What is the Difference Between Mild Steel and High Tensile Steel
Read through this article to know what is the difference between mild steel and high tensile steel based on their properties, strength, ductility, applications and cost.
Steel is a commonly used building material across the world. There are different types of steel available in the market having different chemical composition and characteristics. For different requirements of project, the required steel type will also vary. Mild steel and high tensile steel; these both are also the types of steel. We have try to explain differences between mild steel and high tensile steel through this guide.
What is Mild Steel?
Mild steel is a type of carbon steel, which contains a low amount of carbon (0.05 to 0.3%) by weight. Manganese, silicon, sulfur, and phosphorus are the alloy metals presented in mild steel. It is a good electrical conductor and can be magnetised easily. It has high malleability because of the low carbon content. Mild steel is mainly useful in the construction industry for structural purpose.
What is High Tensile Steel?
High tensile steel is a form of mild carbon steel which contains different alloying elements in order to increase the tensile strength of the steel. These elements include chromium, manganese, nickel, molybdenum, silicon and vanadium. So high tensile steel has high yield strength and tensile strength compared to mild steel. It has high fatigue strength and toughness as well. High tensile steel is used in a variety of applications including construction, automotive and aerospace engineering.
Differences Between Mild Steel and High Tensile Steel
Mild steel and high tensile steel both are form of carbon steel. Both contain a low amount of carbon, but the carbon content of high tensile steel is higher than mild steel. Additionally, high tensile steel has some different alloying elements with high tensile strength. The key difference between mild steel and high tensile steel is that high tensile steel has a high strength than mild steel. Mild Steel posses moderate elasticity and is a bit economical, whereas high strength steel has higher elasticity and is more expensive. Mild steel is commonly known as soft steel and high tensile steel is known as high strength steel.
Let's understand the differences between mild steel and high tensile steel on the basis of below seven terms:
1. Composition
Carbon Steel is an unalloyed steel which contains mainly Iron and Carbon, and Sulphur, Manganese, Phosphorus and Silicon as it's additional components. Mild steel is a low carbon steel which contains 0.15% to 0.25% carbon. While the high tensile steel contains 0.60% to 0.80% carbon along with, Sulphur 0.05%, Manganese 0.60%, Silicon 0.20% and Phosphorus 0.05%.
2. Properties
Mild Steel has high weldability and good level of corrosion resistance and is suitable for the construction projects of structural purpose. On the other hand, high-strength steel has improved tensile strength and yield strength with anti-corrosion properties due to the presence of alloy elements like chromium, manganese, nickel, molybdenum, silicon and vanadium.
3. Applications
Mild steel has some unique properties like high weldability make it suitable for making machinery parts, cookware, pipelines, fencing, sheet piles, reinforcing bars, roof coverings and some other structural part in construction projects. On the other hand, high tensile steel has high tensile strength and is mainly used for reinforcement purposes, automobile parts, crane ropes, weapons production, aerospace, ship building and various kind of lifting, hoisting and pulling.
4. Strength
The strength of a material is its capacity to oppose force, load or stress applied to it. Both mild steel and high tensile steel posses adequate tensile strength required for their respective uses. The tensile strength of mild steel ranges from 600 to 800 N\mm². High tensile steel has more improved tensile strength of around 2000 N/mm².
5. Malleability and Ductility
Mild Steel is more malleable than high tensile steel. So mild steel can be easily shaped without breaking or splitting because of its high flexibility. High tensile steel has higher strength and is less ductile than mild steel.
6. Brittleness
Mild steel is less brittle than high tensile steel. So high tensile steel breaks into pieces easily compared to mild steel.
7. Cost
Mild steel is comparatively less expensive than high tensile steel.
What are the differences between Mild Steel and High Tensile Steel?
The common differences between Mild Steel and High Tensile Steel can be understand with the help of below table:
| Terms | Mild Steel | High Tensile Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon Content | 0.15 to 0.25 % | 0.60 to 0.80 % |
| Tensile Strength | Comparatively low | Very high |
| Ductility | Comparatively high | Comparatively low |
| Weldability | Comparatively high | Comparatively low |
| Brittleness | High | Low |
| Cost | Less Expensive | Expensive |
| Applications | Mainly for Structural purpose in constructions. | Reinforcement purpose, automobile parts, weapons production and various kind of lifting, hoisting and pulling. |
Conclusion
Mild steel and high tensile steel both are two types of carbon steel. Carbon steel contains up to 2% carbon by weight. Mild steel contains a low amount of carbon by weight. On the other hand, high tensile steel also contains a small measure of carbon, yet it has some alloying elements with high tensile strength. High tensile steel has more strength than mild steel.
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