parts after galvanizing shall
2.1 ASTM Standards: be renovated by use of the methods found in Practice A 780 if
A 90/A 90M Test Method for Weight of Coating on Zinc- the following criteria are met. The bare spots shall have an area
Coated (Galvanized) Iron or Steel Articles2 totalling not more than 1 % of the surface area to be coated
A 143 Practice for Safeguarding Against Embrittlement of excluding threaded areas of the piece and the bare spots shall
Hot-Dip Galvanized Structural Steel Products and Proce- not include any threaded areas of the piece. The thickness of
dure for Detecting Embrittlement2 the repair shall be equal to the surrounding galvanized coating
A 385 Practice for Providing High-Quality Zinc Coatings except for repairs made by paints containing zinc dust that shall
(Hot-Dip)2 be 50 % greater than the thickness of galvanized coating
A 780 Practice for Repair of Damaged and Uncoated Areas required for the type of galvanized surface, but not greater than
of Hot-Dip Galvanized Coatings2 4.0 mils (100 µm). Repair thickness measurements shall be
B 6 Specification for Zinc (Slab Zinc)3 made in accordance with Practice A 780.
4. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A05 on 4.1 The zinc-coated articles shall be free from uncoated
Metallic-Coated Iron and Steel Products and is the direct responsibility of
areas, blisters, flux deposits, dross inclusions, and other types
Subcommittee A05.13 on Structural Shapes and Hardware Specifications.
Current edition approved June 10, 2001. Published August 2001. Originally
published as A 153 – 33 T. Last previous edition A 153/A 153M – 00.
2 4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 01.06. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 02.05.
3 5
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 02.04. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 03.03.

Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 A 153/A 153M
TABLE 1 Weight of Zinc Coating for Various Classes of Material

NOTE 1— Length of the piece, stated in Classes B-1, B-2, and B-3, refers to the overall dimension and not to its developed length.
NOTE 2—Based upon mathematical calculations, 1 oz /ft2 of zinc surface corresponds to an average coating thickness of 1.7 mil. (Based upon
mathematical calculations, 1 g/m2 of zinc surface corresponds to an average coating thickness of 0.141 µm; seven times the coating thickness in
micrometres is approximately equal to the coating in g/m2.) References to “coating thickness” or “coating thickness grade” throughout this standard are
interchangeable with “weight” in Table 1, in accordance with the above calculation.
Minimum Weight of Zinc Coating, oz/ft2(g/m2) of SurfaceA
Class of Material
Average of Specimens TestedB Any Individual Specimen
Class A—Castings—Malleable Iron, Steel 2.00 (610) 1.80 (550)
Class B—Rolled, pressed, and forged articles (except those which would be included
under Classes C and D):
B-1—3⁄16 in. (4.76 mm) and over in thickness and over 15 in. (381 mm) in length 2.00 (610) 1.80 (550)
B-2—under 3⁄16 in. (4.76 mm) in thickness and over 15 in. (381 mm) in length 1.50 (458) 1.25 (381)
B-3—any thickness and 15 in. (381 mm) and under in length 1.30 (397) 1.10 (336)
Class C—Fasteners over 3⁄8 in. (9.52 mm) in diameter and similar articles. Washers 3⁄16in. 1.25 (381) 1.00 (305)
and 1⁄4in. (4.76 and 6.35 mm) in thickness
Class D—Fasteners 3⁄8 in. (9.52 mm) and under in diameter, rivets, nails and similar 1.00 (305) 0.85 (259)
articles. Washers under 3⁄16 in. (4.76 mm) in thickness
A
In the case of long pieces, such as anchor rods and similar articles over 5 ft (1.52 m) in length, the weight of coating shall be determined at each end and the middle
of the article. In no case shall individual measurements be below the minimum shown in the “Any Individual Specimen’’ column.
B
The number of specimens to be tested per order shall be as specified in Section 7.

of projections that would interfere with the intended use of the temperature embrittling effect varies with type of steel. The expected
articles, or other defects not consistent with good galvanizing service temperature should thus be taken into account when selecting
practice. steels for galvanizing.
4.2 The zinc coating shall be smooth and reasonably uni- 4.4 Malleable castings shall be of such composition as will
form in thickness. preclude the possibility that they become embrittled by the
NOTE 1—Smoothness of surface is a relative term. Minor roughness galvanizing process, or they shall be either cooled from the
that does not interfere with the intended use of the part, or roughness that anneal, or subsequently heat-treated so as to immunize them
is related to the as-received (ungalvanized) surface condition of the part, against embrittlement.
shall not be grounds for rejection. 4.5 The zinc coating shall adhere tenaciously to the surface
NOTE 2—Since this specification is applicable to items that are centri- of the basis metal (see Section 8).
fuged or otherwise handled to remove excess bath metal (see 1.2),
irregular coating distribution is not normally encountered. Drainage 4.6 If the galvanized material covered by this specification
problems, which manifest themselves as local excess coating thickness is bent or otherwise fabricated to the degree that causes the zinc
that would interfere with function or as edge tears or spikes that present coatings to stretch or compress beyond the limit of elasticity,
a safety hazard because of their sharpness, are grounds for rejection under any cracking or flaking of the coating resulting from the
the terms of 5.1. bending or fabricating shall not be cause for rejection.
4.3 Embrittlement is a potential condition of steel that is
cold-worked, depending on such factors as the steel type 5. Sampling
(strength level, aging characteristics), thickness, degree of cold 5.1 Test specimens shall be selected at random from each
work, and galvanizing process. The galvanizer, the designer inspection lot. An inspection lot is defined as a collection of
and the fabricator shall take precautions against embrittlement. galvanized articles of the same kind that has been galvanized at
The precautions to fabricate properly and prepare the material approximately the same time, in the same manner, and in the
for galvanizing to prevent embrittlement are described in same pot, and that is being submitted for acceptance as a group.
Practice A 143. 5.2 The method of selection and sample size shall be agreed
NOTE 3—Low service temperatures increase the risk of brittle failure of upon between the galvanizer and the purchaser. Otherwise, the
all plain carbon steels including those which have been galvanized. This sample size selected from each lot shall be as follows:

