2885.2-2007 fixed

AS 2885.2—2007

Australian Standard®

Pipelines—Gas and liquid petroleum

Part 2: Welding

AS

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This Australian Standard® was prepared by Committee ME-038, Petroleum Pipelines. It was approved on behalf of the Council of Standards Australia on 27 November 2006. This Standard was published on 27 March 2007.

The following are represented on Committee ME-038:

• Australian Corrosion Association • Australian Gas Association • Australian Institute of Petroleum • Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association • Australian Pipeline Industry Association • Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia • Cooperative Research Centre for Welded Structures • Department of Labour New Zealand Check • Department of Minerals and Energy WA • Department of Mines and Energy (Qld.) • Department of Mines and Energy (N.T.) • Department of Natural Resources and Environment (Vic.) • Gas Association of New Zealand • Ministry of Energy and Utilities N.S.W. • Primary Industries and Resources S.A. • Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA)

This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 05463. Standards Australia wishes to acknowledge the participation of the expert individuals that contributed to the development of this Standard through their representation on the Committee and through public comment period.

KKKKeeping Standards upeeping Standards upeeping Standards upeeping Standards up----totototo----datedatedatedate Australian Standards® are living documents that reflect progress in science, technology and systems. To maintain their currency, all Standards are periodically reviewed, and new editions are published. Between editions, amendments may be issued. Standards may also be withdrawn. It is important that readers assure themselves they are using a current Standard, which should include any amendments that may have been published since the Standard was published. Detailed information about Australian Standards, drafts, amendments and new projects can be found by visiting www.standards.org.auwww.standards.org.auwww.standards.org.auwww.standards.org.au Standards Australia welcomes suggestions for improvements, and encourages readers to notify us immediately of any apparent inaccuracies or ambiguities. Contact us via email at [email protected]@[email protected]@standards.org.au, or write to Standards Australia, GPO Box 476, Sydney, NSW 2001.

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AS 2885.2—2007

Australian Standard®


Part 2: Welding

Originated as AS CB28—1992. Previous edition AS 2885.2—2002. Third edition 2007.

COPYRIGHT

© Standards Australia

All rights are reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by

any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without the written

permission of the publisher.

Published by Standards Australia GPO Box 476, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia

ISBN 0 7337 8141 1

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AS 2885.2—2007 2

PREFACE

This Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand

Committee ME-038, Petroleum Pipelines, to supersede AS 2885.2—2002.

The objective of this Standard is to provide requirements for the welding of pipeline

designed and constructed in accordance with AS 2885.1.

The objective of this revision is to include editorial changes, and technical changes, which

became necessary as a result of experience in the use of the Standard in the four years since

the previous edition was issued. The most important changes that have been made are the

following:

(a) Material has been included defining the information that needs to be submitted in

order that other welding processes that may be submitted for inclusion in the Standard

may be considered.

(b) Changes have been made to the application clause to clarify where the Standard is

intended to be applied.

(c) The methods and the requirements for qualifying welding procedures have been

clarified.

(d) A requirement for fracture toughness testing has been reintroduced for welds made to

the requirements of Tier 1 where the welds are not made entirely with E4110

electrodes. (This requirement was inadvertently omitted from the 2002 edition.)

(e) Important changes, corrections, and clarifications have been made to the essential

variables.

(f) The notched tensile test used in the previous Standard to determine whether

overmatching is achieved has been deleted pending the performance of further

research.

(g) The acceptance criteria for the macro test have been clarified.

(h) Changes have been made to the permissible limit and method of qualifying the limit

of high-low.

(i) Changes have been made to the methods used for non-destructive examination and to

the method of interpreting and sentencing the depth of gas pores.

(j) The previously accepted convention that root slag intrusions be sentenced as undercut

has been reintroduced after being inadvertently lost.

The above list of changes is not intended to be complete. Users of the Standard should not

rely upon the list in order to ascertain whether there have been changes made to the

previous version of the Standard.

Statements expressed in mandatory terms in notes to tables and figures are deemed to be

requirements of this Standard.

