Tle 11

DEFECTS AND
DISCONTINUITIES
TLE 11: WELDING
OBJECTIVES
After the lesson the students must be able
to:
1. identify welding defects and
discontinuities, and
2. explain the causes of weld defects and
discontinuities.
DISCONTINUITIES
.. interruptions in the typical structure of a material.
These interruptions may occur in the base metal,
weld material or "heat affected" zones.
• Discontinuities, which do not meet the

requirements of the codes or specifications used to
invoke and control an inspection, are referred to as
defects.
DEFECTS
An irregularity in the specified and
expected composition of a weld that
exceeds the part design's tolerances. A
defect is a rejectable discontinuity.
GENERAL WELDING
DISCONTINUITIES
COLD LAP
a condition where the weld filler metal does not
properly fuse with the base metal or the previous weld
pass material (inter-pass cold lap). The arc does not melt
the base metal sufficiently and causes the slightly
molten puddle to flow into the base material without
bonding.
POROSITY
• the result of gas entrapment in the solidifying metal.
• Porosity can take many shapes on a radiograph but often appears as dark
round or irregular spots or specks appearing singularly, in clusters, or in rows.
• Sometimes, porosity is elongated and may appear to have a tail.
• This is the result of gas attempting to escape while the metal is still in a liquid
state and is called wormhole porosity.
• All porosity is a void in the material and it will have a higher radiographic
density than the surrounding area.
CLUSTER PORORSITY
• caused when flux coated electrodes are contaminated with
moisture.
• The moisture turns into a gas when heated and becomes
trapped in the weld during the welding process.
• Cluster porosity appear just like regular porosity in the
radiograph but the indications will be grouped close together.
SLAG INCLUSIONS
• nonmetallic solid material entrapped in weld metal or
between weld and base metal. In a radiograph, dark,
jagged asymmetrical shapes within the weld or along
the weld joint areas are indicative of slag inclusions.
INCOMPLETE PENETRATION (IP)
OR LACK OF PENETRATION (LOP)
• occurs when the weld metal fails to penetrate the joint.
• It is one of the most objectionable weld discontinuities. Lack of
penetration allows a natural stress riser from which a crack may
propagate. The appearance on a radiograph is a dark area with
welldefined, straight edges that follows the land or root face
down the center of the weldment.
INCOMPLETE FUSION
a condition where the weld filler metal does not
properly fuse with the base metal. Appearance on
radiograph: usually appears as a dark line or lines
oriented in the direction of the weld seam along the
weld preparation or joining area.
INTERNAL CONCAVITY
OR SUCK BACK
a condition where the weld metal has contracted as it
cools and has been drawn up into the root of the weld.
On a radiograph it looks similar to a lack of penetration
but the line has irregular edges and it is often quite wide
in the center of the weld image.
INTERNAL OR ROOT
UNDERCUT
an erosion of the base metal next to the root of the
weld. In the radiographic image it appears as a dark
irregular line offset from the centerline of the weldment.
Undercutting is not as straight edged as LOP because it
does not follow a ground edge.
EXTERNAL OR CROWN
UNDERCUT
an erosion of the base metal next to the crown of the
weld. In the radiograph, it appears as a dark irregular
line along the outside edge of the weld area.
OFFSET OR MISMATCH
terms associated with a condition where two pieces being welded
together are not properly aligned. The radiographic image shows
a noticeable difference in density between the two pieces. The
difference in density is caused by the difference in material
thickness. The dark, straight line is caused by the failure of the
weld metal to fuse with the land area.
INADEQUATE WELD
REINFORCEMENT
an area of a weld where the thickness of weld metal deposited is
less than the thickness of the base material. It is very easy to
determine by radiograph if the weld has inadequate
reinforcement, because the image density in the area of
suspected inadequacy will be higher (darker) than the image
density of the surrounding base material.
EXCESS WELD
REINFORCEMENT
an area of a weld that has weld metal added in excess of that
specified by engineering drawings and codes. The appearance on
a radiograph is a localized, lighter area in the weld. A visual
inspection will easily determine if the weld reinforcement is in
excess of that specified by the engineering requirements.
CRACKS
can be detected in a radiograph only when they are propagating
in a direction that produces a change in thickness that is parallel
to the x-ray beam. Cracks will appear as jagged and often very
faint irregular lines. Cracks can sometimes appear as "tails" on
inclusions or porosity.
UNDERFILL
A condition in which the weld face or root surface
extends below the adjacent surface of the base metal.

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What are some common welding discontinuities discussed in the document?

What are two causes of porosity in welds?

DEFECTS AND

• Discontinuities, which do not meet the

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