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 A 153/A 153M
Number of Pieces in Lot Sample Size a layer of skin so as to expose the base metal in advance of the
3 or less all knife point. Do not use testing carried out at edges or corners
4 to 500 3
501 to 1200 5
(points of lowest coating adherence) to determine adherence of
1201 to 3200 8 coating. Likewise, do not use removal of small particles of the
3201 to 10 000 13 coating by paring or whittling to determine failure.
10 001 and over 20
7. Inspection
5.3 A specimen that fails to conform to a requirement of this 7.1 The inspector representing the purchaser shall have
specification shall not be used to determine the conformance to access at all times while work on the contract of the purchaser
other requirements. is being performed, to those areas of the manufacturer’s work
6. Test Methods which concern the application of the zinc coating to the
material ordered. The manufacturer shall afford the inspector
6.1 Tests shall be made to ensure that the zinc coating is all reasonable facilities to satisfy him that the zinc coating is
being furnished in accordance with this specification and as being furnished in accordance with this specification. All
specified for the following: inspection and tests shall be made at the place of manufacture
6.1.1 Thickness of coating in 3.3. prior to shipments, unless otherwise specified, and shall be so
6.1.2 Finish and appearance in 4.1 and 4.2. conducted as not to interfere unnecessarily with the operation
6.1.3 Embrittlement in 4.3 and 4.4. of the works.
6.1.4 Adherence in 4.5.
6.2 Thickness of Coating: 8. Rejection and Retest
6.2.1 The average weight of the zinc coating shall be 8.1 When partial inspection of materials to determine con-
determined by weighing specimens after pickling and drying formity with visual requirements of Section 4 warrants rejec-
and again after galvanizing unless the method described in tion of a lot, the galvanizer is not prohibited from sorting the
6.2.2 or 6.2.3 is used. lot and submitting it once again for inspection.
NOTE 4—This method does not take into account the weight of iron 8.2 The number of specimens in a sample of a lot permitted
reacted from the article that is incorporated into the coating. It will thus to fail to conformance tests shall be agreed upon between the
underestimate coating weight by up to approximately 10 %. Base metal galvanizer and the purchaser.
reactivity will affect the extent of underestimation. 8.3 If a set of test specimens fails to conform to the
6.2.2 In the case of materials inspected after galvanizing, requirements of this specification, two additional sets shall be
the weight of coating shall be determined by stripping one or tested, both of which shall conform to the requirements in
more specimens in accordance with Test Method A 90/A 90M, every respect, or the lot of material represented by the
or the average thickness of coating shall be determined with the specimens shall be rejected.
use of a magnetic thickness gage in conformity with Practice 8.4 Materials that have been rejected for reasons other than
E 376, unless the method described in 6.2.1 or 6.2.3 is used. embrittlement are not prohibited from being stripped, regalva-
6.2.2.1 In the case of fasteners such as bolts, nuts, and nized, and resubmitted for test and inspection. They shall then
screws, the determination of the thickness of coating shall be conform to the requirements of this specification.
made on a portion of the article that does not include any
threads. 9. Packaging
6.2.3 The thickness of coating shall be determined by cross 9.1 The supplier shall employ such methods of packaging
section and optical measurement, unless the method described zinc-coated articles as shall be required to ensure their receipt
in 6.2.1 or 6.2.2 is used. The thickness thus determined is a by the purchaser in satisfactory condition, with the use to be
point value. No less than five such measurements shall be made made of the article being taken into consideration.
at locations on the test article, which are as widely dispersed as
practical, so as to be representative of the whole surface of the 10. Certification
test article. The average of no less than five such measurements 10.1 When specified in the purchase order or contract, the
is the specimen coating thickness. purchaser shall be furnished certification that samples repre-
6.3 Embrittlement—Hardware that is susceptible to em- senting each lot have been either tested or inspected as directed
brittlement shall be tested in accordance with Practice A 143. by this specification and the requirements have been met.
The tests shall be performed through agreement between the When specified in the purchase order or contract, a report of
galvanizer and the purchaser. the test results shall be furnished.
6.4 Adherence—Determine adherence of the zinc coating to
the surface of the base metal by cutting or prying with the point 11. Keywords
of a stout knife, applied with considerable pressure in a manner 11.1 coatings, zinc; galvanized coatings; steel hardware,
tending to remove a portion of the coating. The adherence shall zinc coated; steel products, metallic coated; zinc coatings, steel
be considered inadequate if the coating flakes off in the form of products

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 A 153/A 153M
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with any item mentioned in this standard. Users of this standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such
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if not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standards
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