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3 AS 2885.2—2007

CONTENTS

Page

SECTION 1 SCOPE AND GENERAL

1.1 SCOPE ........................................................................................................................ 8

1.2 QUALIFICATION AND APPROVAL........................................................................ 9

1.3 RETROSPECTIVITY................................................................................................ 10

1.4 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS ................................................................................ 11

1.5 DEFINITIONS .......................................................................................................... 11

1.6 ROUNDING OF NUMBERS .................................................................................... 15

1.7 CARBON EQUIVALENT (CE) ................................................................................ 15

SECTION 2 MATERIALS

2.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 16

2.2 CONSUMABLES...................................................................................................... 16

SECTION 3 POST-WELD HEAT TREATMENT AND POST-WELD COOLING

3.1 POST-WELD HEAT TREATMENT......................................................................... 18

3.2 POST-WELD COOLING .......................................................................................... 18

SECTION 4 WELDING POSITIONS

4.1 DESIGNATION ........................................................................................................ 19

4.2 LIMITS OF QUALIFIED POSITIONS ..................................................................... 19

SECTION 5 QUALIFICATION OF A WELDING PROCEDURE

5.1 PURPOSE OF QUALIFYING A WELDING PROCEDURE.................................... 23

5.2 TYPES OF WELDS .................................................................................................. 23

5.3 DOCUMENTATION AND APPROVAL.................................................................. 24

5.4 METHODS OF QUALIFICATION........................................................................... 24

5.5 WELDING PROCEDURE SPECIFICATION........................................................... 26

5.6 CHANGES IN A WELDING PROCEDURE ............................................................ 27

5.7 TEST PIECE SIZE .................................................................................................... 27

5.8 TEST PIECE MATERIAL ........................................................................................ 27

5.9 PREPARATION AND ASSEMBLY OF TEST PIECES........................................... 28

5.10 TEST CONDITIONS................................................................................................. 28

5.11 SUPERVISION OF THE TEST WELD .................................................................... 28

5.12 IDENTIFICATION OF THE TEST WELD............................................................... 28

SECTION 6 ASSESSMENT OF THE TEST WELD TO QUALIFY A WELDING

PROCEDURE

6.1 METHOD OF ASSESSMENT .................................................................................. 35

6.2 VISUAL EXAMINATION........................................................................................ 35

6.3 NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION.................................................................. 35

6.4 DESTRUCTIVE TESTS............................................................................................ 35

6.5 REPEATED TESTS .................................................................................................. 39

6.6 RECORD OF RESULTS ........................................................................................... 39

6.7 PERIOD OF VALIDITY ........................................................................................... 39

6.8 DISQUALIFICATION OF A QUALIFIED WELDING PROCEDURE.................... 39

SECTION 7 QUALIFICATION OF A WELDER OPERATOR

7.1 PURPOSE OF QUALIFYING A WELDER.............................................................. 41

7.2 CATEGORIES AND SCOPE OF WELDER OR OPERATOR QUALIFICATION .. 41

7.3 METHODS OF QUALIFICATION........................................................................... 41

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AS 2885.2—2007 4

7.4 QUALIFICATION BY TESTING............................................................................. 41

7.5 ESSENTIAL VARIABLES FOR WELDERS AND OPERATOR ............................ 42

7.6 TEST PIECE ............................................................................................................. 43

7.7 ASSEMBLY OF TEST PIECES................................................................................ 44

7.8 AUTOMATIC WELDING EQUIPMENT................................................................. 44

7.9 CATEGORIES OF TEST WELDS............................................................................ 44

7.10 MAKING A TEST WELD ........................................................................................ 44

7.11 SUPERVISION OF A TEST WELD ......................................................................... 44

7.12 IDENTIFICATION OF A TEST WELD ................................................................... 45

SECTION 8 ASSESSMENT OF TEST WELDS FOR WELDER OR OPERATOR

QUALIFICATION

8.1 METHOD OF ASSESSMENT .................................................................................. 46

8.2 VISUAL EXAMINATION........................................................................................ 46

8.3 NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION.................................................................. 46

8.4 REPEATED TEST .................................................................................................... 46

8.5 RECORD OF RESULTS ........................................................................................... 46

8.6 CLASSIFICATION OF CATEGORIES OF WELDS................................................ 47

8.7 PORTABILITY OF A WELDER’S OR OPERATOR’S QUALIFICATION ............ 47

SECTION 9 WELDER OR OPERATOR QUALIFICATION AND DISQUALIFICATION

9.1 RECIPROCITY OF A WELDER’S OR OPERATOR’S QUALIFICATION ............ 48


9.3 QUALIFICATION RECORD.................................................................................... 48

9.4 DISQUALIFICATION OF A WELDER’S OR OPERATOR’S QUALIFICATION . 48

SECTION 10 DESIGN OF A WELDED JOINT

10.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 49

10.2 BUTT WELDS BETWEEN COMPONENTS OF EQUAL NOMINAL WALL

THICKNESS ............................................................................................................. 49

10.3 BUTT WELDS BETWEEN COMPONENTS OF UNEQUAL NOMINAL WALL

THICKNESS ............................................................................................................. 49

