CCS Grade FH36 combines the 355 MPa minimum yield strength level with F-level notch toughness. Purchasing this plate requires attention to its tighter chemical limits, delivery condition and specified impact testing, not simply the FH36 label. Gangsteel welcomes enquiries for CCS/FH36 plate for shipbuilding and export projects, with dimensions, processing and documentation to be agreed for the individual order.
The numerical basis for this CCS Grade FH36 overview is the current listed China Classification Society Rules for Materials and Welding, 2026 edition, effective 1 July 2026, Part One, Chapter 3, Section 3. Chemistry follows Table 3.3.2.1; tensile and Charpy requirements follow Table 3.3.4.3, checked against the official 2026 Chinese consolidated text. These are rule requirements for plate, not measured results for an available heat or a statement of stock certification.
Grade Designation
CCS Grade FH36, also written CCS/FH36 or CCS FH36 in commercial enquiries, identifies a China Classification Society higher strength hull structural steel. The 36 strength family has a specified minimum yield strength of 355 N/mm²; the F toughness level requires Charpy testing at −60°C. The letter distinguishes notch toughness within the family, not a different tensile-strength range.
The plate provisions summarized here apply to thicknesses not exceeding 150 mm under clause 3.3.1.1. The rules also cover other product forms, but section and bar requirements are not presented as plate data on this page.
Key Advantages of FH36 Steel Plate
- Defined strength: a minimum yield strength of 355 MPa and a tensile-strength range of 490–630 MPa support material selection against approved hull drawings.
- Specified notch toughness: −60°C Charpy testing distinguishes CCS Grade FH36 from other toughness levels in its strength family.
- Controlled metallurgy: killed, fine-grain-treated steel with specified ladle-analysis limits provides a clear basis for purchasing and inspection.
- Order-specific verification: grade, thickness, delivery condition and test documentation can be checked together before material acceptance.
Chemical Composition (Ladle Analysis)
Table 3.3.2.1 specifies the chemical composition of ladle samples for CCS Grade FH36. The following values are mass percentages, not product-analysis tolerances or typical mill results. All grades in this section are to be killed and fine-grain treated.
| Element | Ladle-analysis requirement (%) |
|---|---|
| Carbon, C | ≤ 0.16 |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.90–1.60; see thin-plate note |
| Silicon, Si | ≤ 0.50 |
| Phosphorus, P | ≤ 0.025 |
| Sulfur, S | ≤ 0.025 |
| Acid-soluble aluminium, Al | ≥ 0.015; conditional grain-refining provision |
| Niobium, Nb | 0.02–0.05; conditional grain-refining provision |
| Vanadium, V | 0.05–0.10; conditional grain-refining provision |
| Titanium, Ti | ≤ 0.02 |
| Copper, Cu | ≤ 0.35 |
| Chromium, Cr | ≤ 0.20 |
| Nickel, Ni | ≤ 0.80 |
| Molybdenum, Mo | ≤ 0.08 |
| Nitrogen, N | ≤ 0.009; ≤ 0.012 if Al is present |
For plate up to and including 12.5 mm thick, the minimum manganese content may be reduced to 0.70%. Total aluminium may be determined instead of acid-soluble aluminium; in that case, total Al is to be at least 0.020%. Suitable grain-refining elements such as Al, Nb and V may be used singly or in combination. The specified minimum applies when an element is used singly; the individual minima do not apply to combinations, which must satisfy the approved technical conditions. The Al, Nb and V rows must therefore not be read as three simultaneous compulsory additions.
The combined Nb + V + Ti content must not exceed 0.12%. Any other element added as part of steelmaking is to be stated in the certificate. TMCP steel must also satisfy clause 3.3.2.3; the base chemistry table alone is not the complete TMCP requirement.
Mechanical Properties
The following plate requirements for CCS Grade FH36 are taken from Table 3.3.4.3 for thickness t ≤ 150 mm. N/mm² and MPa are numerically equivalent.
| Property | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Upper yield strength, ReH | ≥ 355 MPa |
| Tensile strength, Rm | 490–630 MPa |
| Elongation, A5 | ≥ 21% (proportional-specimen basis) |
| Charpy V-notch test temperature | −60°C |
Certificate confirmation is required for the actual material offered. These tables state rule requirements; they are not evidence that Gangsteel currently holds a certificate for any particular plate, heat or delivery condition. Check the ordered grade, dimensions, ladle analysis, tensile results, impact results and traceability against the applicable inspection documentation.
The A5 value is not a universal elongation limit for every specimen geometry. Clause 3.3.4.4 and Table 3.3.4.4 give thickness-dependent minimum elongation values for full-thickness, 25 mm-wide specimens with a 200 mm gauge length. Use the requirement corresponding to the actual test specimen.
