8/14/2015

Welddefects/imperfectionsincompleterootfusionorpenetrationJobknowledge40
Accessibility TextOnly SiteMap

TechnicalCapabilities

Membership

TrainingandExaminations

> TechnicalKnowledge > JobKnowledge > Welddefects/imperfectionsincompleterootfusionorpenetration

Share:

Welddefects/imperfectionsincompleterootfusionand
penetration
JobKnowledge
Thecharacteristicfeaturesandprincipalcausesofincompleterootfusionand
penetrationaredescribed.Generalguidelineson'bestpractice'aregivensowelderscan
minimisetheriskofintroducingimperfectionsduringfabrication.

Fabricationandservicedefectsandimperfections
Asthepresenceofimperfectionsinaweldedjointmaynotrenderthecomponent
defectiveinthesenseofbeingunsuitablefortheintendedapplication,thepreferred
termisimperfectionratherthandefect.Forthisreason,productionqualityfora
componentisdefinedintermsofaqualitylevelinwhichthelimitsfortheimperfections
areclearlydefined,forexampleLevelB,CorDinaccordancewiththerequirementsof
BSENISO5817.FortheAmericanstandardsASMEIXandAWSD1.1,theacceptance
levelsarecontainedinthestandards.

TheSSSchenectady,anall
weldedtanker,brokeintwo
whilstlyingindockin1943.
Principalcausesofthis
failurewerepoordesignand
badworkmanship

Theapplicationcodewillspecifythequalitylevelswhichmustbeachievedforthe
variousjoints.
Imperfectionscanbebroadlyclassifiedintothoseproducedonfabricationofthecomponentorstructureandthose
formedasresultofadverseconditionsduringservice.Theprincipaltypesofimperfectionsare:
fabrication:
lackoffusion
lackoforincompletepenetration
cracks
porosity
inclusions
incorrectweldshapeandsize
service:
brittlefracture
stresscorrosioncracking
fatiguefailure
Weldingprocedure,jointfeaturesandaccessandweldertechniquewillhaveadirecteffectonfabrication
imperfections.Incorrectprocedureorpoortechniquemayproduceimperfectionsleadingtoprematurefailurein
service.

Incompleterootfusionorpenetration
Identification
Incompleterootfusioniswhentheweldfailstofuseonesideofthejointintheroot.Incompleterootpenetration
occurswhenbothsidesrootregionofthejointareunfused.Typicalimperfectionscanariseinthefollowingsituations:
anexcessivelythickrootfaceinabuttweld(Fig.1a)
toosmallarootgap(Fig.1b)
http://www.twiglobal.com/technicalknowledge/jobknowledge/welddefectsimperfectionsincompleterootfusionorpenetration040/

1/3

8/14/2015

Welddefects/imperfectionsincompleterootfusionorpenetrationJobknowledge40

misplacedwelds(Fig.1c)
failuretoremovesufficientmetalincuttingbacktosoundmetalinadoublesidedweld(Fig.1d)
incompleterootfusionwhenusingtoolowanarcenergy(heat)input(Fig.1e)
toosmallabevelangle,
toolargeadiameterelectrodeinMMAwelding(Fig2)

