M 280 SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS

Standard Specification for

Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) Steel Barbed Wire

AASHTO DESIGNATION: M 280-91

(ASTM DESIGNATION: A 121-86)

1. SCOPE 3.2 All spools of barbed wire accepted by 4.7 The strands shall be twisted with a
the purchaser shall be billed on the basis uniform length of lay. The direction of
of the original length of the spools before twisting may be in one direction or alter-
1.1 This specification covers zinc-coated sampling unless changed by contractual nately in left and right directions.
steel barbed wire, consisting of a strand arrangement.
of two wires, 80 rods in length, in a 4.8 The barbs shall be sharp, well-
number of sizes and constructions. It is NOTE 1—A typical ordering description is as formed, tightly wrapped, and normally
follows: 20 spools, barbed wire 12 ½ gage, 2 spaced 4 or 5 in. (102 or 127 mm) apart.
furnished in two grades and with two points, 4-in. spacing, 14 gage round barbs.
classes (weights) of zinc coating (Section Class 1 coating, Standard Grade certified to
6). AASHTO M 280-____ 5. BREAKING STRENGTH
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units
are to be regarded as the standard.
4. MATERIALS AND MANUFAC- 5.1 The breaking strength of the stranded
TURE barbed wire shall be in accordance with
2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS Table 2.
4.1 Base Metal—The base metal of the
2.1 AASHTO Standards: barbed wire shall be of a good commer- 6. WEIGHT OF COATING
M 120 Specification for Zinc (Slab cial quality steel wire.
Zinc) 4.2 Zinc-Coated Wire—The wire shall be 6.1 The zinc-coated barbed wire, as
R1 Metric Practice Guide zinc-coated before fabrication. represented by the test specimens tested
T 65 Tests for Weight of Coating 4.3 Zinc for Coating—Slab zinc, when in accordance with Section 8 and Method
on Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) used for coating, shall be any grade of T 65, shall conform to the requirements
Iron or Steel Articles zinc conforming to AASHTO M 120. of Table 3 for minimum weight of zinc
4.4 The sizes and construction of barbed coating for the class ordered.
2.2 ASTM Standards:
wire covered by this specification shall 6.2 Standard Grade—For Standard
A 700 Recommended Practice for be in accordance with those shown in Grade the requirements of Table 3 refer
Packaging, Marketing, and Table 1. to the line wire only. The wire for barbs
Loading Steel Products for must have a minimum Class 1 coating
Domestic Shipping 4.5 The barbed wire shall be pack-aged
in spools in lengths of 80 rod. weight.
2.3 Federal Standard: 6.3 Chain Link Fence Grade—For Chain
4.6 Splicing of individual wires by means
Fed. Std. 123 Marketing for Ship- of a wrap joint or an electric butt weld is Link Fence Grade both line wire and wire
ments (Civil Agencies) permitted. Not more than three splices or for barbs must have minimum Class 3
2.4 Military Standards: joints shall exist in any spool of barbed coating weight.
MIL-STD-129 Marking for Ship- wire. Such splices or joints shall be made 6.4 The coating weight of the wire for
ment and Storage in a workmanlike manner. barbs must be tested and certified prior to
fabrication.
MIL-STD-163 Steel Mill Products
Preparation for Shipment and TABLE 1 Standard Sizes and Construction of Barbed Wire
Storage Nominal Diameter of
Spacing Diameter of
Size, Steel Zinc Coated Wire in Number of Shape of
of Barbs, Barbs, Steel
Wire Gage Strand Points Barbs
3. ORDERING INFORMATION in (mm) Wire GageB
in. (mm)
12 ½ 0.099 (2.51) 2 4(102) 13A flat
12 ½ 0.099 (2.51) 2 4(102) 14 round
3.1 Orders for barbed wire purchased 12 ½ 0.099 (2.51) 4 5(127) 14 round
under this specification shall include the 12 ½ 0.099 (2.51) 4 5(127) 14A half-round
following information: 12 ½ 0.099 (2.51) 2 5(127) 14 round
3.1.1 Quantity of barbed wire (number 12 ½ 0.099 (2.51) 2 4(102) 12 ½ flat
of spools), 13 ½ 0.086 (2.18) 2 4(102) 14 round
13 ½ 0.086 (2.18) 4 5(127) 14 round
3.1.2 Size and construction (Table 1), 15 ½ 0.067 (1.70) 2 4(102) 13 ¾ flat
3.1.3 Class of coating in Standard 15 ½ 0.067 (1.70) 4 5(127) 16 ½ round
A
Grade or Chain Link Fence Grade (Sec- The gage of the half-round and flat barbs is designated by the gage of the round wire from which
the barbs are rolled.
tion 6), B
The nominal diameter of wire used in making barbs shall be as follows:
3.1.4 Certification, if required, and 12 ½ gage 0.099 in. (2.51 mm)
3.1.5 AASHTO designation and year 13 ¾ gage 0.083 in. (2.11 mm)
14 gage 0.080 in. (2.03 mm)
of issue.
16 ½ gage 0.058 in. (1.47 mm)

