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Welding International
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To cite this article: Jan Stabrya & Krzysztof Dutka (2011) Failure analysis of welded constructions, Welding
International, 25:7, 517-522, DOI: 10.1080/09507116.2010.540839
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09507116.2010.540839
Welding International
Vol. 25, No. 7, July 2011, 517522
Selected from Przeglad Spawalnictwa 2008 (6) 15 20
In this article, we described the dependence of the failure of steel building constructions on the quality of their welded joints.
On the basis of our own experience, we specified basic improprieties observed in the manufacturing process of welded
joints. Examinations were made of welded constructions in which discontinuities were revealed after only a short period of
use. Laboratory tests showed a series of technological and constructional shortcomings. On the basis of the examinations
results, some guidelines for a revision of the welding process were handed to one particular manufacturer.
Introduction
Welding is a commonly applied joining technique in
industries related to bridges, hulls, pressure containers,
industrial pipelines, and building constructions. The quality
of the joints made determines a constructions hardness
and its fault-free operation1,2. In various manufacturing
fields, the approach to quality varies3 7. Especially,
restrictive provisions are laid on productions subject to
technical inspections [DT, UT, and WO-W provisions
(Polish regulatory codes)], while the most tolerant refers to
building construction production. After having worked
with various companies producing steel construction
structures8,9, it can be seen that welding production very
often occurs based only on simplified construction
documentation. Project descriptions very often contain
such recommendations as metal sheets to be joined with
fillet welds (a 0.7 g) and butt welds (on the full width of
a thinner component); the construction to be performed
according to PN-B/06200 standard, 5th fault quality, more
important joints to be X-ray tested without indications
as to the location of the more important joints and very
often what their required quality levels are, along a
kilometre of welds. In the project under discussion, the
following was not considered: necessity for butt profiles
joining when construction elements fit within trading
lengths. This particular manufacturer joins shorter cut-off
fragments with butt welds which were not planned for in
the construction documentation and are not covered by
not-destructive tests. Only construction catastrophes10 12
expose the presence of those joints made without full
penetration and allow for the checking of those joints
quality using NDT methods.
The companys construction designers often show no
appropriate knowledge with regard to their steels
mechanical and thermomechanical states, select materials
according to the type without considering thermomechanical treatment states or surface finishing methods, and
apply metallurgic repair procedures (pit erosion, cut-outs,
and hardfacing of cracking). The authors are familiar with
the various cases which are as follows:
. Utilization of metallurgic constructions characterized
518
1043-1).
Fastening beam
250 250 8
Welding International
519
Hardness tests
HV10 hardness was measured using an HPO 250 hardness
tester on a cross section of the stretch provided for tests.
Measurements were made on the NM of the bolt, in the
heat-affected zone (HAZ) of the bolt, in the weld (at a
depth of up to 2 mm under the surface external beads),
and in the HAZ and NM of the fastening beam. Table 1
presents the test results.
520
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(a)
(b)
(a)
(b)
Figure 10. Cracking in (a) the NM upon the arc of the profile
300 300; (b) traces of hardness measurements are visible. The
arrow points at the zinc in the slot.
Welding International
Table 1.
521
Place of measurement
(mm)
Hardness range
(HV)
136160
180206
249264
190230
221225
180205
Summary
Based on a certificate provided by the manufacturer,
the bolts profile was made of S355J2H steel according to
PN-EN 10210:2006, i.e. a non-alloy construction steel
designated for hot-formed shapes. According to general
recommendations for welded joints, locating welds in
cold-work zones caused by bending, upsetting, cutting
with scissors, digging holes, etc. especially in unsettled
steels and those inclined to ageing, should be avoided.
In cold-deformed areas, the distance between the weld and
the deformed area should be higher than five thicknesses of
the welded element. In the discussed construction, this
recommendation was not included, because the weld
where the cracking occurred was in a place overlapping
the curved part of the bolts profile. The increased
hardness of the curved part of the bolt proved incomplete
recrystallization, and, therefore, each thermal effect
(b)
522
References
Figure 13. Test element after slitting. The cross section sector
taken for metallographic testing is marked by an arrow.
Conclusions
Discrepancies in the gateway bolt unit construction are
included as follows:
. Use of incorrect welding technique, which was the