Charpy V-Notch Impact Requirements
For CCS/FH36, Table 3.3.4.3 specifies the following minimum average absorbed energies at −60°C. The values below are for standard-size specimens; subsidiary specimens follow the separate conversion provisions in Part One, Chapter 2, Section 3.
| Plate thickness t (mm) | Longitudinal, minimum average (J) | Transverse, minimum average (J) |
|---|---|---|
| t ≤ 50 | 34 | 24 |
| 50 < t ≤ 70 | 41 | 27 |
| 70 < t ≤ 150 | 50 | 34 |
Impact tests are generally made longitudinally unless the purchaser or CCS requires otherwise; the manufacturer must also ensure satisfactory transverse plate properties. Listing both directions does not mean that every plate is routinely tested in both directions. Sampling frequency follows the grade- and delivery-condition matrix in Table 3.3.3.1, not a single universal lot size.
The −60°C test temperature is a laboratory condition, not an approved minimum service temperature for a ship or component. Structural design, thickness, stress, service conditions and class approval remain separate considerations.
Delivery Condition and Weldability
Table 3.3.3.1 lists normalized (N), thermomechanically controlled-rolled (TM/TMCP) or quenched-and-tempered (QT) conditions for CCS Grade FH36 plate. The N and TM plate entries require impact testing of each piece; the QT entry requires testing of each heat-treated length. These are alternative approved delivery routes, not a statement that every condition is immediately available.
For TMCP plate, clause 3.3.2.3 and Table 3.3.2.3(1) set the following maximum carbon-equivalent values calculated from ladle analysis. More stringent values may be agreed between the manufacturer and shipbuilder.
| TMCP plate thickness t (mm) | Maximum Ceq (%) |
|---|---|
| t ≤ 50 | 0.38 |
| 50 < t ≤ 100 | 0.40 |
| 100 < t ≤ 150 | 0.42 |
Ceq = C + Mn/6 + (Cr + Mo + V)/5 + (Ni + Cu)/15, with elements expressed in mass percent. For non-TMCP supply, clause 3.3.2.2 provides for an agreed permissible Ceq where required. Pcm may be used instead of Ceq under clause 3.3.2.3 when needed, with acceptance to an appropriate recognized standard; no universal Pcm limit is claimed here.
Welding CCS FH36 requires a qualified procedure appropriate to the actual plate condition, thickness, heat input, consumables and restraint. Neither the grade name nor the Ceq table establishes a universal preheat temperature or a ready-made welding procedure. Discuss subsequent forming or heat treatment before ordering, particularly where it may affect TMCP or QT properties.
Available Dimensions
Please send the required thickness, width, length and quantity for CCS Grade FH36. This overview covers the rule plate scope up to 150 mm thick; that upper limit is not a claim of mill capability, warehouse stock or availability in every size. Width, length, tolerances, edge condition, cutting requirements and delivery condition are to be confirmed against the proposed supply route. Any requirement outside the summarized rule scope needs a separate technical review.
Main Applications
CCS Grade FH36 may be specified for hull shell plating, strength decks, bulkheads and other load-carrying hull plate components when selected on the approved drawings. The final grade depends on the structural location, scantlings, toughness requirement and class-approved design. Its strength level alone does not establish suitability for a particular vessel, ice notation, offshore installation or low-temperature service.
Equivalent Grades of FH36
CCS/FH36 and CCS FH36 are alternative ways of writing CCS Grade FH36, not different material standards. Similarly named grades from other classification societies are comparison candidates only, not certified drop-in equivalents. Any proposed substitution must be checked for chemical limits, thickness scope, delivery condition, sampling, toughness, mill approval and certification, then accepted by the designer and relevant classification society. No cross-society numerical equivalence is asserted here.
Related Products
- CCS Grade AH36 steel plate
- CCS Grade DH36 steel plate
- CCS Grade EH36 steel plate
- CCS Grade FH32 steel plate
- CCS Grade FH40 steel plate
- CCS shipbuilding steel plates
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is CCS Grade FH36 (CCS/FH36) steel plate?
CCS Grade FH36 is a higher strength hull structural plate grade under the China Classification Society materials rules. Its specified minimum yield strength is 355 MPa, with F-level notch toughness verified at the specified Charpy test temperature. CCS/FH36 is a common commercial writing of the same grade.
Does the impact test temperature define the service limit of CCS Grade FH36?
No. CCS Grade FH36 is tested at −60°C under the cited rule requirements, but that laboratory temperature is not a blanket minimum operating temperature. The vessel or component requires its own approved material selection.
Is CCS Grade FH36 always supplied in the same delivery condition?
No. The applicable plate entry in Table 3.3.3.1 controls the permitted condition and impact sampling for CCS Grade FH36. Confirm the proposed manufacturing route and testing with the order rather than assuming a delivery condition from the grade name alone.
Can CCS Grade FH36 replace another shipbuilding grade?
Not automatically. CCS Grade FH36 must match the approved design and certification requirements. A different toughness letter, strength family or classification-society designation needs a technical and approval review before substitution.
What should an enquiry for CCS Grade FH36 include?
Include CCS Grade FH36, the applicable rule edition, dimensions, quantity, delivery condition, required inspection documentation and any additional testing or processing requirements. Availability, documentation and delivery arrangements must be confirmed for the specific enquiry; none is implied by this overview.
Contact Gangsteel with your CCS Grade FH36 plate specification and project requirements for an order-specific technical and commercial review.