WELDING GUIDELINES FOR DESIGN ENGINEERS
The following guidelines sourced from Ref 1 are provided to
allow professional Engineers to specify the correct and
appropriate weldments for steel structures used in building
applications to not only satisfy service performance but also
achieve cost effectiveness.
ECONOMICAL DESIGN AND DETAILING
Usually a variety of alternative methods of achieving
adequate structural performance are available and the cost
aspects of the alternatives must be considered.
The principal considerations in economical detailing of
weldments are:
(a) Simplicity - details of welded attachments and details of
end connections should be simple and consist of the fewest
possible number of component parts
(b) Weld volume - only the minimum required weld
volume, as determined by structural calculations should be
specified
(c) Accessibility - welding electrodes must be able to be
positioned in such a way that good quality welding can
achieved without difficulty and without undue strain on the
operator
(d) Erection - proper detailing should allow for reasonable
fit-up tolerances and weld preparations
(e) Inspection - all welds should be located in positions so
that visual examination and/or nondestructive testing can be
carried out easily
Weld Categories (specified by AS/NZS 1554)
Category GP • Generally intended for use in joints
General which are statically loaded, and where
Purpose the design load on the weld is
significantly below its ultimate capacity
(Capacity factor of 0.6 from table 3.4 of
AS 4100 – 1998).
• Lower inspection levels and a higher
permissible level of welding defects is
permitted for GP welds when compared
to SP welds.
Category SP • Has tighter constraints on permissible
Structural level of welding defects and higher
Purpose inspection levels than GP welds.
• A higher load carrying capacity is
permitted by AS 4100 due to the
increased confidence in the weld
quality ( Capacity factors range from
0.7 to 0.9 from table 3.4 of AS 4100 -
1998).
• Generally selected where the weld is
subject to dynamic loading within the
limits specified in Clause 1.1 of
AS/NZS 1554.1 – 1995.
The following rules are suggested, as basic to economical
weld design and detailing (see also Refs 2 and 3).
(1) Design with welding in mind
This requires an appreciation of the cost components in
welding, the types of weld available, the types of processes
and procedures available and their limitations.
(2) Do not specify oversize welds
The most cost effective weld is the smallest weld that
provides the required strength. It is good weld design
practice to provide only that amount of welding which
ensures that the welded fabrication can perform its intended
function.
Specifying oversize welds may be harmful in two ways.
Firstly, the cost is unnecessarily increased and secondly,
oversize welds may cause increased shrinkage which may
lead to distortion.
Key Reference Standards
AS 4100 – 1998, Steel Provides details on weld
Structures (Ref 4) capacities, fabrication and
erection tolerances etc.
AS/NZS 1554.1 – Provides details on weld
1995, Structural Steel categories, consumables,
Welding Code, Part 1: parent materials, inspection and
Welding of Steel process procedures etc.
Structures (Ref 5)
As an example, an 8 mm fillet is only 33% stronger than a 6
mm fillet, yet the volume of weld metal is 78% greater.
Thus, the cost of production of a joint can be significantly
increased, not only due to the increased volume of weld
metal required but more importantly due to the increased
time in welding the joint. Not specifying oversize welds has
to be balanced by the need to rationalise the range of weld
sizes on a project as noted in rule (15).
(3) Use welding judiciously when using it to reduce
material mass
If welding is used to reduce the amount of material (e.g. by
splicing to change flange plate thicknesses or to provide
stiffeners to a thin web in a three plate girder), then be sure
the cost of the welding is less than the cost saving in
material cost. Weld metal costs many times more than
parent material (somewhere from 50 to 100 times), and it is
often cheaper to increase component mass so as to reduce
weld metal volume.
(4) Keep the number of pieces to be welded to the
minimum practicable
A simple design with the fewest number of pieces is the
most economic and often results in a better product.
(5) Remember the special effects of welding such as
distortion (Ref 3)
(6) Aim for as much fabrication to occur in the
workshop as possible
(7) Keep in mind the economics of fillet welding
Single pass fillet welds are usually limited to 8 mm leg size
for most processes, although with other processes, under
certain conditions, a 10 mm or larger single pass fillet weld
is possible. Before specifying large fillet welds, the
situation should be checked with the fabricator. Larger (9) Use fillet welds in preference to butt welds wherever
single pass fillet welds can be placed in the flat natural vee possible
position. If more than a single pass is required, the cost of
the weld increases significantly. Single run continuous fillet Butt welds usually involve edge preparation, which adds to
welds are usually more economic than intermittent fillet costs, and as a result fillet welds are cheaper than butt welds
welds of a larger size. up to about 16 mm thickness of connected plates. (Other
considerations, such as joints which may be subjected to
Weld Costs fatigue, may dictate the use of a butt weld in preference to a
less costly fillet weld).
Continuous Fillet Welds
(CFW) (10) Provide adequate access
Leg size Hours/m $/m
(t w) mm Another way the designer can significantly help productivity
6 0.3 12 is to ensure adequate access for welding. This is vital, as it
8 0.7 28 is essential to ensure always that the appropriate quality of
10 1.0 40 weld can be made. Examples of bad accessibility together
12 1.3 52 with suggested improvements are shown in Fig 1.
15 2.0 80

