STATIC, FATIGUE, AND IMPACT STRENGTH OF ELECTROSLAG WELDMENTS

ELECTROSLAG WELDS FOR THIS RESEARCH PROGRAM WERE MADE ALONG THE LONG DIMENSION BETWEEN STEEL PLATES 2'-0" X 1 1/4" X 3'-6". THREE DIFFERENT FABRICATORS EACH PREPARED TWO BUTT WELD SPECIMENS, ONE WITH ASTM A36 AND THE OTHER WITH ASTM A588 STEEL PLATES. FROM THE WELDMENTS, A TOTAL OF NINE A36 AND NINE A588 SPECIMENS WERE PREPARED FOR FATIGUE TESTS. EACH OF THE FULL-SCALE FATIGUE SPECIMENS PROVIDED A TEST CROSS SECTION APPROXIMATELY 4" WIDE BY 1 1/4" THICK WHICH WAS TRANSVERSED, EXACTLY AT ITS MID-POINT, BY THE BUTT WELD. IN 15 OF THE SPECIMENS THE WELD REINFORCEMENT WAS REMOVED BY GRINDING. STRAIN GAGES WERE MOUNTED ON THE SPECIMENS AT A CROSS SECTION NEAR THE WELD TO PERMIT AN EVALUATION OF THE ECCENTRICITY RESULTING FROM THE LOAD APPLIED TO THE SPECIMEN. THE STRESSES USED FOR PLOTTING THE DATA (STRESS RANGE VS NUMBER OF CYCLES TO FAILURE) WERE THE MAXIMUM RANGES INDICATED BY ANY ONE OF THE FOUR GAGES. PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT OBSERVATION MADE FROM THESE DATA IS THAT OF THE 11 SPECIMENS WITH THE REINFORCEMENT REMOVED WHICH FAILED, SEVEN OF THE FAILURES OCCURRED IN THE BASE METAL AND ONLY FOUR WITHIN THE WELD METAL. BASED ON THIS OBSERVATION IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT ELECTROSLAG BUTT WELDS BETWEEN BOTH A36 AND A588 STEEL PLATES, IF PROPERLY MADE, WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE FATIGUE STRENGTH INHERENT IN THE PLATE ITSELF. CERTAINLY THE ELECTROSLAG WELDS, WITH THE REINFORCEMENT REMOVED BY GRINDING, PERFORM AS WELL UNDER FATIGUE LOADINGS AS DO BUTT WELDS MADE BY MORE CONVENTIONAL METHODS. /FHWA/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • RES STUDY 3-5-71-157CFHR 3-5-71-157-1F
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Texas, Austin

  Center for Highway Research, 200 West 21st Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78712
• Authors:
  • Noel, J S
  • Toprac, A A
• Publication Date: 1972-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 91 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Emergency exits; Fatigue tests; Loads; Shock resistance; Steel plates; Structural analysis; Weldments
• Uncontrolled Terms: Impact strength; Loading
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00215997
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Texas State Department of Highways & Public Transp
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 16 1974 12:00AM