American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Current edition approved March 15, 2006. Published March 2006. Originally approved in 1974. Last previous edition approved in 2005 as A 709/A 709M– 05. 8 p. This specification covers carbon and high-strength lowalloy steel structural shapes, plates, and bars and quenched and tempered alloy steel for structural plates intended for use in bridges.