Structural Welding Code—Sheet Steel

1 ScopeThis Welding code covers arc Welding of structuralsheet/strip steels, including cold formed members (here-after collectively referred to as sheet Steel ) which areequal to or less than 3/16 in. ( mm) in nomi-nal thickness. See Annex D, Tables D1 and D2 for gagenumbers and equivalent weld types unique to sheet Steel , arc spot, arcseam, and arc plug welds, are included in this Materials. This code is applicable tothe Welding of Structural sheet steels to other structuralsheet steels or to supporting Structural Steel General Stipulations. The fundamental premise ofthe code is to provide general stipulations applicable toany situation. Acceptance criteria for production weldsdifferent from those specified in the code shall be permit-ted for a particular application, provided they are suit-ably documented by the proposer and approved by theEngineer.

2 These alternate acceptance criteria shall bebased upon evaluation of suitability for service usingpast experience, experimental evidence, or engineeringanalysis considering material type, service load effects,and environmental Approval. All references to the need for approvalshall be interpreted to mean approval by the Engineer,defined as the duly designated person who acts for and inbehalf of the owner on all matters within the scope of thiscode. Deviations from code requirements shall requirethe Engineer s Sheet Steel Base Specified Base Metals. Sheet Steel base metals tobe welded under this code shall conform to the require-ments of the latest edition of one of the specificationslisted below, or any sheet Steel qualified in conformancewith Any combination of these steels may bewelded together. These steels may also be welded to anyof the steels listed in the latest edition of , Structural Welding Code Steel .

3 (1) Specification for Sheet Steel , Zinc-Coated (Galva-nized) by the Hot-Dip Process. Structural Physical Qual-ity (A653 SQ Grades 33, 37, 40, and 80).(2) Specification for Hot-Rolled Steel Sheet and Quality (ASTM A570).(3) Specification for Steel Sheet and Strip, Hot-Rolledand Cold-Rolled, High Strength, Low Alloy, with Im-proved Corrosion Resistance (ASTM A606).(4) Specification for Steel Sheet and Strip, Hot-Rolledor Cold-Rolled, High Strength, Low Alloy Columbiumor Vanadium, or both (ASTM A607 Grades 45, 50, 55,60, 65, and 70).(5) Specification for Steel , Cold-Rolled Sheet, CarbonStructural (ASTM A611). Other Base Metals. When a Steel other than thosecovered is approved under the provisions of theproject or product specification, and such a Steel is pro-posed for welded construction, the weldability of thesteel and the WPS for Welding it shall be established byqualification in conformance with the requirements ofsection 4 and such other requirements as prescribed bythe Minimum Yield Point.

4 The provisions of this codeare intended for use with sheet Steel having a minimumspecified yield point equal to or less than 80 000 psi(550 MPa). Welding Approved processes . This code provides for weld -ing with the shielded metal arc Welding (SMAW), gasStructural Welding Code Sheet Steel1. General Provisions2metal arc Welding (GMAW), flux cored arc Welding (FCAW), gas tungsten arc Welding (GTAW), or sub-merged arc Welding (SAW) Welding processes . (Note:Any variation of gas metal arc Welding (GMAW), includ-ing short-circuiting transfer, is acceptable.) Stud Welding . When stud Welding through the flatportion of decking or roofing onto supporting structuralmembers, the WPS shall conform to section 7 of thiscode and section 7 of ANSI/AWS Other processes . Other Welding processes may beused when approved by the Engineer.

5 In such case, theEngineer shall specify any additional qualification re-quirements necessary to assure satisfactory joints for theintended weld Metal Matching Filler Metals. When using the indicatedweld process, the filler metals listed in Table providea weld joint with strengths matching that of the Base Metal Filler Metal metal filler metal combinations other than thosedescribed in shall be permitted when evaluated andapproved by the Engineer. When base metals of dissimi-lar strengths are welded, the filler metal tensile strengthshall be equal to or greater than that of the lowest tensilestrength base Manufacturer s Certification. When requested bythe Engineer, the contractor shall furnish an electrodemanufacturer s certification stating that the electrodewill meet the requirements of the Electrodes for shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) AWS Specification.

6 Electrodes for SMAW shall conform to the requirements of the latest edition ofANSI/AWS , Specification for Carbon Steel Elec-trodes for shielded Metal Arc Welding , or to the require-ments of ANSI/AWS , Specification for Low-AlloySteel Electrodes for shielded Metal Arc Low-Hydrogen Electrode Control. This con-trol shall be for sheet Steel that is welded to a primarystructural member which is thicker than 1/4 in. ( mm).All electrodes having low-hydrogen coverings conform-ing to ANSI/AWS shall be purchased in hermeti-cally-sealed containers or shall be dried for at least twohours between 500 F (260 C) and 800 F (425 C) beforethey are used. Electrodes having low-hydrogen cover-ings conforming to ANSI/AWS shall be purchasedin hermetically-sealed containers or shall be dried at leastone hour at temperatures between 700 F (370 C) and800 F (430 C) before being used.

