The AWS D1 Structural Welding Com-mittee Chair Duane Miller announced inhis editorial in the March 2010 issue ofthe Welding Journal that D1.1 would moveto a five-year publication cycle. This willbe the first time since 1986 that D1.1 willnot be published on a two-year cycle.Aside from this significant change in pub-lication frequency, the D1.1:2010 editionhas several other changes that the Struc-tural Welding Committee feels the indus-try will welcome. Described here are themost significant changes from the 2008 tothe 2010 editions of D1.1. Some explana-tions and rationale behind a few notedchanges are also included.

Understanding a New Table

The most noticeable change that mostusers of the code will see in the 2010 edi-tion is the addition of a new table in theprequalification section. The new table,Table 3.8, lists which variables must be in-cluded on a prequalified WPS, and howchanges beyond certain parameters wouldrequire a new or revised WPS to be writ-ten. Subclause 3.6 introduces the newtable, and users of the code will notice thatthis subclause no longer references Clause4, Table 4.5, for the requirements and theranges for amperage, voltage, travelspeed, and shielding gas flow rate. Thecode also includes commentary on thenew Table 3.8 that helps clarify many openquestions on prequalified procedures andexplains how to use the new table. Codeusers should be aware that some of theprequalification ranges of the four vari-ables mentioned previously have alsobeen revised with the establishment of thisnew table. In addition, specific rangeshave been placed on other variables notrequired in previous editions of the code

such as wire feed speed and submergedarc welding electrode parameters, toname two. The listing of the other vari-ables in the new table is not a change inthe requirements of previous editions ofthe code in writing a prequalified WPS,rather they are a clarification that changesto those variables require writing a newor revised prequalified WPS. It is theStructural Welding Committee’s consen-sus that reorganization and consolidationof the instructions on how to establish aprequalified WPS will assist code users.

Weld Profiles

Probably the next greatest change inthe code is the redrafting of the well-known weld profile figures, Figure 5.4. Thenumber of illustrations has been increasedto better clarify what weld profiles are re-quired in different types of weld joints. Anew table accompanying the redrawn fig-ure lists weld profile dimension require-ments, such as weld reinforcement and al-

lowable convexity. These requirements arecategorized into four schedules (ScheduleA, Schedule B, Schedule C, and ScheduleD) in the new table as a means to separatedifferent criteria depending on the type ofweld and type of weld joint to be welded.Along with redrafting these figures, thecode committee has made slight modifi-cations to the code’s requirements such aslarger weld reinforcement is now permit-ted for welds in thicker members. By ex-panding Figure 5.4, the code now showsspecific weld profiles for groove welds incorner and T-joints, shelf bars, and weldsbetween butt joint welded members of un-equal thickness. Some of the new weld pro-files are shown in Figs. 1–4.

New Thermal CutRoughness Requirements

Also of note is the elimination of spe-cific thermal cut roughness values as givenin previous editions in Subclause 5.15.4.3

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A Summary of Revisions in the NewD1.1:2010, Structural Welding

Code – SteelPoised to go on a five-year publication cycle, the

2010 Code has some significant changes explained

BY JOHN L. GAYLER AND DONALD D. RAGER

JOHN L. GAYLER (gayler@aws.org) is director, national standards activities, American Welding Society, Miami, Fla.DONALD D. RAGER (ddrager@ragerconsulting.com) is president, Rager Consulting, Inc., Coles Point, Va.

Fig. 1 — Groove weld profiles inside corner joints.

and measured to the requirements ofASME B46.1. Now, the new thermal cutroughness values are tied solely to thecomparison samples found in AWS C4.1,Oxygen Cutting Surface Roughness Gauge.The requirements in previous code edi-tions have been deemed overly prescrip-tive, and the code committee thought itappropriate to change the requirementsto a comparative standard.

Access Holes and Beam Copes

Requirements for weld access holesand beam copes are revised in this edi-tion. Weld access hole dimensions havebeen modified, and mandatory minimumand recommended maximum depth di-mensions of access holes have been set toprevent those that are unnecessarily deepor that are too shallow. The new code alsopermits a smaller radius on reentrant cor-ners in connection material and beamcopes, as the 1-in. (25-mm) radius re-quirement of previous codes is not sup-ported by research and is excessive formany connection details. Beam copes ingalvanized sections must now be groundto bright metal to reduce the possibilityof cracking. Preheating before thermalcutting of beam copes and weld accessholes in heavy shapes is now mandatoryto reduce the formation of a hard surfacelayer and the tendency to initiate cracks.

