Fillet Welded A706 Rebar to A36 Plate

By swnorris (****)

Date 05-19-2009 20:08

To qualify this, a PQR needs to be written and tested. If the PQR is good, a WPS is written, and then welders qualified in accordance with the WPS.

The PQR was tested to the largest electrode diameter, 3/16", so that a smaller diameter can be used without WPS requalification. (Essential variable item 3 in Table 6.1). Also, it appears that a change in bar sizes is not an issue. Incidently, a #8 bar was used for the PQR, and this bar size will be the largest bar size used in production.

In order to qualify the WPS, the largest bar size to be used in production is used (6.2.1.1).

In order to qualify the welder, the smallest bar size used in qualification qualifies the welder for welding that bar size and any size larger (6.3.2.2), so the welder tested using a #3 bar and 3/32" diameter electrode. The welder passed the fillet weld bend test (6.3.3.2 Item 4).

This is a little confusing and I can't maintain a steady thought process due to all that's going on here. What I'd like to do is to incorporate all into one WPS, which will encompass #3 bar thru #8, fillet weld sizes 1/4" thru 9/16" based on bar dia., and electrode diameters 3/32" thru 3/16", with amp ranges based on each electrode dia.

Does anyone see a problem with any of this?

By DGXL

Date 05-19-2009 22:54

swnorris:
1.) Why qualify if only fillet welds are used?
This is the only prequalified detail in the D1.4 code (6.1.2.1).

2.) Last year I qualified approximately 10 rebar WPS's (A 706/A 615) and issued about another 8 or so prequalified WPS's for fillet welded rebar to HSLA steel as the Engineer kept revising details and my customer kept changing the electrodes used in the shop and field. Personally, I don't think you need to squeeze all this info on a single WPS as the code does permit (as you mentioned) a decrease in electrode diameter. I gave up trying to incorporate all the D1.4 requirements trying to encompass all the procedure and performance variables into one sheet of paper.

3.) My D1.4 WPS's now note only the largest diameter SMAW electrode and classification used for each position. Table 6.1 permits basically any current range permitted by the manufacturer, so I note what we used during qualification, and the CWI's in the field (and the SE) were satisfied with our procedures and qualifications including the 20+ guys we qualified with the small diameter bars for the performance testing. All of these tests also had to meet the DSA requirements here in CA meaning we had QA monitoring our QC.

4.) Did have issues with 2 CWI's (no longer on the project...) who wanted a WPS for the smaller diameters which the SE said was not required (I agree).
"KISS"

DGXL

By swnorris (****)

Date 05-20-2009 11:09

Why qualify if only fillet welds are used?

I think you have a point, and I agree with you. My thinking was that if fillets are prequalified in D1.1, Why not D1.4 as well? That was somewhat a gray area for me, but I was told that a PQR was necessary. I didn't clearly see where a PQR was required in Section 6, and as I reviewed Section 1, I understood 1.3.1, which shows ASTM specs. for reinforcing steel.... I understood 1.3.2, which addresses bars not listed in 1.3.1., but the 1.3.3 paragraph is the one that was the sort of gray area to me. It states that "base metals, other than those previously listed, shall be one of the structural steels listed in the latest D1.1".... but it didn't indicate that the base metals in D1.1, when used in combination with any of the reinforcing bars listed in 1.3.1, were prequalified, nor did it indicate that a PQR was required. Maybe the thinking in my situation was that it's better to be safe than sorry, hence the PQR. However I did see where "WPS for fillet welds shall be considered prequalified and exempt from testing" (6.1.2.1), as you've mentioned. It still seems there could be somewhat of a valid argument with a 3rd party inspector who insists that a PQR is needed for bar to structural, but with the omission of any such statement in D1.4, the "WPS for fillet welds shall be considered prequalified and exempt from testing" would apply, as long as the structural base metal is listed in D1.1.
Any further thoughts?

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 05-20-2009 11:28

Scott,
I didn't have a current copy of D1.4 so I didn't comment, but I agree with the line of thinking that DGXL and you are following.

By 877412

Date 05-21-2009 03:32

Don't get hung up on the "fillet weld" as all the welds shown in my 98 code for Chapter 6 show flare bevel GROOVE welds . These are not prequalified but do qualify filllets. Many people think of the "T" weld as a fillet and this is not necessarily so because it can be a CJP groove weld! I haven't had to look at an updated D1.4 (05) so many things have changed--- but usually not. Generally I have found that qualification is required for all rebar to plate as this is a flare bevel groove weld. I would hope that all you that are qualifiying WPS/PQR/WQTR are aware of this as there are not very many "fillets" unless the rebar is perpendicular to the plate .

By swnorris (****)

Date 05-21-2009 10:29

Things have definitely changed in the 05 code pertaining to fillet welds, particularly Section 6.