7 Electrodes shall bedried prior to use if the hermetically-sealed containershows evidence of after the opening of the hermetically-sealed container or removal of the electrode from a dry-ing oven, electrodes shall either be used or stored inovens held at a temperature of at least 250 F (120 C).E70XX and E70XX-X electrodes that are not usedwithin four hours or E80XX-X electrodes that are notused within two hours after the opening of the hermeti-cally-sealed container or the removal of the electrodesfrom a drying or storage oven shall be redried before that have been wet shall not be Melting Rate. A good measure of weldingcurrent can be provided by the melting rate (M) of application of this method is described in detail inthe Commentary, Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) AWS Specification. The bare electrodes andfluxes used in combination for SAW shall conform to therequirements of the latest edition of ANSI/AWS ,Specification for Carbon Steel Electrodes and Fluxes forSubmerged Arc Welding , or to the requirements of thelatest edition of ANSI/AWS , Specification forLow Alloy Steel Electrodes and Fluxes for SubmergedArc flux .

8 flux used for submerged arc weldingshall be dry and free of contamination from dirt, millscale, oils, or other foreign material. All flux shall bepurchased in packages that can be stored, under normalconditions, for at least six months without such storageaffecting its Welding characteristics or weld from damaged packages shall be discarded or shallbe dried at a minimum temperature of 250 F (120 C) forone hour before use. flux shall be placed in the dispens-ing system immediately upon the opening of a package,or if used from an opened package, the top 1 in. (25 mm)shall be discarded. flux that has been wet shall not Gas Metal Arc Welding , flux Cored Arc weld -ing (FCAW), and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)Filler AWS Specification. The filler metals andshielding for GMAW, FCAW or GTAW shall conform tothe requirements of the latest edition of , Specification for Carbon Steel Filler Metals forMInches of electrode meltedTime in minutes--------------------------------- ------------------------------=3 Table Filler Metal Requirements1 (see )ASTM Steel SpecificationMinimum Yield PointMinimum Tensile StrengthAWS Filler Metal SpecificationsksiMPaksiMPaA653 SQGr 33Gr 37Gr 40333740230255275455255310360380 SMAW AWS , E70 XXA570A606A607A611Gr 30Gr 33Gr 36Gr 40Gr 45Gr 50Gr 45Gr 50Gr AGr BGr CGr D303336404550454550253033402052302502753 1034531031034517520523027549525355606565 6065424548523403603653804154504504154502 90310335360 SMAW AWS or F7AX-EXXXSAW AWS or F7AX-EXXX-XXGMAW AWS A5.

9 1 8ER70S-XG TAW AW S A 5 . 1 8ER70S-XF C AW AW S A 5 . 2 0E6XT-X or E7XT-XF C AW AW S A 5 . 2 9E7 XTX-X or E6 XTX-XA607Gr 555538070485 SMAW AWS AWS AWS AWS AWS A5 .1 8ER70S-XF C AW AW S A 5 . 2 0E7XT-XF C AW AW S A 5 . 2 9E7 XTX-XG TAW AW S A 5 . 1 8ER70S-XA653 SQGr 808055082570 SMAW AWS [Note 2]E80XX-XA607Gr 60Gr 7060704154857585515585 SAW AWS E8055082565 GMAW AWS [Note 2]ER80S-XFCAW AWS [Note 2]E8 XTX-XGMAW AWS [Note 2]ER80S-XNotes:1. Low hydrogen electrodes shall be used when required by ANSI/AWS See of ANSI/AWS Filler metals of alloy groups B3, B3L, B4L, B5, B5L, B6, B6L, B7, B7L, B8, B8L, or B9 in ANSI/AWS , , or are not prequalifiedfor use in the as-welded Metal Arc Welding or ANSI/AWS , Specifica-tion for Low Alloy Steel Filler Metals for Gas ShieldedArc Welding , ANSI/AWS , Specification for Car-bon Steel Electrodes for flux Cored Arc Welding , orANSI/AWS , Specification for Low Alloy SteelElectrodes for flux Cored Arc Welding , as Shielding Media.

10 A gas or gas mixture usedfor shielding in GMAW, FCAW, when required, orGTAW, shall be of a Welding grade having a dew point of 40 F ( 40 C) or lower. When requested by the Engi-neer, the gas manufacturer shall furnish certification thatthe gas or gas mixture meets the procurement specifica-tion and will meet the dew point weld Square-Groove Welds in Butt Joints. This typeof weld is restricted to the Welding of sheet Steel to sheetsteel in all positions of Fillet Welds. This type of weld may be used in allpositions of Welding involving sheet Steel to sheet steelor a sheet Steel to a supporting Structural Fillet Welds in Lap and T-joints. Filletwelds in lap and T-joints may be used in all positions(see Table ) involving a sheet Steel to sheet Steel or asheet Steel to a supporting Structural : When fillet Welding sheet Steel to a supportingstructural member, measures shall be taken to preventunderbead Flare-Groove Welds.