Revised BackingRequirements

The code committee has revised the re-quirements for backing, found in Sub-clause 5.10, to allow for discontinuousbacking in some limited statically loadedhollow structural steel (HSS) applications.There are limiting factors including diam-eter and wall thickness of the HSS shapethat control when noncontinuous backingmay be permitted, and there are, of course,a few code exceptions to these limitations.

Prequalification andQualification

Under Subclause 3.3, the matching andundermatching table has been revised toclarify that a filler metal chosen for join-ing a combination of two differentstrength base materials need only matcheither of the two materials for the selec-tion to be considered “matching.” Like-wise, “undermatching” was clarified tomean a selection of filler metal whosestrength is less than either of the base met-als being joined.

The requirements of Subclause 3.7.3have been expanded to include all weath-

JULY 201048

Fig. 4 — Typical shelf bar details.

Fig. 2 — Groove weld profiles in T-joints.

Fig. 3 — Fillet weld profiles for outside corner joints.

ering steels, not just ASTM A 588. ASTMA 709 HPS50W has been added as a pre-qualified material in Group II of Table 3.1and Group B of Table 3.2. ASTM A1043Grades 36 and 50 have been added toTable 4.9.

A new subclause under 3.13 (CJPGroove Weld Requirements) has beenadded to clarify that only steel backing isconsidered prequalified for nontubularwelds made from one side only. The useof material other than steel for backing ina one-sided nontubular weld may be usedif qualified by test in accordance withClause 4 (Qualification).

The code clarifies by revisions to 4.35.3that if an existing qualified WPS is to beused for applications requiring impactsbut CVN tests were not done during theinitial qualification of that WPS then aprocedure test plate needs to be per-formed but only impact tests are requiredto be run. The other tests associated witha WPS being qualified by test, having beencompleted during the original WPS Qual-ification need not be repeated.

Stud Size

A 3⁄8-in. (10-mm) stud size has beenadded to the code, and the tolerances onexisting stud sizes have been revised to

allow manufacturers to produce productsthat comply with both international andAmerican standards. These tolerancechanges do not adversely affect the physi-cal or mechanical properties of the studs.

Commentary on ESW,EGW, and UT

New commentary on electroslag andelectrogas welding (ESW and EGW) hasbeen added as assistance to users in im-plementing these welding processes. Also,commentary to alert users when applyingESW and EGW on quench and temperedsteels, thermomechanical controlprocessed steel, and precipitation hard-ened steels subjected to cyclic loading ap-plications has been added. Both potentialand current users of these processesshould read through the new commentaryto better understand potential pitfalls andpossible remedies suggested there.

Additional commentary has beenadded to emphasize that the ultrasonictesting (UT) acceptance criteria shown inTables 6.2 and 6.3 have been establishedwithin specific testing parameters and thatusing testing equipment or procedures,such as transducers of a different size orangle shown in these tables, may invali-date the results.

Other Changes

• The code no longer requires the Type1 IIW UT Reference Block; any of the IIW“type” blocks may be used.

• Cracks or bursts in headed studs arenow covered in detail, and the maximumlength of these cracks has been established.

• A definition for “tubular” has beenadded to Annex K along with a reviseddefinition for “pipe.”

• Annex N, Form N-3 (ESW/EGW)has been completely revised.

• Some guidance has been added tothe introductory page of the commentaryto assist users in distinguishing commen-tary on code from items supporting commentary.

• The words “thorough fusion” havebeen changed to “complete fusion” inTable 6.1 (visual acceptance criteria) tomatch the terminology used in AWS A3.0,Standard Welding Terms and Definitions.

Many other changes, mostly minor,have been made to this new edition of theD1.1 Code. The new foreword has a com-prehensive but succinct list of all changes.Most changes are also identified in thepublished code by underlined text or ver-tical lines in the margins of the page.�

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