SESSION-5

WELDING DEFECTS THEIR

CAUSES AND REMEDIES

Discontinuity

An interruption of the typical

structure of a material, such as a lack
of homogeneity in its mechanical,
metallurgical, or physical
characteristics.
A discontinuity is not necessarily a
defect but all defects are
discontinuities.

Defect

A defect is a rejectable discontinuity,

which occurs in an amount great
enough to render a particular object
or structure unsuitable for its
intended service based on criteria in
the applicable code.

Classification of Defects

1) Planar defects / Two dimensional

defects -- E.g. cracks, lack of fusion,
lack of penetration, are crtical in nature
and are not tolerated to any extent.
2) Voluminar defects / Three
dimensional defects -- E.g. slag
inclusion, cavities, porosities, etc are
tolerated to a certain extent depending on
the product class and applicable code.
3) Geometric defects-- E.g. excess
reinforcement, underfill, root suckback,
distortion are also permitted to a certain
extent.

Weld Joint Discontinuities

Misalignment (hi-lo)
Undercut
Underfill

Concavity or Convexity
Excessive reinforcement
Improper reinforcement
Overlap
Burn-through
Incomplete or Insufficient
Penetration
Incomplete Fusion
Arc Strikes

Inclusions

Slag
Tungsten

Spatter
Arc Craters
Cracks

Longitudinal
Transverse
Crater
Throat
Toe
Root
Underbead
and Heataffected
zone
Hot
Cold or
delayed

Base Metal
Discontinuities
Laminations

Porosity
Uniformly Scattered
Cluster
Linear

Misalignment (hi-lo)

Definition: Amount a joint is

out of alignment at the root

Cause: Carelessness. Also due to joining different

thicknesses (transition thickness)
Prevention: Good Workmanship.
Repair: Grinding. Careful on surface finish and direction of
grind marks.

Undercut
Definition: A groove cut at the
toe of the weld and left unfilled.
Cause: High amperage, electrode
angle, long arc length, rust.
Prevention: Set machine on scrap metal. Clean metal
before welding.
Repair: Weld with smaller electrode, sometimes must be
low hydrogen with preheat. Sometimes must gouge first.

Undercut

Insufficient Fill on the Root Side

(Suck back)
Definition: The weld surface is below the adjacent surfaces
of the base metal at the weld root.
Cause: Typically improper joint preparation or excessive
weld pool heat.
Repair: Back weld to fill. May require removal of weld
section by grinding for access to the joint root.

Suck back

Excessive Concavity or
Convexity

Definition: Concavity or convexity of a fillet weld

which exceeds the specified allowable limits

Cause: Amperage and travel speed

Prevention: Observe proper parameters and techniques.
Repair: Grind off or weld on. Must blend smoothly into the
base metal.

Concavity

Convexity

Reinforcement
The amount of a groove weld which extends beyond
the surface of the plate

Excessive
Insufficient
Improper
contour

Face Reinforcement

Root Reinforcement

Excessive Reinforcement

Definition: Specifically defined by the standard. Typically,

Reinforcement should be flush to 1/16(pipe) or flush to
1/8 (plate or structural shapes).

Cause: Travel speed too slow, amperage too low

Prevention: Set amperage and travel speed on scrap
plate.
Repair: Remove excessive reinforcement and feather
the weld toes to a smooth transition to the base plate.

Excessive reinforcement

Insufficient Reinforcement
Definition: Specifically defined by the standard. Typically,
Underfill may be up to 5% of metal thickness, not to exceed
1/32 as long as the thickness is made up in the opposite
reinforcement. Not applied to fillet welds.
Cause: On root reinforcement - Too little filler metal will
cause thinning of the filler metal. In OH position, too hot or
too wide will cause drooping of the open root puddle.
Prevention: Use proper welding technique. Use backing or
consumable inserts. Use back weld or backing.
Repair: Possibly simply increase the face reinforcement. If
back welding is not possible, must remove and reweld.

Insufficient reinforcement

Burn-through
Definition: When an undesirable open hole has been
completely melted through the base metal. The hole may or
may not be left open.
Cause: Excessive heat input.
Prevention: Reduce heat input by increasing travel speed,
use of a heat sink, or by reducing welding parameters.
Repair: Will be defined by standards. Filling may suffice.
Otherwise, removal and re welding may be required.

Burn-through

Lack Of Penetration
Definition: When the weld metal does not extend to the
required depth into the joint root
Cause: Low amperage, low preheat, tight root opening, fast
travel speed, short arc length.
Prevention: Correct the contributing factor(s).
Repair: Back gouge and back weld or remove and reweld.

