Welding ASTM A252, Grade 45

By ps_bridge Date 01-14-2003 19:02

I have structural steel pipe piles that are in accordance with ASTM A252, Grade 45. The plans allow for the piles to be spliced with a single bevel groove weld. Neither the Structural Welding Code nor the Bridge Welding Code list this material as a base material covered by their specifications.
Is there a welding code that provides requirements for welding this material? i.e., size and type of electrode, qualifications requirements, etc.

By chall

Date 01-14-2003 19:56

I went through a similar drill a year or so ago with the NH DOT.

If I remeber correctly, as far as chemistry goes, the material spec simply puts a limit on Phosphorous. The spec is really more like a listing of mechanical requirements, tolerances, weights, etc.

The supplier can use any steel material they want to (within the Phosophorous limits) to make the pile. You need pile with a 45ksi tensile strength.

We had to obtain a sample from the supplier and run a PQR in accordance with D1.1 (at the insistance of the NH DOT).

In other cases, we have been successful in making the case that the real "test of service" takes place as the pile is being driven.

We used E7018 and NR232 for our procedures.

Charles Hall

By ps_bridge Date 01-15-2003 16:47

Thanks for the information.

A search on Google returned a special provision for steel pipe piles on CalTrans' web site. Following is the link:

http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:3qrM8ioET00C:www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/structurespecs/BRIDGE/99REF/49-350(49PIPE)_R03-27-02.DOC+welded+pipe+pile+splice&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

The special provision includes the following statement:
Pipe piling designated as ASTM Designation A252, which has an ultimate yield strength of ¡Ü 65 ksi, shall be treated as ASTM Designation A572, Grade 50 material for the purposes of welding and prequalification of base metal, in conformance with the requirements of AWS D1.1.

Robert Smith

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 01-15-2003 16:55

Thanks for sharing that info,
John Wright