EN 10210 Hot-Formed Hollow Sections for Structural Use

EN 10210 Standard is a very important European standard. Its full title is "Hot-Formed Hollow Sections for Structural Use - Part 1: Technical Delivery Conditions" and "Part 2: Dimensions and Cross-Sectional Properties."

Simply put, EN 10210 specifies the material, manufacturing, dimensions, tolerances, mechanical properties, and inspection requirements for welded hollow sections (such as square, rectangular, and round tubes) produced by hot forming (hot working) processes for use in building and engineering structures.

Similar to EN 10219, EN 10210 is divided into two main parts:

EN 10210-1: Technical Delivery Conditions

1. Material Requirements: Specifies the steel grades used in the manufacture of steel tubes. These are typically fine-grained normalized steels with specific chemical compositions and mechanical properties.
2. Manufacturing Process: Specifies that the steel tubes are produced by hot forming (hot working). This typically involves heating the steel billet, forming it through piercing, rolling, or extrusion, and then possibly welding (for non-circular cross-sections). This is its most fundamental difference from EN 10219.
3. Welding Requirements (if applicable): For non-circular tubes (square tubes and rectangular tubes), the final closing weld requires welding. The standard has strict requirements for welding procedures, welder qualifications, and weld quality.

4. Mechanical Properties: Specifies the minimum mechanical properties that the steel must meet, including:
Yield Strength (ReH)
Tensile Strength (Rm)
Elongation (A)
Impact Energy (KV): Due to being a normalized steel, it generally has good impact toughness.

5. Inspection and Testing: Specifies the types of tests required (e.g., tensile tests, impact tests, flattening tests, etc.).
6. Dimensions and Tolerances: Used in conjunction with Part 2.
7. Marking and Certification: Specifies product marking and compliance documentation.

EN 10210-2: Dimensions and Cross-sectional Properties
This section provides detailed dimension tables and cross-sectional properties (such as cross-sectional area, moment of inertia, section modulus, radius of gyration, etc.) for hot-formed square, rectangular, and round tubes.
Structural engineers use these tabulated data for structural calculations and design.

EN 10210 vs. EN 10219: Characteristics and Differences

Hot forming vs. Cold forming: This is the fundamental difference between EN 10210 and another important standard, EN 10219.

EN 10210: Hot forming. Steel billets are pierced, rolled, or extruded at high temperatures. Hot-formed tubes typically have thicker walls and larger outer radii at corners (square/rectangular tubes). The surface of the tubes often has a mill scale, resulting in a rough, bluish-gray appearance.

The tubes are typically finished in the normalized condition. Heat treatment improves the material's microstructure, making them more ductile, especially for thicker sections. This gives it excellent toughness and impact resistance, making it suitable for dynamic loads, low-temperature environments, or critical structural components, though at a higher price.
Common size range: Focuses on medium- and large-diameter pipes with thicker walls.

EN 10219: Cold forming. Steel sheet or strip is cold-bent into the desired shape at room temperature and then welded. This method produces pipes with thinner walls, more precise dimensions, and smoother surfaces, making it suitable for secondary structures, static loads, and architectural decoration, all at a more economical price.
Common size range: Focuses on small- and medium-diameter pipes with thin walls.

Simply put, EN 10210 is the "high-performance version," designed for extreme conditions and the highest safety standards; while EN 10219 is the "economical and practical version," suitable for most common applications and offering an extremely high cost-effectiveness.

Commonly Used Steel Grades:

The EN 10210 standard covers a variety of normalized steel grades, the most common of which are S235J2H, S275J2H, S355J2H, and S355K2H.

S stands for structural steel.
355: Minimum yield strength of 355 MPa.
J2, K2: Impact energy quality grades (K2 requires a higher impact energy than J2).
H: Suitable for hollow sections.

Applications of EN 10210 steel:

Due to its excellent toughness, hot-formed hollow sections conforming to the EN 10210 standard are widely used in applications requiring the highest safety and reliability requirements:

1. Critical building structures: Used in primary load-bearing structures, trusses, guardrail sills, columns, and beams in stadiums, airport terminals, and large commercial centers, which are frequently subjected to vehicle impact.

2. Bridge construction: Used in bridge main structures, piers, and support frames. 

3. Heavy machinery and equipment: Crane booms, excavator frames, support structures for heavy equipment, agricultural machinery, and other components subject to heavy and dynamic loads.

4. Offshore structures: Oil platforms, port facilities, and other structures require excellent impact and low-temperature resistance.

Conclusion:

EN 10210 is a comprehensive European product standard for hot-formed structural hollow sections. It defines tubes produced through hot working and normalizing heat treatment processes. Its core advantages lie in its excellent toughness, uniform wall thickness, and wide corner radii, making it particularly suitable for critical structures subject to heavy and dynamic loads or in harsh environments. The choice between EN 10210 and EN 10219 depends on specific design requirements, loading conditions, cost budget, and performance preferences.

Read more: EN 10219 vs EN 10210: Comprehensive Comparison or Seamless Square & Rectangular Tube