10.4 REINFORCEMENT OF A BUTT WELD ................................................................. 49

10.5 FILLET WELD ......................................................................................................... 49

10.6 WELDING OF THREADED JOINTS....................................................................... 50

10.7 REINFORCEMENT OF A WELDED BRANCH CONNECTION............................ 50

10.8 REINFORCEMENT OF MULTIPLE OPENINGS.................................................... 50

10.9 FORGED BRANCH FITTING.................................................................................. 50

10.10 FABRICATED ELBOW OR BEND.......................................................................... 50

10.11 EFFECT OF COMPONENTS UPON PIG PASSAGE .............................................. 50

10.12 OFFSET OF LONGITUDINAL WELDS.................................................................. 51

10.13 DISTANCE BETWEEN WELDS.............................................................................. 51

SECTION 11 PRODUCTION WELDS

11.1 WELDING PROCESS............................................................................................... 54

11.2 WELDING EQUIPMENT ......................................................................................... 54

11.3 WELDER AND WELDING PROCEDURE.............................................................. 54

11.4 SUPERVISION OF WELDING ................................................................................ 54

11.5 SAFETY IN WELDING............................................................................................ 54

11.6 STORAGE AND HANDLING OF ELECTRODES, FILLER RODS AND

FLUXES.................................................................................................................... 54

11.7 WELDING IN ADVERSE CLIMATE CONDITIONS.............................................. 54

11.8 PREPARATION FOR WELDING ............................................................................ 55

11.9 METHOD OF MAKING THE WELD PREPARATION........................................... 55

11.10 ACCURACY OF ALIGNMENT ............................................................................... 55 Acc

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11.11 LINE-UP CLAMP ..................................................................................................... 55

11.12 TACK WELDS.......................................................................................................... 55

11.13 WORKING CLEARANCE........................................................................................ 55

11.14 PLACEMENT OF WELD PASSES .......................................................................... 55

11.15 ARC STRIKE AND ARC BURN.............................................................................. 56

11.16 CLEANING............................................................................................................... 56

11.17 PEENING.................................................................................................................. 56

11.18 INSERT PATCHING ................................................................................................ 56

11.19 PREHEAT AND INTERPASS TEMPERATURE..................................................... 56

11.20 POST-WELD HEAT TREATMENT......................................................................... 56

11.21 IDENTIFICATION OF A PRODUCTION WELD.................................................... 56

SECTION 12 WELDING AND CUTTING ON A PIPELINE AFTER COMMISSIONING OR

AFTER HYDROSTATIC TESTING

12.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 57

12.2 SAFETY.................................................................................................................... 57

12.3 HOT REPAIR OF LEAKING GAS-FILLED PIPELINES ........................................ 57

12.4 WHERE GAS IS NOT ESCAPING........................................................................... 58

12.5 PIPELINES CONTAINING PETROLEUM FLUIDS OTHER THAN LEAN

NATURAL GAS ....................................................................................................... 58

12.6 QUALIFICATION OF WELDER(S) ........................................................................ 58

12.7 QUALIFICATION OF SUPERVISORS AND INSPECTORS.................................. 58

12.8 FIT-UP BEFORE WELDING AND CUTTING ........................................................ 58

12.9 EXAMINATION AND TESTING ............................................................................ 58

12.10 CRITERIA OF ACCEPTANCE ................................................................................ 59

SECTION 13 WELDING ONTO AN IN-SERVICE PIPELINE

13.1 GENERAL—PIPELINE CONTAINING FLAMMABLE OR PRESSURIZED

FLUID ....................................................................................................................... 60

13.2 PRECAUTIONS TO BE UNDERTAKEN BEFORE IN-SERVICE WELDING....... 60

13.3 LINING ..................................................................................................................... 60

13.4 SAFETY.................................................................................................................... 60

13.5 INSPECTION BEFORE WELDING ......................................................................... 60

13.6 ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION BEFORE WELDING........................................... 61

13.7 WELDING CONSUMABLES................................................................................... 61

13.8 HEAT INPUT............................................................................................................ 61

13.9 QUALIFICATION OF WELDING PROCEDURES ................................................. 61

13.10 WELDING SEQUENCE ........................................................................................... 62

13.11 QUALIFICATION OF WELDER(S) ........................................................................ 64

13.12 QUALIFICATION OF SUPERVISORS AND INSPECTORS.................................. 64

13.13 FIT-UP BEFORE WELDING ................................................................................... 64

13.14 EXAMINATION OF TESTING................................................................................ 64


13.16 WELDING OF TEST ASSEMBLY........................................................................... 64

SECTION 14 ASSESSMENT OF PRODUCTION WELDS AND REPAIR WELDS

14.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 65

14.2 QUALIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ....................................................................... 65

