4.

7 Repair Welding
4.7.1 Basic consideration for repair welding
A high degree of knowledge and experience is required to repair
cracks or other weld defects and to assure quality.

Generally speaking, repair welding is performed locally, restraint is

large, cooling rate is high, and the work area and welding positions
are generally limited.
Accordingly, repair welding generally requires a higher degree of
technical ability and skill, and more attention than ordinary
welding.

The repair welding should surely and properly be conducted in

accordance with the following procedures to repair a crack and/or
failure caused by a breakage accident of products and structures
during service. The repair welding records should be prepared so as
to keep traceability.
1. Figure out and record the circumstances (such as situation of
occurrence, range of occurrence, and results of inspection) of
nonconformance (such as cracks and failure).

2. Investigate and analyze nonconformance (such as cracks and

failure) to clarify the causes, study the remedies, and make a plan
for repair welding procedure.

3. Prepare a repair welding procedure specification (including an

inspection procedure) for repairing nonconformance (such as
cracks and failure) in the light of standards, technical books, and
technical reports and request a responsible person to examine
and judge the adequacy of the specification and to approve it.

4. For repairing heavy-duty welded structures (such as pressure

vessels, ships, and bridges), get the approvals of the designer,
owner, and inspection organizations such as the safety and
security investigation association and the ship classification
society.
5. Remove cracks and ruptured portion completely and confirm that no
crack remains by means of visual test (VT), liquid penetrant test (PT),
and/or magnetic particle test (MT). Also, the neighboring area and
joints welded by the same procedure should be confirmed that they
contain no nonconformance by means of nondestructive tests of
radiographic test (RT) or ultrasonic test (UT).

6. Execute repair welding and check it in accordance with the approved

procedure and record details for traceability. The details should
include qualification of repair welders, humidity and temperature,
welding procedure, welding consumables, welding conditions,
preheat and postheat conditions, and inspection results.

7. Request an inspection organization to witness the repair work and

inspection.
8. Submit the report of repair details and inspection results to
the responsible person for his/her approval and send them to
the owner and the inspection organization.

9. Similar joints and the same kinds of products and structures

welded by the same WPS should be investigated and inspected
for confirmation.

10. In the light of the nonconformance occurrence report, the

original WPS should be examined and amended if necessary,
and the action should be taken to prevent the reoccurrence of
the nonconformance.
4.7.2 Removal and repair of weld defects
(1) Removal of weld defects
First, the weld defect to be removed is confirmed by non-destructive
inspection (NDI). The weld defect is removed using a grinder, arc air
gouging, or chipping. Removal of a defect should be confirmed by
visual inspection or NDI (MT or PT).

As weld defects such as cracks often propagate during repair, stop

holes should be made on both ends of the defect before beginning
the repair.

After the defect is removed, the groove should be inspected and

corrected, if necessary, so that successive welding may be performed.

When the amount of repair welding is very small, the groove may
enlarge. The groove surface should be well inspected visually or using
non-destructive inspection
(2) Repair welding
Use of low hydrogen electrodes or MAG welding is recommended for
repair welding except in the case of thin structures or surface repair.

Preheating at a higher temperature than that for ordinary welding is

recommended.

Post-heating is also often applied to remove diffused hydrogen and to

prevent cracking.

In the case of repair welding for high strength steel, the following
procedure is recommended;

a. The length of the weld bead should be more than 50 mm.

b. The number of layers should be more than two.
c. After welding is made to the groove surface, one more layer of
temper bead is laid and finishing of the bead is performed using a
grinder. (Refer to Fig 4.24)
(3) Repair welding inspection
Repair welding should be inspected visually at first. If necessary, non-
destructive inspection should follow.

In the case of high strength steel, magnetic particle testing (MT), or

liquid penetrant testing (PT) should be applied after welding.

In addition, the same testing plus radiographic testing (RT) or

ultrasonic testing (UT) is applied 24-48 hours after welding to the
repaired and adjacent area.
(4) Examples of repair welding
Repair welding is performed as described in the previous sec.4.4. Surface
flaws of the base metal may be repaired by build up welding according
to WES 2803. Fig. 4.22 shows repair of a transverse crack. First, the
length of the crack is confirmed, then,

a. stop holes are bored near on both ends of the crack,

b. the crack is completely chipped or gouged out and a proper weld
groove is made, and
c. repair welding is performed. Finally, the bead surface is finished
using a grinder, ensuring that continuity of the overall weld bead is
maintained.
Fig. 4.23 shows repair of at longitudinal crack.

The sequence of repair is the same as that of repair of a transverse

crack ①-③. When a crack passes through a thick base plate the
weld groove may be gouged out from both sides of the base plate.
Fig. 4.24 shows a repair procedure to a plate surface which
cannot apply PWHT after repair.
The welding is performed using dried, low hydrogen electrodes and a well-
planned repair procedure.

Pre-heating, inter-pass temperature, and post-heating are applied exactly as

prescribed in the repair procedure.

Temper bead method (buttering) is applied to the first pass in the groove, half
of the buttered metal is removed, and finally the welding is completed.

A tempering bead is welded to the surface of the weld bead and removed later.
Finally, a careful non-destructive inspection is performed.
This procedure is prescribed in ASME code.