Related Specifications
Surface Treatments
Certifications
- ISO 9001 - 2015 Certified
- PED 2014/68/EC
- NACE MR0175/ISO 15156-2
- NORSOK M-650
- DFAR
- MERKBLATT AD 2000 W2/W7/W10
ASTM A193 Grade B16 Anchor Bolts
Cr-Mo-V Alloy Steel Anchor Bolts for High-Temperature Equipment Foundation Anchoring
ASTM A193 Grade B16 anchor bolts (also written A193 B16 anchor bolts, ASTM A193 Gr B16 anchor bolts, SA-193 B16 anchor bolts, UNS K14072 anchor bolts) are chromium-molybdenum-vanadium quenched-and-tempered alloy-steel fasteners manufactured to ASTM A193 / A193M Table 2 mechanical limits and ASTM F1554 (anchor bolts) and ASME B18.31.5 (anchor stud bolts) dimensional standards for high-temperature equipment foundation anchoring (compressor skids, turbine pedestals, refinery vessels). TorqBolt produces the full B16 anchor bolts family from its Rajkot plant with imperial diameters from 1/4 in to 3 in and metric diameters from M6 to M76, both fine and coarse threads, in stock and on indent.
Anchor Bolts configurations
B16 anchor bolts are supplied in four standard configurations per ASTM F1554 (inch) and ASME B18.31.5 (anchor stud bolts):
- Headed anchor bolts (F1554) - hex head one end, threaded other end, embedded straight in concrete foundation. Default for compressor skid mounting.
- J-bolt anchor bolts (F1554) - J-curved hook end embedded in concrete, threaded end exposed for nut. Used in moderate-load anchoring.
- L-bolt anchor bolts (F1554) - L-bent hook end embedded in concrete, threaded end exposed. Higher pull-out strength than J-bolt.
- Swedge / threaded-end anchor studs (B18.31.5) - both ends threaded, centre body left unthreaded, used in pre-set anchor sleeves for turbine pedestal levelling.
Diameter and length range
| Series | Stock diameter range | Indent diameter range | Length range (stock) | Length range (indent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inch headed/J-bolt/L-bolt (F1554) | 1/2 in to 1-1/2 in | 1/4 in to 3 in | up to 36 in | up to 72 in |
| Inch anchor stud (B18.31.5) | 1/2 in to 2 in | 1/4 in to 3 in | up to 36 in | up to 72 in |
| Metric anchor (DIN 529 / F1554M) | M12 to M48 | M6 to M76 | up to 900 mm | up to 1800 mm |
B16 anchor bolt material
B16 anchor bolts are forged from AISI 4140 / 4142 chromium-molybdenum-vanadium alloy steel, conforming to the ASTM A193 Table 1 chemistry envelope. Vanadium addition of 0.25 to 0.35 % is the key differentiator from the B7 grade and is responsible for the creep and stress-relaxation resistance that justifies the B16 premium at elevated service temperatures.
| Element | Cr-Mo-V (% by mass) | Product analysis variation |
|---|---|---|
| C | 0.36 - 0.47 | 0.02 |
| Mn | 0.45 - 0.70 | 0.03 |
| P (max) | 0.035 | 0.005 |
| S (max) | 0.040 | 0.005 |
| Si | 0.15 - 0.35 | 0.02 |
| Cr | 0.80 - 1.15 | 0.05 |
| Mo | 0.50 - 0.65 | 0.03 |
| V | 0.25 - 0.35 | 0.03 |
B16 anchor bolt mechanical properties
| Diameter, in. | 2-1/2 and under | over 2-1/2 to 4 | over 4 to 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Min. tempering temperature, °F | 1200 | 1200 | 1200 |
| Tensile strength, min, ksi | 125 | 110 | 100 |
| Yield strength, min, 0.2 % offset, ksi | 105 | 95 | 85 |
| Elongation in 4D, min, % | 18 | 17 | 16 |
| Reduction of area, min, % | 50 | 45 | 45 |
| Hardness, max | 321 HBW / 35 HRC | 321 HBW / 35 HRC | 321 HBW / 35 HRC |
Heat treatment
B16 anchor bolts are supplied in the quenched-and-tempered (Q&T) condition. The standard heat-treatment route is: austenitise at 1650 to 1700 °F (900 to 925 °C), oil quench to develop a fully martensitic structure, then temper at 1200 °F (650 °C) minimum for time sufficient to meet the ASTM A193 Table 2 mechanical limits. Each heat-treat lot is tested per A193 sect 7. When Supplement S12 is invoked, stress-rupture testing at 1100 °F / 20 ksi is performed (suffix B16R). When Supplement S4 is invoked, hardness is verified on each anchor bolt.
Companion nut grade for B16 anchor bolts
The canonical companion nut for B16 anchor bolts is ASTM A194 Grade 7. Do not pair B16 anchor bolts with A194 Grade 2H nuts for sustained service above 750 °F - the Grade 2H carbon-steel nut creeps while the B16 anchor bolt retains tension, producing thread-jacking and loss of clamp force. Do not pair B16 anchor bolts with A194 Grade 8 or 8M austenitic stainless nuts at elevated temperature due to coefficient-of-thermal-expansion mismatch.
