Welding Defects

Cracks
Solidification
•  Occurs during weld solidification process
•  Steels with high sulphur content (low ductility at
elevated temperature)
•  Requires high tensile stress
•  Occur longitudinally down centre of weld
•  eg Crater cracking
 Welding Defects
Cracks
Hydrogen Induced 
•  Requires susceptible grain structure, stress and hydrogen
•  Hydrogen enters via welding arc
•  Hydrogen source ‐ atmosphere or contamination of
preparation or electrode
•  Moisture diffuses out into parent metal on cooling
•  Most likely in HAZ
 Welding Defects
Cracks
Lamellar Tearing
•  Step like appearance
•  Occurs in parent material or HAZ
•  Only in rolled direction of the parent material
•  Associated with restrained joints subjected to through
thickness stresses on corners, tees and fillets
•  Requires high sulphur or non‐metallic inclusions
 Welding Defects
Cracks
Re‐Heat Cracking
•  Occurs mainly in HAZ of low alloy steels during post weld
heat treatment or service at elevated temperatures
•  Occurs in areas of high stress and existing defects
•  Prevented by toe grinding, elimination of poor profile
material selection and controlled post weld heat
treatment
 Welding Defects
•  Incomplete root penetration

Causes
• Too large or small a root gap
• Arc too long
• Wrong polarity
• Electrode too large for
for joint preparation
preparation
• Incorrect electrode angle
• Too fast a speed of travel for current
 Welding Defects
•  Root concavity 

Causes
• Root gap to
too large
• Insu
Insufffici
ficie
ent arc ener
nergy
• Exce
Excess
ssiv
ive
e back
back purg
purge
e (TIG
(TIG))
 Welding Defects

•  Lack of fusion

Causes
• Cont
Contam
amin
inat
ated
ed wel
weld
d prep
prepar
arat
atio
ion
n
• Amperage too low
• Ampera
Amperagege too high
high (wel
(welder
der increa
increases
ses speed
speed of
travel)
 Welding Defects
•  Undercut 

Causes
• Exce
Excess
ssiv
ive
e weld
weldin
ing
g curr
curren
entt
• Weldi
elding
ng spe
speed too
too hig
high
• Inco
Incorr
rrec
ectt elec
electr
trod
ode
e angl
angle
e
• Excessive we
weave
• Electrode to
too large
Welding Defects
•  Incompletely Filled Groove

Causes
• Insu
Insuff
ffic
icie
ient
nt weld
weld meta
metall depo
deposi
site
ted
d
• Impr
Improp
oper
er weld
weldin
ing
g tec
techn
hniq
ique
ue
 Welding Defects
•  Gas pores / Porosity 

Causes
• Exce
Excess
ssiv
ive
e mois
moistu
ture
re in
in flux
flux or
or prep
prepar
arat
atio
ion
n
• Cont
Contam
amin
inat
ated
ed prep
prepar
arat
atio
ion
n
• Low we
welding cu
current
• Arc length to
too long
• Dama
Damage
ged
d el
electr
ectrod
ode
e flu
flux
x
• Removal of
of ga
gas sh
shield
 Welding Defects
•  Inclusions ‐ Slag

Causes
• Insu
Insuff
ffic
icie
ient
nt clea
cleani
ning
ng betw
betwee
een
n pas
passe
ses
s
• Cont
Contam
amin
inat
ated
ed wel
weld
d prep
prepar
arat
atio
ion
n
• Weldi
elding
ng over
over irre
irregu
gula
larr prof
profilile
e
• Inco
Incorr
rre
ect wel
welding
ding spe
speed
• Arc length to
too long
 Welding Defects
•  Inclusions ‐ Tungsten

Causes
• Cont
Contam
amin
inat
atio
ion
n of wel
weld
d duri
during
ng TIG
TIG wel
weldi
ding
ng
process
 Welding Defects
•  Burn Through

Causes
• Exce
Excess
ssiv
ive
e ampe
ampera
rage
ge dur
durin
ing
g weld
weldin
ing
g of root
root
• Exce
Excess
ssiv
ive
e ro
root gri
grindin
nding
g
• Impr
Improp
oper
er weld
weldin
ing
g tech
techni
niqu
que
e
 Welding Defects
•  Arc Strikes •   Spatter 

Causes Causes
• Elect
lectro
rod
de stra
strayi
ying
ng onto
onto • Excessive ar
arc en
energy
parent metal • Excessive
sive arc le
length
• Elect
lectro
rod
de ho
holder
lder with
with • Damp electrodes
poor insulation
• Arc blow
• Poor
oor con
contact
tact of ear
earth
clamp
•  Inherent
•  Processing
•  In Service
•  Heat treatment cracks
•  Grinding cracks
•  Friction induced cracks
 Cyclic stress

•  Fatigue cracks Fatique

crack
•  Stress corrosion cracks
•  Hydrogen induced cracks

Hydrogen
 Steel Production

Casting Wrought Production Welding

Extrusion
Forging
Rolling
Defects Inherent
Processing
Service
Heat Treatment