Butt Welds
Plate Complete Penetration Incomplete Penetration
Thickness Butt Welds (CPBW) Butt Welds (IPBW)
(t)
mm Hours/m $/m Hours/m $/m
12 1.7 68
16 2.9 116
20 3.5 140 2.9 116
25 5.6 224 3.5 140
28 7.1 284 4.4 176
32 9.2 366 5.0 198
40 13.4 536 6.5 260
45 16.0 640 7.6 304
50 19.9 796 9.1 364
Notes:
1. All welds are SP and < 250 mm in length, butt welds are
single V shape, IPBW depth of penetration is 0.5t, plate edge
preparation is included in the cost, costs are based on an hourly
rate of $40 which includes overheads, consumables and Fig 1 Some common detailing faults resulting in poor
fabricator’s margin for medium sized steel projects accessibility for welding

2. Multiplying factors to above costs, depending on access:

Site welding: 1.3
Overhead welding: 1.5
Vertically welding: 1.2
Grinding welds flush: 0.4 hrs/m = $16/m
3. The above information is sourced from Ref 6
(8) Keep in mind the cost of butt welding
Complete penetration welds need only be specified when
they are really required, and the use of partial penetration
welds can reduce weld metal and give other gains which add
up to an improvement in productivity. If complete
penetration welds are demanded, the use of backing bars
with welds from one side which do not need back gouging
or turning of the work piece may lead to improvement.
If selecting joint preparations, use prequalified preparations
(AS/NZS 1554) to avoid qualification testing.
Select the smallest included angle consistent with achieving
the desired penetration. Better still, specify only, say,
‘complete penetration butt weld’ (or specify acceptable
alternative details) on the drawing and allow the fabricator
to select the method he can do best and most economically.
(11) Consider the method of fabrication
Allow welds to be made in the downhand position wherever
practicable. This can often be achieved by the fabricator
using special jigs and positioners.
(12) Avoid dictating the manner of making a welded
joint to allow welding to be used to maximum advantage
The fabricator knows the best joint preparation and welding
procedure for ease, economy and quality of joint using the
facilities available. Ensuring the method of fabrication is
acceptable, can be achieved by calling for compliance with a
recognised Code or Standard (AS/NZS 1554) and requiring
the proposed fabrication and welding procedure to be
submitted for concurrence on important jobs.
(13) Be receptive to alternative proposals
Recognise the value of consultation with the fabricator and
be prepared to accept alternative welded joints/details
proposed by the fabricator which have clear advantages.
This particularly applies to allowing the fabricator to take
advantage of high production processes. The design of a
weldment can often restrict the fabricator to only the one
process, and this may not always be the most suitable.
(14) Use a minimum number of joints by: (17) Use non-destructive testing judiciously