14.3 RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................................ 65

14.4 METHODS OF EXAMINATION ............................................................................. 65

SECTION 15 VISUAL EXAMINATION

15.1 PURPOSE ................................................................................................................. 66

15.2 METHOD OF EXAMINATION ............................................................................... 66

15.3 EXTENT OF VISUAL EXAMINATION.................................................................. 66 Acc

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15.5 UNDERCUT DEPTH MEASUREMENT ................................................................. 66

SECTION 16 NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION

16.1 PURPOSE ................................................................................................................. 68

16.2 ORGANIZATIONS UNDERTAKING NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION .... 68

16.3 QUALIFICATIONS OF PERSONNEL..................................................................... 68

16.4 METHODS................................................................................................................ 68

16.5 AMOUNT OF NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION.......................................... 68

16.6 EXEMPTION FROM RADIOGRAPHIC OR ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION ..... 69

16.7 TIMING OF NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION............................................. 70

SECTION 17 RADIOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION

17.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 71

17.2 SAFETY AND PROTECTION FROM IONIZING RADIATION ............................ 71

17.3 DENSITY.................................................................................................................. 71

17.4 IMAGE QUALITY.................................................................................................... 71

17.5 UNDERCUT DEPTH MEASUREMENT ................................................................. 72

17.6 GAS PORE DEPTH MEASUREMENT.................................................................... 73

17.7 INTEPRETATION AND ASSESSMENT OF RADIOGRAPHS............................... 74


17.9 REPORT OF RADIOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION................................................... 75

17.10 RETENTION OF RADIOGRAPHS .......................................................................... 75

SECTION 18 QUALIFYING A RADIOGRAPHIC PROCEDURE

18.1 RADIOGRPHIC PROCEDURE ................................................................................ 76

18.2 METHOD OF QUALIFYING THE RADIOGRAPHIC PROCEDURE .................... 76

18.3 TEST CONDITIONS................................................................................................. 77

18.4 RADIOGRAPHIC PROCEDURE SPECIFICATION DOCUMENTATION............. 77


SECTION 19 ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION

19.1 MANUAL ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION ........................................................... 78

19.2 MECHANIZED ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION................................................... 79

SECTION 20 MAGNETIC PARTICLE TESTING

20.1 PURPOSE ................................................................................................................. 82

20.2 METHOD.................................................................................................................. 82



SECTION 21 DYE-PENETRANT TESTING

21.1 PURPOSE ................................................................................................................. 83

21.2 METHOD.................................................................................................................. 83



SECTION 22 CRITERIA OF ACCEPTANCE FOR GIRTH WELD DISCONTINUITIES

22.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 84

22.2 TIER 1 CRITERIA—WORKMANSHIP STANDARD............................................. 87

22.3 TIER 2 CRITERIA—GENERALIZED FITNESS-FOR-PURPOSE STANDARD.... 96

22.4 TIER 3 CRITERIA—ENGINEERING CRITICAL ASSESSMENT ....................... 101

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7 AS 2885.2—2007

SECTION 23 REPAIR OF AN UNACCEPTABLE WELD

23.1 GENERAL .............................................................................................................. 102

23.2 REPAIR METHODS............................................................................................... 102

23.3 QUALIFICATION OF THE REPAIR WELDING PROCEDURE .......................... 102

23.4 INSPECTION.......................................................................................................... 102

23.5 CRITERIA OF ACCEPTANCE .............................................................................. 102

SECTION 24 REMOVAL OF AN ARC BURN

24.1 GENERAL .............................................................................................................. 103

24.2 REPAIR BY GRINDING ........................................................................................ 103

24.3 METHOD OF INSPECTION .................................................................................. 103

24.4 CRITERIA OF ACCEPTANCE .............................................................................. 103

24.5 CLEANING AFTER TESTING .............................................................................. 103

SECTION 25 CUTTING OUT AN UNACCEPTABLE WELD OR AN ARC BURN........... 104

SECTION 26 RECORDS....................................................................................................... 105

APPENDICES

A ITEMS REQUIRING APPROVAL ......................................................................... 106

B LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS ............................................................... 108

C SELECTION AND SPECIFICATION OF CELLULOSIC WELDING

ELECTRODES........................................................................................................ 111

D GUIDANCE ON ‘GMAW’ WELDING CONSUMABLES FOR MECHANIZED

PIPELINE GIRTH WELDS .................................................................................... 115

E AVOIDANCE OF HYDROGEN ASSISTED COLD CRACKING (HACC)........... 116

F EXAMPLE OF WELD PROCEDURE SPECIFICATION FORM .......................... 120

G EXAMPLE OF WELDING PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION RECORD FORM . 122