Lack Of Penetration

Incomplete Fusion
Definition: Where weld metal does not form a cohesive
bond with the base metal.
Cause: Low amperage, steep electrode angles, fast travel
speed, short arc gap, lack of preheat, electrode too small,
unclean base metal.
Prevention: Eliminate the potential causes.
Repair: remove and reweld, being careful to completely
remove the defective area. This is sometimes extremely
difficult to find.

Incomplete Fusion

Arc Strike
Definition: Arc strikes result when the arc is initiated on
the base metal surface away from the weld joint either
intentionally or accidentally
Cause: Carelessness of welder
Prevention: In difficult areas, adjacent areas can be
protected using fire blankets.
Repair: Where applicable, arc strikes must be grinded
smooth and tested for cracks. If found, they must be remove
and repaired using a qualified repair procedure and
inspected as any other weld.

Slag Inclusion
Definition: Slag entrapped within the weld
Cause: Low amperage, improper technique, Trying to weld
in an area that is too tight. Improper wire brushing /
cleaning between passes.
Prevention: Increase amperage or preheat, grind out tight
areas to gain access to bottom of joint.
Repair: Remove by grinding. Reweld.

Slag inclusion

Tungsten Inclusion
Definition: A tungsten particle embedded in a weld.
(Typically GTAW only)
Cause: Tungsten electrode too small, amperage too high,
electrode dipped into the weld pool or touched with the fill
rod.
Prevention: Thoriated or Zirconiated tungsten electrodes are
used in place of pure tungsten electrodes.
Repair: Grind out and reweld

Tungsten inclusion

Spatter
Definition: Small particles of weld metal expelled from the
welding operation which adhere to the base metal surface.
Cause: Long arc length, severe electrode angles, high
amperages.
Prevention: Correct the cause.
Repair: Remove by grinding or sanding.

Spatter

Cracks

Longitudinal
Transverse
Crater
Throat
Toe
Root
Under bead and Heat-affected zone
Hot
Cold or delayed

Longitudinal Crack

Definition: A crack running in the direction of the weld axis.

Cause: Preheat or fast cooling problem. Also caused by
shrinkage stresses in high constraint areas.
Prevention: Weld toward areas of less constraint. Also
preheat to even out the cooling rates.
Repair: Remove and reweld

Transverse Crack
Definition: A crack running into or inside a weld,
transverse to the weld axis direction.
Cause: Weld metal hardness problem

Crater Crack
Definition: A crack, generally in the shape of an X
which is found in a crater. Crater cracks are hot cracks.
Cause: The center of the weld pool becomes solid before
the outside of the weld pool, pulling the center apart
during cooling
Prevention: Use crater fill, fill the crater at weld
termination and/or preheat to even out the cooling of the
puddle

Throat Crack
Definition: A longitudinal crack located in the weld throat
area.
Cause: Transverse Stresses, probably from shrinkage.
Indicates inadequate filler metal selection or welding
procedure. May be due to crater crack propagation.
Prevention: Correct initial cause. Increasing preheat may
prevent it. be sure not to leave a crater. Use a more ductile
filler material.
Repair: Remove and reweld using appropriate procedure.
Be sure to correct initial problem first.

Toe Crack
Definition: A crack in the base metal beginning at the toe
of the weld
Cause: Transverse shrinkage stresses. Indicates a HAZ
brittleness problem.
Prevention: Increase preheat if possible, or use a more
ductile filler material.

Root Crack
Definition: A crack in the weld at the weld root.
Cause: Transverse shrinkage stresses. Same as a throat
crack.
Prevention: Same as a throat crack

Under bead Crack

Definition: A crack in the un melted parent metal of the
HAZ.
Cause: Hydrogen embrittlement
Prevention: Use Low hydrogen electrodes and/or preheat
Repair: (only found using NDT). Remove and reweld.

Hot Crack
Definition: A crack in the weld that occurs during
solidification.
Cause: Micro stresses from weld metal shrinkage pulling
apart weld metal as it cools from liquid to solid temp.
Prevention: Preheat or use a low tensile filler material.

Cold Crack
Definition: A crack that occurs after the metal has
completely solidified
Cause: Shrinkage, Highly restrained welds.
Prevention: Preheat, weld toward areas of less constraint,
use a more ductile weld metal
Repair: Remove and reweld, correct problem first, preheat
may be necessary.

Repairs to Cracks

Determine the cause

Correct the problem
Take precautions to prevent
reoccurrence
Generally required to repair using a
smaller electrode

Cracks

Cracks

Laminations
Base Metal Discontinuity
May require repair prior to welding
Formed during the milling process

Lamination effects can be reduced by joint design:

Porosity - Types

Porosity is gas pores found in the

solidified weld bead.
Single Pore
Uniformly Scattered
Cluster
Linear

Porosity

Clustered Porosity

Porosity - Prevention

preheat
may need an electrode with more
deoxidizers
Use run-on/run-off taps
Use proper shielding gas flow in MIG
welding
Use Re dried and baked electrodes