a)Excessivelythick
rootface

b)Toosmallaroot
gap

c)Misplacedwelds

d)Powerinputtoo
low

e)Arc(heat)inputtoo
low

Fig.1Causesofincompleterootfusion

a)Largediameterelectrode

Fig.2
Effectof
electrode
diameter
onroot
fusionand

b)Smalldiameterelectrod

Causes
Thesetypesofimperfectionaremorelikelyinconsumableelectrodeprocesses(MIG,MAG,FCAW,MMAandSAW)
wheretheweldmetalis'automatically'depositedasthearcconsumestheelectrodewireorrod.Thewelderhas
limitedcontrolofweldpoolpenetrationindependentofdepositingweldmetal.Thus,thenonconsumableelectrode
TIGprocessinwhichtheweldercontrolstheamountoffillermaterialdepoistedindependentofpenetrationisless
pronetothistypeofdefect.
InMMAwelding,theriskofincompleterootfusionandrootpenetrationcanbereducedbyusingthecorrectwelding
parametersandelectrodediametertogiveadequatearcenergyinputandsatisfactorypenetration.Electrodediameter
isalsoimportantinthatitshouldbesmallenoughtogiveadequateaccesstotheroot,especiallywhenusingasmall
includedveeangle(Fig2).Itiscommonpracticetouseeithera2.5mmor3.25mmdiameterelectrodefortheroot
runsotheweldercanmanipulatetheweldpoolandcontrolthedegreeofpenetration.However,forthefillpasses
wherepenetrationrequirementsarelesscritical,a4mmor5mmdiameterelectrodemaybeusedtoachievehigher
depositionrates.
InMIGwelding,thecorrectweldingparametersforthematerialthickness,andashortarclength,shouldgive
adequateweldbeadpenetration.Toolowacurrentlevelforthesizeofrootfacewillgiveinadequateweld
penetration.Toohighalevel,causingtheweldertomovetooquickly,willresultintheweldpoolbridgingtheroot
withoutachievingadequatepenetration.
Itisalsoessentialthatthecorrectrootfacesizeandbevelanglesareusedandthatthejointrootgapisset
accurately.Topreventtherootgapfromclosing,adequatetackingwillberequired.

Bestpracticeinprevention
Thefollowingtechniquescanbeusedtopreventlackofrootfusion:
http://www.twiglobal.com/technicalknowledge/jobknowledge/welddefectsimperfectionsincompleterootfusionorpenetration040/

2/3

8/14/2015

Welddefects/imperfectionsincompleterootfusionorpenetrationJobknowledge40

InTIGwelding,donotusetoolargearootfaceortoosmallarootgapandensuretheweldingcurrentis
sufficientfortheweldpooltopenetratefullytheroot
InMMAwelding,usethecorrectcurrentlevelandnottoolargeanelectrodediameterfortherootrun
InMIG/MAGwelding,useasufficientlyhighweldingcurrentlevelwhichissupportedbytheappropriatearc
voltagefortheapplication
Whenusingajointconfigurationwitharootgap,makesureitisofadequatewidthanddoesnotcloseupduring
tackingandsubsequentwelding
Donotusetoolowacurrentlevelcausingtheweldpooltobridgetherootgapwithoutfullypenetratingtheroot.

Acceptancestandards
ThelimitsforlackoforincompletepenetrationarespecifiedinBSENISO5817forthethreequalitylevels.
LackoforincompleterootpenetrationisnotpermittedforQualityLevelB(stringent)andLevelC(intermediate).
However,LevelCmakesanexceptionforpartialpenetrationbuttweldsweldedfrombothsideas.
ForQualityLevelD(moderate)shortlackoforincompletepenetrationimperfectionsarepermitted.
Incompleterootpenetrationisnotpermittedinthemanufactureofpressurevesselsbutisallowableinthe
manufactureofpipeworkdependingonmaterialandwallthickness.

Remedialactions
Iftherootcannotbedirectlyinspected,forexampleusingapenetrantormagneticparticleinspectiontechnique,
detectionisbyradiographyorultrasonicinspection.Remedialactionwillnormallyrequireremovalbygougingor
grindingtosoundmetal,followedbyreweldingusuallyinconformitywiththeoriginalweldingprocedure.

Relevantstandards
BSENISO5817:2007Weldingfusionweldedjointsinsteel,nickel,titaniumandtheiralloys(beamwelding
excluded)Qualitylevelsforimperfections.
BSENISO10042:2005WeldingArcweldedjointsinaluminiumanditsalloysQualitylevelsforimperfections.
CopiesofotherarticlesintheJobknowledgeforweldersseriescanbefoundunderPracticalJoiningKnowledgeorby
usingthesearchengine.
ThisJobKnowledgearticlewasoriginallypublishedinConnect,March/April1999.Ithasbeenupdatedsotheweb
pagenolongerreflectsexactlytheprintedversion.

http://www.twiglobal.com/technicalknowledge/jobknowledge/welddefectsimperfectionsincompleterootfusionorpenetration040/

3/3