(a) Using the largest size of plate/section available
consistent with the functional requirements
(b) Bending or forming in place of welding (Fig 2)
(c) Considering the use of castings, forgings in lieu of
complex welded joints
(d) Avoiding excessive detail to reduce parent metal mass -
see rule (3) and Fig 3
The use of non-destructive testing of welds is very
disruptive to the work flow and adds considerably to the
cost of a structure. Much of this cost will be avoided if non-
destructive testing is restricted to critical joints and carried
out on a random basis only after careful development of
weld procedures. Modern welding Codes encourage this
approach.

Fig 3 Beam flange with many different plate thicknesses –

avoid when steel mass saved is less than 100 times
mass of weld metal required

Fig 2 Use of bending to reduce welding and give clean

corners (18) Test only where required

(15) Standardise joint details as much as practicable to Testing of welders and weld procedures for each job is
reduce variety expensive. Where practicable, consideration should be given
to accepting welders and procedures approved by recognised
Different sized welds at a joint will require changes in authorities for other similar work.
current and electrode size by the operator. This causes lost
time and a drop in operating efficiency. Aim to have the (19) Specify weld quality consistent with service
minimum variety of weld sizes and types on a member or at requirements
a joint.
Fitness for purpose should be the guiding rule in specifying
Key Weld Attributes weld quality. Higher quality specified unnecessarily for its
Continuous • Commonly specified by leg length – 4, 5, 6, own sake is wasteful and costly (see “Example Welding
Fillet Weld 8, and 10 mm fillets common. Specification” on page 4).
(CFW) • Design based on weld throat thickness and
length Specify tolerance limits consistent with the purpose of the
• Usually triangular profile with plate on each weld. Adequate tolerances are necessary in order to allow
side. No plate preparation necessary. for ease of fit-up.
• 6 mm fillet welds were traditional minimum
weld size for manual stick electrode welding.
Modern methods enable smaller welds to be
produced by smaller diameter wire
electrodes.
Complete • Weld penetrates the complete depth of the
Penetration plate(s) being connected
Butt Weld • Used where the full strength of the connected
(CPBW) parts is required.
• Plates are generally prepared before welding
unlike when fillet welds are used, which
leads to increased fabrication costs.
• Standard practice is not to specify the weld
geometry on the drawings – leave this for the
Fig 4 Angle seat detail – (a) preferable to (b)
fabricator in accordance with AS/NZS
1554.1
Incomplete • Weld does not penetrate the complete depth
Penetration of the plates being connected. (20) Avoid, as far as practicable, requiring turning of
Butt Weld • Used when less than the full strength of the members on to other side
(IPBW) connected parts is required, such as in low
stress areas. Examples are:
• Less costly than CPBW due to reduced plate
preparation & time. (a) Avoid putting stiffeners on both sides of a plate girder
web
(16) Use sub-assemblies to give: (b) Truss detailing which requires one side welding only
(c) Angle seat to column flange connections - a narrow seat
(a) Easier handling and positioning for downhand welding in lieu of a wide seat avoids turning the member (see Fig 4)
(b) Better access for welding
(c) Less site welding and more shop welding
(21) Avoid joints which create difficult welding
procedures
Joints which create difficult welding procedures. such as
two round bars side by side, acute angle intersections, etc.,
should be avoided. Such welds prove time consuming and
are of questionable quality (see Fig 5). Such joints also
cause difficulties with any post-weld treatments,
(deslagging. brushing, grinding and corrosion protection).
Fig 5 These joints are difficult to weld and the welds may be
of questionable quality
(22) Consult Ec onomic Design of Weldments (Ref 2) for
further advice on ways to use welding effectively and
economically
WELDING SPECIFICATIONS
It is essential that the drawings and specifications detail the
functional requirements of the design clearly and concisely
