Prequalified Fillet Weld T-Joint in AWS D1.1

Date 03-29-2012 14:25

Dear All.

If I am making a fillet weld in a T-joint between two structural members that fall under AWS D1.1 requirements, can I use a pre-qualified WPS for the weld? There is no prequalified joint detail that shows a fillet weld like this. However, it looks to me like this would fall under 3.9 Fillet Weld Requirements and 3.9.1 for nontubular details. As long as you are staying within the limitations of Figures 2.1 and 2.4 and following the minimum fillet weld sizes of Table 5.8, all non-tubular fillet welds are prequalified, even though there arent any joint designs showing the fillet welded T-joint specifically. Does this sound correct?

Thanks for any help.
Dayanara

By waccobird (****)

Date 03-29-2012 14:56

DAYANARA

You can write a Prequalified WPS for the condition you mention.

But you need to write it with the variables listed so as the personnel have instruction.

Hope this helps more than hurts

Marshall

By eekpod

Date 03-29-2012 15:41

Yes, Fillet welds are pre-qualifed.
For some reason they never put a diagram of them in the code so that confuses a lot of people cause you look through the pre-qual joints and never actually find a fillet weld, only PJP and CJP.

By 803056

Date 03-29-2012 17:03

Where to start?

I begin the quest with AWS D1.1-2008 (it is sitting within arm's reach, so why not?). Read clause 3.9, which leads to Figure 3.11. The title may throw the unwary reader off because the figure is titled "Prequalified Skewed T-joint Details, non tubular". A quick look at sketch "A" indicates the angle between members is more than 60 degree, but less than 135 degrees. I believe the angles of 80 degrees and 100 degrees fall within the range for a fillet weld as described in clause 2.2.5.2. The appropriate text to accompany Figure 3.11 is found in clause 2.3.3. It addresses four conditions, one where the angle between members is less than 80 and or more 100 degrees, one where the angle is between 80 and 60 degrees or where the angle is greater than 100 degrees, one where the angle is between 60 and 30 degrees, and last but not least, where the angle is less than 30 degrees.

I venture to say that most readers would categorize the welds occuring in angles between 80 and 100 degrees as fillet welds in the traditional sense (refer to clause 2.2.5.2). When the angle is less than 80 degree, the text of clause 2.3.3 no longer uses the word fillet weld to describe the weld, it simply refers to the "weld" in the skewed T-joint. Is it a fillet weld if the angle between the members is less than 80 degrees? Since it is not defined as such by by AWS D1.1 I would venture that it is not a fillet weld, but it is still prequalified if the weld meets the conditions and limitations defined by AWS D1.1, clause 3.9.3.

What is the situation when welding to a different code? Good luck with that. I offer no opinion.

Best regards - Al