By Lyndsey Deckard

Several years ago, I was the quality
manager for the owner of a major U.S.
airport project. The project was a
Design, Build, Operate, and Maintain
(DBOM) contract for an Automated
People Mover, utilizing a steel-
fabricated guideway. The
three-mile-long elevated guideway was
required to be welded in accordance
with AWS D1.5, Bridge Welding Code,
and AASHTO (American Association of
State Highway Transportation Officials).
Outriggers were mounted to the
vertical wall surfaces of the boxed
beam design guideway. These
outriggers were to support the many
miles of wiring and cables used to
deliver the power, controls, and
auxiliary equipment required for the
system. The outriggers were L-shaped
brackets approximately 2 ft long
attached to the vertical walls with ½-
in.-diameter weld studs.
The contractor began shooting
studs using inadequate equipment for
the stud diameter and no testing of
welds prior to each shift. The welds
produced were incomplete and did not
meet the visual requirements of proper
stud welds. AWS B4.0: 2007, Standard
Methods for Mechanical Testing of
Welds, in Section 11.1 “Stud Weld
Test” explains and illustrates the two
acceptable methods of stud weld
testing. Section 11.1 is quoted below:
11.1.1 Scope
11.1.1.1 This subclause covers
mechanical testing of stud welds. When
testing of stud welds is required, the
procedure shall conform to this
standard. This standard does not
specify requirements or acceptance
criteria.
11.1.1.2 When specified, this
standard is applicable to the following:
1) Qualification of materials,
welding operators, and welding
procedure;

2) Information, basis
of inspection and
fabrication quality control
(when acceptance criteria
have been established);
and
3) Research and
development.
11.1.1.3 When these
tests are specified, the
following information Fig. 11.1.1 — Equipment for bend tests for welded
shall be furnished: studs.
1) Weld procedure
(process and parameters);
2) The specific tests and number of 2) A tensile load is applied to the
specimens that are required; stud using an appropriate fixture. This
3) Base metal specification/ commonly is accomplished by use of a
identification; torque wrench and a stand-off sleeve.
4) Position of welding; 11.1.4 Significance
5) Stud analyses or specification 11.1.4.1 Mechanical testing of arc
(part number), or both; welded studs is used to evaluate weld
6) Type of testing; soundness, tensile properties, and
7) Acceptance criteria; and ductility of the stud weld.
8) For bend testing, the maximum 11.1.4.2 These tests are primarily
angle of bend must be specified, and used as a welding procedure
for torque testing, the torque to be used qualification method to evaluate
must be specified. welding parameters and surface
11.1.2 Normative References. The preparation.
following standards contain provisions 11.1.5 Apparatus. Apparatus used
which, through reference in this text, shall be capable of firmly holding the
constitute mandatory provisions of this test assembly and applying the bend-
test. For undated references, the latest ing force or torque as needed.
edition of the referenced standard shall 11.1.6 Specimens
apply. For dated references, 11.1.6.1 Test specimens shall be
subsequent amendments to, or prepared by welding the studs being
revisions of, any of these publications tested (qualified) to specimen plates of
do not apply. the appropriate base metal as specified
AWS Documents: in 11.1.1.3.
AWS C5.4, Recommended 11.1.6.2 Test specimens shall be
Practices for Stud Welding made using the appropriate automatic
AWS D1.1, Structural Welding timing, voltage, current, and gun
Code — Steel settings for lift and plunge as recorded
11.1.3 Summary of Method. The in 11.1.1.3.
specimen is tested by one of two 11.1.7 Procedure. The following
methods: are two test procedures as specified in
1) The stud is bent by striking with Part 11.1.3:
a hammer or bending it using a length 1) Bend Testing. The required
of tube or pipe, or number of welded specimens shall be
 
 tested by bending the required
 
num- ber of degrees from their
 original axis. Bending may be done
 by striking the stud with a hammer
or by bending it using a length of

tube or pipe as shown in Fig.
  11.1.1; and
 2) Torque Testing. The required
number of stud welded specimens
shall be tested by applying a torque
using equipment as shown in Fig.


11.1.2. A steel sleeve or washers, of
 appropriate size, are placed over
 the stud. A nut of the same material
as the stud is
tightened against the
washer bearing on
the sleeve, using a
torque wrench.
Tightening the nut
applies the tensile
load to the weld.
Torque is applied
until the specified
level is reached or
the weld fails. The
Fig. 11.1.2 — Equipment for applying a tensile load to a results of this test
welded stud using torque. may be significantly
 
affected by friction. Care should be
taken to minimize this effect.
11.1.8 Report. In addition to the
requirements of applicable documents,
the report shall include the following:
1) Test results and observations,
2) The information listed in Part
11.1.1.3, and
3) Drawings showing shapes and
dimensions of studs and arc shields.
For additional information on stud
welding process selection, application,
and visual acceptance criteria, refer to
AWS C5.4: 1993, Recommended
Practices for Stud Welding.
Lyndsey Deckard (Deckard@
pbworld.com) is quality manager of the
Vehicle Division of Parsons Brinckerhoff
Transit & Rail Systems, Inc. He is an AWS
Senior Certified Welding Inspector, an
ASQ Certified Quality Auditor, and a
member of the AWS Certification
Committee, Examination Question Bank
Subcommittee, and Ethics Subcommittee.