Coatings and surface finish
B16 anchor bolts are supplied in the following finish options:
- Plain (uncoated, as-machined) - default; protective oiling prevents shipping corrosion
- Black oxide - light protective finish for low-corrosion environments
- Hot-dip galvanised (HDG) per ASTM A153 - thick zinc coating for atmospheric service; baking required to prevent hydrogen embrittlement
- Zinc plating per ASTM B633 - thinner electroplated coating
- Cadmium plating per ASTM B766 / AMS-QQ-P-416 - aerospace and chemical-service applications
- Xylan 1424 / 1070 fluoropolymer - subsea and offshore high-temperature service
- PTFE coating (Teflon-based) - chemical-process flange bolting
- Geomet 500B / 720 - chromium-free corrosion protection for offshore
- Magni 565 / 575 - zinc-aluminium flake coating
- Phosphate and oil - shipping protection
Quality certification regime
TorqBolt supplies B16 anchor bolts with the following certification options:
- EN 10204 Type 3.1 - default mill test certificate covering heat analysis, product analysis, mechanical-properties test, and heat traceability
- EN 10204 Type 3.2 - third-party-witnessed certificate (DNV, Lloyd’s Register, TÜV, Bureau Veritas) for offshore and pressure-vessel projects
- NORSOK M-650 qualified test record (QTR) - five-year validity, essential-variable changes trigger re-qualification
- NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156-2 sour-service certificate - project waiver required (B16 is not a default sour-service grade; B7M is)
- PED 2014/68/EC certificate - European Pressure Equipment Directive compliance for vessel-attached bolting
- API 6A / 17D PSL-3 - subsea and surface wellhead high-temperature applications
- Charpy V-notch impact test (Supplement S6) - on request, for piping below -20 °F
- Magnetic-particle examination (Supplement S7) - for refinery and offshore wellhead service
- ISO 17782 manufacturer-of-standard-fasteners certification - subsea SUBSEA+ pressure-traceability tier (offshore project requirement)
Lead time and procurement
Stock diameters (1/2 in to 1-1/2 in / M12 to M36) ship within 3 to 5 business days of order confirmation. Indent diameters (1/4 to 1/2 in / M6 to M10 with custom length, or 1-1/2 to 3 in / M36 to M76) carry a 4 to 8 week lead time depending on heat-treatment lot consolidation and certification level (3.1 vs 3.2 vs NORSOK QTR). For NORSOK M-650 QTR-required anchor bolts, expect 8 to 12 weeks for first-time grade qualification or 4 to 6 weeks for repeat orders under valid QTR. MOQ on stock is 5 pieces; on indent is 25 pieces per diameter / length combination.
Why engineers specify B16 anchor bolts for high-temperature equipment
Anchor bolting in B16 is the unusual case – most foundation anchor work uses ASTM F1554 Gr 36 / Gr 55 / Gr 105 plain carbon-or-alloy steel because the concrete-grouted embedment never reaches process temperature. The B16 specification applies to compressor skids that sit directly on a hot floor, steam-turbine pedestals in tunnel-mounted installations, and reformer-heater foundation mounts, where the anchor’s threaded upper end and the first 100-200 mm of grout-embedded length see elevated temperature through conduction from the equipment baseplate. For these contexts the J-bolt or L-bolt hook configurations transfer load to the concrete through bearing on the hook return, while the headed-anchor and swedge configurations rely on bond shear plus the head’s pull-out resistance. ASTM F1554 supplementary requirement S1 (bend test) is mandatory on hooked anchors to verify the cold-bent radius (typically 3D or 4D) does not initiate a forming crack. ASME B18.31.5 sect 5 covers the upper threaded portion’s chamfered end and the thread-pitch-class limit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum service temperature for A193 B16 anchor bolts?
840 °F (450 °C) for continuous service per ASME B31.1 / B31.3 / B16.5 flange-bolting tables. 1100 °F (595 °C) for stress-rupture-qualified service with Supplement S12 (suffix B16R, 25 h rupture life at 20 ksi). Some industry sources cite 1000 °F as a conservative peak.
Are B16 anchor bolts NACE-compliant for sour service?
B16 is not a default NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156-2 sour-service grade. For combined high-temperature and sour service, B16 requires a project-specific NACE waiver supported by stress-rupture and sulphide-stress-cracking testing. The default NACE sour-service A193 grade is B7M (impact-tested, hardness-controlled). For high-temperature sour service, an A193 B7M / B16 split assessment is often required.
Can B16 anchor bolts be used at cryogenic temperature?
No. B16 has no Charpy V-notch requirement below -20 °F (-29 °C). For cryogenic service, use ASTM A320 Grade L7 (UNS G41400) which is the low-temperature counterpart of B16 with mandatory Charpy testing to -150 °F (-101 °C).
What embedment depth is required for B16 anchor bolts in compressor-pedestal grout?
Minimum embedment is 12 bolt-diameters for hooked configurations (J-bolt or L-bolt) and 8 bolt-diameters for headed / swedge configurations, both based on ACI 318 Appendix D (now Chapter 17) pull-out and side-face blowout limit states. For compressor or steam-turbine service the recommended practice is 17 bolt-diameters minimum to allow for cyclic uplift load reversal during start-up and trip events. The grout pocket is filled with a non-shrink high-temperature epoxy or cementitious grout rated for 200 °C continuous service; standard sand-cement grout cannot survive the thermal cycling.
Related TorqBolt resources
- ASTM A193 Grade B16 bolting specification overview
- A193 B16 vs A193 B7 - full side-by-side comparison
- B16 hex bolts
- B16 heavy hex bolts
- B16 threaded rods
- B16 round bar (mill source)
- ASME SA-193 Grade B16 bolting specification
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