PART II

Structural Behavior of Aluminum

Aluminum barrel
4 Material Properties for Design
Before we discuss the properties of aluminum alloys, it�s useful to review
how alloys are commonly identified in the aluminum industry. Unlike steel,
which is usually identified by its ASTM specification and grade, (for example,
A709 grade 50 steel), aluminum alloys are identified by their Aluminum Association
alloy and temper, (for example, 3003-H16). Since the Aluminum
Association designation system is used throughout most of the world, this
method of identification is more portable than the one used in the U.S. for
steel. On the other hand, just identifying the alloy and temper can, in a few
instances, still leave some doubt as to the material�s properties since different
product forms of the same aluminum alloy may have different properties. A
notable example is 6061-T6; 6061-T6 sheet has a minimum tensile ultimate
strength of 42 ksi [290 MPa], whereas 6061-T6 extrusions have a minimum
tensile ultimate strength of 38 ksi [260 MPa]. But if this were simple, you
wouldn�t be paid the big bucks.
4.1 MINIMUM AND TYPICAL PROPERTIES
Because of small but inevitable variations in production, two specimens of
the same alloy, temper, and product form are likely to have slightly different
strengths. Because strengths are a statistical distribution about an average, as
shown in Figure 4.1, the minimum strength is arbitrary. The aluminum industry
has historically used a very rigorous definition of a minimum strength
for mill products�it�s the strength that will be exceeded by 99% of the parts
95% of the time. This definition is not used by the steel industry and may
have its roots in the use of aluminum in critical parts, such as aircraft
components,
which predates aluminum�s use in construction. The U.S. military
calls such minimum values ��A�� values and defines ��B�� values as those that
90% of samples will equal or exceed with a probability of 95%, a slightly
less stringent criterion that yields higher minimum values. For 6061-T6 extrusions,
for example, the A-basis minimum tensile yield strength is 35 ksi
[240 MPa], while the B-basis minimum tensile yield strength is 38 ksi [260
MPa]. As for other structural materials, minimum strengths are used for aluminum
structural design, and since the A-basis minimum strengths are the
ones given in ASTM aluminum product specifications, they are the ones used
for general structural design.
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