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M 280 SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS

7. SIZE AND PERMISSIBLE is recognized that during fabrication the size then becomes 50, except this lot size
VARIATIONS barb is mechanically deformed and may vary slightly to accommodate pallet
scraped and there may be some slight count when the barbed wire is palletized.
differences in zinc weight results on 9.3 Retesting for Coating Weight—
7.1 Line Wire—The size of the zinc- barbs from before and after fabrication.
coated wire shall be expressed in terms of Should more than two of the individual
the wire gages in Table 1. The permissi- 8.3 For the purpose of inspection, a strand wires of the retest specimens fail
ble variations from the nominal diameter maximum of two spools from the lot (as to meet the requirements of Table 3, or if
of barbed wire shall be ±0.005 in. (0.13 described in Section 8.1) may be sub- any of the retest specimens has less than
mm). jected to observations for barb length and 75 percent of the specified coating
spacing, overall length, and general weight, the entire lot represented by the
7.2 Barbs—The size of the zinc-coated workmanship. retest may be rejected.
wire used for the barbs shall be as de-
scribed in Table 1. The permissible varia- 8.4 Instead of inspecting for length by 9.4 Retesting for Breaking Strength—
tion from the nominal diameter of the unrolling full spools in accordance with Should any of the retest specimens fail to
wire shall be ±0.005 in. (0.13 mm). Due Section 8.3, the purchaser and manufac- meet the minimum breaking strength
to mechanics of manufacture when form- turer may agree on a weight per spool values of Table 2, the entire lot repre-
ing the barb, a certain amount of out-of- related to wire size or measuring tools sented by the specimens may be rejected.
roundness can be expected. The size and employed during manufacturing. The 9.5 Re-inspection for Barbs, Spacing of
condition preclude barbs from being purchaser still reserves the right to con- Barbs, and Overall Length—Should
subjected to diameter checks. The barb firm length by actual measurements. either of the sample spools fail to meet
length, measured from the center of the 8.5 Inspection for barb spacing is nor- the requirements of Sections 7.2, 7.3, or
two strand wires, shall be 3/8 in. (9.5 mally performed on the outer 25 ft (7.6 7.4, two additional spools shall be se-
mm) minimum. m) length of a spool; this permits repack- lected for inspection. If either of these
7.3 Spacing of Barbs—Barbs shall be aging of the spool. Any other selection spools fail to meet the requirements, the
spaced at a nominal 4 or 5 in. (102 or 127 shall be as agreed upon between the lot may be rejected.
mm) as shown in Table 1. The individual manufacturer and the purchaser.
barb spacing shall be measured from the 10. INSPECTION
edge of one barb at the strand to the 9. TEST SPECIMENS AND RE-
corresponding edge of the adjacent barb. TESTS
Cumulative spacing is established by 10.1 Unless otherwise specified in the
counting the total number of barbs in a 25 purchase order or contract, the manufac-
ft (7.6 m) length of barbed wire. Barbs 9.1 Test Specimens—A 4-ft (1.2 mm) turer is responsible for the performance
are subject to relocation during fabrica- length of barbed wire shall be cut from of all inspection and test requirements
tion and handling; therefore, a rigid the end of each spool selected in Section specified in this specification. Except as
interpretation of the spacing requirement 8 for the tests prescribed in Sections 5 otherwise specified in the contract or
may led to undue rejections. Any sample, and 6. Each strand wire will be tested for purchase order, the manufacturer may use
with 93.5 percent of the individual barb weight of coating. The breaking strength his own or any other suitable facilities for
spacings conforming to the specified value shall be determined by testing the the performance of the inspection and test
spacing ±34 in. (19 mm), and containing twisted strand as a composite. requirements unless disapproved by the
a minimum of 69 barbs (4 in. spacing) or 9.2 Should one or more of the individual purchaser at the time the order is placed.
55 barbs (5 in. spacing) in 25 ft (7.6 m), wire specimens fail the coating weight The purchaser shall have the right to
shall be considered acceptable. test, or a strand specimen fail the break- perform any of the inspection and tests
7.4 The length of barbed wire in each ing strength test. the lot shall be subjected set forth in this specification when such
spool shall be 80 rods (402 m) minimum. to retest. For retest purposes, four addi- inspections and tests are deemed neces-
This length is equivalent to one quarter tional spools of barbed wire for each 50 sary to assure that the material conforms
mile or 1320 ft. spools offered shall be sampled. The lot to prescribed requirements.