but avoid needless over-detailing or over specification of
items which are better left to the fabricator or erector. It is
advisable to avoid generalising with such items as ‘no
under cutting permitted’ or ‘all welds to be smooth and
free from defects’ or 'weld all round' as these all too often
lead to confusion, and extra cost.
Example Welding Specification
(from AISC Steel Construction Journal Vol 29, No 3,
Sept 1995) appropriate for inclusion in engineering
drawings of structural steelwork for small to medium
sized building structures
“Welding to be carried out in accordance with AS/NZS
1554.1. Welding consumables to be E48XX or W50X
U.N.O. All welds to be 6 mm CFW SP category U.N.O.
CPBW to be SP category U.N.O.
Inspection to be carried out to AS/NZS 1554.1. All
GP/SP welds to be 100% visually scanned. SP welds
allow for ………… % visual examination U.N.O.”
Flexibility in the approach to design is particularly
important in considering proposals for alternative welding
details or procedures. The fabricator or erector may have
alternative methods to improve productivity and reduce
costs and these should not necessarily be excluded by a rigid
specification. If tendering is involved, prices for the tender
specification and for viable alternatives could be useful.
It is generally quite sufficient to nominate only the
functional requirements plus compliance with an appropriate
welding code, such as AS/NZS 1554, for satisfactory results.
Standards are prepared for use as reference documents and it
is not usually necessary to depart from them unless very
good reasons exist.
Where welding is specified in accordance with an Australian
Standard it should be the one relevant to the service
conditions, e.g., specifying pressure vessel standards for a
multistorey office building is poor design. Fitness for
service should be the sole criterion for the quality level
specified and for the specification of the appropriate levels
of inspection. Any departure from normal levels is likely to
increase costs and should be called for only when really
required.
WELDING INSPECTION
Fabrication costs are very sensitive to the required weld
quality and the type and standard of inspection. It rests with
the design engineer to determine the critical areas of a
structure requiring close inspection and then to set a realistic
standard for the inspector to follow (eg Ref 7). In setting
guidelines for the inspector, the best results are achieved by
nominating the use of the Structural Steel Welding Code,
AS/NZS 1554. This Standard is well understood by both
fabricators and inspection organisations and usually results
in a good job being achieved at a reasonable cost. A
confusing and often expensive practice sometimes adopted
is to rewrite some existing Standard clauses into the
specification in an attempt to achieve a higher standard than
that provided by the Standard. This should be avoided
because it usually leads to anomalies, and contractual
problems. Fitness for purpose should be the rule in setting
inspection standards and AS/NZS 1554 provides realistic
levels of both workmanship and inspection suited
specifically for various weld quality levels required in
structural fabrication.
REFERENCES:
1 Economical Structural Steelwork, fourth edition, AISC, 1997
2 Economic Design of Weldments, AWRA Technical Note 8,
March 1979
3 Twelve Commandments to Design Engineers, Blodgett,
O.W., reprinted in AISC Steel Fabrication Journal Nos 9, 10
& 11, Nov 1973/May 1974.
4 AS 4100 – 1998, Steel Structures
5 AS/NZS 1554.1 – 1995, Welding of Steel Structures
6 Costing of Steelwork from Feasibility through to
Completion, Steel Construction Journal, AISC, Vol 30, No 2,
June 1996
7 Commentary on the Structural Steel Welding Standard
AS/NZS 1554, WTIA/AISC TN 11-98
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING:
1 AS/NZS 1554.4 – 1995, Welding of High Strength Quenched
and Tempered Steels
2 AS/NZS 1554.5 – 1995, Welding of Steel Structures Subject
to High Levels of Fatigue Loading
3 Welding, Brazing and Cutting of Metals – Glossary of
Terms, AS 2812 – 1985
4 Graphical Symbols for General Engineering, Part 3:
Welding and Non-destructive Examination, AS 1101.3 –
1987
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