Table Of ContentThe Everyday
Pocket Handbook on
Welded Joint Details
for Structural
Applications
© 2004 by American Welding Society. All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
NOTE: Although care was taken in choosing and presenting the data in this guide, AWS cannot guarantee that it is
error free. Further, this guide is not intended to be an exhaustive treatment of the topic and therefore may not include all
available information, including with respect to safety and health issues. By publishing this guide, AWS does not insure
anyone using the information it contains against any liability or injury to property or persons arising from that use.
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Table of Contents
Basic Safety Precautions...........................................4 Single-bevel-groove weld (4)
T-joint (T), Corner joint (C)..............................19
Introduction...............................................................6
Butt joint (B).....................................................20
Nomenclature of Groove Joint Details......................7
Double-bevel-groove weld (5)
Legend for Groove Details..................................7
T-joint (T), Corner joint (C)..............................21
Legend for AWS Joint Designations...................8
Butt joint (B).....................................................22
Square-groove weld (1) Butt joint (B), T-joint (T), Corner joint (C)......23
Butt joint (B), Corner joint (C)..........................10 Single-U-groove weld (6)
Butt joint (B)......................................................11 Butt joint (B), Corner joint (C)..........................24
T-joint (T), Corner joint (C)..............................12
Double-U-groove weld (7)
Single-V-groove weld (2) Butt joint (B).....................................................25
Butt joint (B)......................................................13 Single-J-groove weld (8)
Butt joint (B)......................................................14 Butt joint (B).....................................................26
Corner joint (C)..................................................15 T-joint (T), Corner joint (C)..............................27
Double-V-groove weld (3) Double-J-groove weld (8)
Butt joint (B)......................................................16 Butt joint (B).....................................................28
Butt joint (B)......................................................17 T-joint (T), Corner joint (C)..............................29
Single-U-groove weld (4) Metric Conversion Table........................................30
Butt joint (B)......................................................18
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Basic Safety Precautions
Burn Protection. Molten metal, sparks, slag, Electrical Hazards. Electric shock can kill.
and hot work surfaces are produced by welding, However, it can be avoided. Live electrical
cutting, and allied processes. These can cause parts should not be touched. The manufacturer’s
burns if precautionary measures are not used. instructions and recommended safe practices
Workers should wear protective clothing made should be read and understood. Faulty installa-
of fire-resistant material. Pant cuffs, open pock- tion, improper grounding, and incorrect opera-
ets, or other places on clothing that can catch tion and maintenance of electrical equipment
and retain molten metal or sparks should not be are all sources of danger.
worn. High-top shoes or leather leggings and
fire-resistant gloves should be worn. Pant legs All electrical equipment and the workpiece
should be worn over the outside of high-top should be grounded. The workpiece lead is
shoes. Helmets or hand shields that provide pro- nota ground lead. It is used only to complete
tection for the face, neck, and ears, and a head the welding circuit. A separate connection is
covering to protect the head should be used. In required to ground the workpiece. The work-
addition, appropriate eye protection should be piece should not be mistaken for a ground
used. connection.
4
Fumes and Gases. Many welding, cutting, Compressed Gas Cylinders. Keep caps on
and allied processes produce fumes and gases cylinders when not in use. Make sure that gas
which may be harmful to health. Avoid breath- cylinders are chained to a wall or other structural
ing the air in the fume plume directly above the support.
arc. Do not weld in a confined area without a
ventilation system. Use point-of-welding fume Radiation. Arc welding may produce ultra-
removal when welding galvanized steel, zinc, violet, infrared, or light radiation. Always wear
lead, cadmium, chromium, manganese, brass, or protective clothing and eye protection to pro-
bronze. Do not weld on piping or containers tectthe skin and eyes from radiation. Shield
that have held hazardous materials unless the others from light radiation from your welding
containers have been inerted properly. operation.
AWS also recommends a personal copy of “Arc Welding Safely,” “Fire Safety in Welding and
Cutting,” “Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes,” and “The Independent Shop’s Guide
to Welding Safety and Health.”
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Introduction
This pocket handbook consists of selected welded Submerged arc welding (SAW) is applicable for
joint details applicable to the welding of plate and diameters greater than 24 in. (610 mm). Joints to be
shapes for structural applications. The joint details used for tubular connections should have a groove
conform to the design and dimensions for Prequalified angle of not less than 60°.
Joint Details in AWS D1.1/D1.1M:2004, Structural
Welding Code—Steel. The user should consult AWS These joint details specifically apply to welded joints
D1.1/D1.1M:2004 (or later edition) for joint dimen- made in low carbon construction steels. Several of
sional tolerances that are permissible and for notes these details may be applicable for welding alloy
concerning application of the specific joint detail. The steels as well as structural aluminum. When applying
joint details shown in this pocket handbook are appli- the joint details in this pocket handbook to materials
cable for designing joints that are to be used in making other than low carbon construction steels, the appro-
complete joint penetration welds in plate and shapes. priate welding specifications for the specific material
should be consulted.
Several of the joint details in this pocket handbook
are applicable for welding joints in tubular products.
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Nomenclature of Groove Joint Details
Legend for
Groove Details
Shown:
R = Root Opening (maximum)
S = Depth of Groove, Side 1
1
S = Depth of Groove, Side 2
2
α α αT == GBarosoev Me eAtnagl Tleh (icmkinneimssum)
β = Bevel Angle (maximum)
f = Root Face (maximum)
β
Additional, But Not Illustrated:
r = Groove radius (minimum)
s = Spacer strip
Figure 1—Example of Details for Illustrative Purpose
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Legend for AWS Joint Designations
Symbols for joint types
(B) – butt joint (C) – corner joint (WP) – Welding Positions Permitted
(T) – T-joint (BC) – butt or corner joint (GS) – FCAW Gas Shielding Req’d.
(TC) – T- or corner joint (BTC) – butt, T-, or corner joint (Desig.) – AWS Joint Designation
Symbols for base metal thickness
L – limited thickness U – unlimited thickness
Symbols for weld types
(1) – square groove (6) – single-U-groove
(2) – single-V-groove (7) – double-U-groove
(3) – double-V-groove (8) – single-J-groove
(4) – single-bevel-groove (9) – double-J-groove
(5) – double-bevel-groove (10) – flare bevel groove
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Symbols for welding process, if not
shielded metal arc BACKGOUGE
(EXCEPT B-L1-S)
S – submerged arc welding
G – gas metal arc welding
F – flux cored arc welding
Welding processes
SMAW – shielded metal arc welding
GMAW – gas metal arc welding
SAW – submerged arc welding Welding Process
FCAW – flux cored arc welding GMAW
SMAW FCAW SAW SAW
Welding positions Desig. B-L1b B-L1b-GF B-L1a-S B-L1-S
F – flat H – horizontal T 1/4 max 3/8 max 5/8 max 3/8 max
V – vertical OH – overhead R T1/2 1/8 0 0
WP All All F F
The lower case letters, e.g., a, b, c, etc., GS — Not req’d. — —
are used to differentiate between joints
that would otherwise have the same joint Figure 2—Example of
designation. Designations for Illustrative Purpose
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Square-groove weld (1)
Butt joint (B)
Corner joint (C)
Welding Process
GMAW
SMAW SMAW FCAW
Desig. B-L1a C-L1a B-L1a-GF
T 1/4 max 1/4 max 3/8 max
1
T — U —
2
R T T T
1 1 1
WP All All All
GS — — Not req’d.
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