8. SAMPLING TABLE 2 Breaking Strength of Zinc-Coated Strand

NOTE—Breaking strength values refect both wires tested together.
Wire Diameter Maximum Strand Breaking Strength
Size, Steel Wire Gage
8.1 For the purpose of tests, one spool in. (mm) lbf (N)
from every 50 spools or fraction thereof 12 ½ 0.099 (2.51) 950 (4230)
in a lot shall be selected at random. or a 13 ½ 0.086 (2.18) 950 (4230)
15 ½ 0.067 (1.70) 950 (4230)
total of seven samples, which-ever is
less. A lot shall consist of all the spools
of a single type of barbed wire offered TABLE 3 Minimum Weight of Coasting on Zinc-Coated Barbed Wire
for delivery at the same time. Nominal Diameter of Zinc-Coated Minimum Weight of Coating of
Size, Steel Wire
8.2 Instead of testing wire from the Wire Uncoated Wire Surface, oz/ft2 (g/m2)
Gage
completed barbed wire in accordance in. (mm) Class 1 Class 3
with Section 8.1, the manufacturer may 12 ½ 0.099 (2.51) 0.30 (90) 0.80 (245)
13 0.092 (2.32) 0.25 (75) 0.65 (200)
elect to establish compliance with Sec- I3 ½ 0.086 (2.18) 0.25 (75) 0.65 (200)
tions 5 and 6, breaking strength and 13 ¾ 0.083 (2.11) A
0.65 (200)
weight of coating, by tests made on wire 14 0.080 (2.03) 0.25 (75) 0.65 (200)
prior to fabrication. If the manufacturer 15 ½ 0.067 (1.70) A
0.50 (155)
A
makes this election. the purchaser still 16 ½ 0.058 (1.47) 0.40 (122)
A
reserves the right to test wire from the These sizes only furnished Class 3 Coating. Chain Link Fence Grade (Section 6.3).
completed barbed wire for compliance. It

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M 280 SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS

11. REJECTION AND REHEARING 12. CERTIFICATION shall be in accordance with ASTM A
700.
11.1 Material that fails to conform to 12.1 When specified in the purchase 13.2 When specified in the contract or
the requirements of this specification order or contract, a producer's or sup- order, and for direct procurement by or
may be rejected. Rejection should be plier's certification shall be furnished to direct shipment to the U.S. Government,
reported to the producer or supplier the purchaser that the material was manu- when Level A is specified, preservation,
promptly and in writing. In case of dissat- factured, sampled, tested, and inspected packaging, and packing shall be in accor-
isfaction with the results of the test, the in accordance with this specification and dance with the Level A requirement of
producer or supplier may make claim for has been found to meet the requirements. MIL-STD-163.
a rehearing. When specified in the purchase order or 13.3 When specified in the contract or
11.2 Instead of rejecting the entire lot contract, a report of the test results shall order, and for the direct procurement by
as provided for in Sections 9.3 and 9.4, be furnished. or direct shipment to the U.S. Govern-
the producer may test specimens from ment, marking for shipment, in addition
every spool, as provided for in Section to the requirements specified in the con-
13. PACKAGING AND MARKING tract or order, shall be in accordance with
9.1, and reject only those spools failing
the weight of coating or breaking strength MIL-STD-129 for U.S. military agencies
requirements. 13.1 Unless otherwise specified, pack- and in accordance with Fed. Std. No. 123
aging, marking, and loading for shipment for U.S. Government civil agencies.

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