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AS 2885.2—2007 8

Standards Australia www.standards.org.au

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

Australian Standard


Part 2: Welding

S E C T I O N 1 S C O P E A N D G E N E R A L

1.1 SCOPE

This Standard specifies the minimum requirements for materials, welding consumables,

welding processes, weld preparations, qualifications of welding procedures and personnel,

and fabrication and inspection requirements for the construction and maintenance welding

of carbon and carbon-manganese steel pipelines down to 3.2 mm wall thickness designed

and constructed in accordance with AS 2885.1. The welding of corrosion-resistant alloy

steel pipelines, or pipelines with wall thickness less than 3.2 mm, is not precluded but is not

expressly covered by this Standard. The welding of such pipelines has to be given special

consideration.

The welding may be done by a manual metal arc, submerged arc, gas tungsten arc, gas

metal arc, flux cored arc, oxyacetylene, or by a combination of these using a manual, semi-

automatic, or automatic welding technique or a combination of these techniques. The welds

may be produced by position or roll welding or by a combination of position and roll

welding.

Other processes may be submitted for inclusion in the Standard upon provision of the

following information:

(a) A description of the welding process.

(b) A proposal on the essential variables.

(c) A typical welding procedure qualification record and a welding procedure

specification.

(d) Weld inspection methods.

(e) Types of weld discontinuities and their proposed acceptance limits.

(f) Repair procedures.

This Standard is applicable to the welding of joints in or on pipelines, and the field welding

of pipeline assemblies. This Standard may be applied to the factory fabrication of pipeline

assemblies manufactured from pipes and fittings. See Figure 1.1 for examples.

NOTE: The welding of fittings may present special difficulties when using typical pipeline

welding procedures (see Appendix E).

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www.standards.org.au Standards Australia

(b) Insu lat ing jo int assembly

(a) Main l ine va lve assembly

(c) Scraper trap assembly

(d ) Pigg ing bar tee assembly (e) Anchor f lange

FIGURE 1.1 EXAMPLE OF ASSEMBLIES THAT MAY BE WELDED IN ACCORDANCE

WITH THIS STANDARD

1.2 QUALIFICATION AND APPROVAL

Welding shall be performed by qualified personnel, in accordance with documented

qualified and approved welding procedures.

Items requiring approval in accordance with this Standard are listed in Appendix A.

Activities undertaken within the scope of this Standard shall be directed by a pipeline

licensee appointed for the purpose of giving approvals as defined in this Standard. The

process for any delegation of the pipeline licensee’s power shall be in accordance with

Figure 1.2.

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AS 2885.2—2007 10


New Project

Pipel ine l icenseeapproval

Authorityto approvedelegated

Yes

(See Note)

No

Contractor 3rd party

Audit

Pipel ine l icenseeapproved

NOTES:

1 The use of AS/NZS ISO 3834.1 and AS/NZS ISO 3834.2 is recommended when the authority

to approve is delegated.

2 The audit shall be conducted on behalf of the pipeline licensee. It may be conducted by a

third party. The audit shall address the items listed in Appendix A.

FIGURE 1.2 APPROVAL PROCESS

It is not intended that this Standard be applied to the following:

(a) Station pipework as defined in AS 2885.1.

(b) Longitudinal welds or spiral welds made during the manufacture of a pipe or a

component.

(c) Underwater welding.

(d) Hyperbaric welding.

1.3 RETROSPECTIVITY

It is not intended that this Standard be applied retrospectively to existing installations.

Welding procedures complying with and welder qualifications in accordance with the

appropriate previous editions of this Standard may continue to be used for the maintenance

of existing installations.

New welding procedures and new welding qualifications shall be qualified in accordance

with this Standard.

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11 AS 2885.2—2007


1.4 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

A list of the documents referred to in this Standard is given in Appendix B.

1.5 DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this Standard, the definitions given below apply.

1.5.1 Accessory

A component of a pipeline other than a pipe, valve, or fitting, but including a relief device,

a pressure-containing item, hanger, support, and all other items necessary to make a

pipeline operative whether or not such items are specified by the Standard.

1.5.2 Approved and approval

Approved by the pipeline licensee and includes obtaining the approval of the relevant

statutory authority where this is legally required.

NOTE: Approval requires a conscious act and is given in writing.

1.5.3 Burn-off rate

The ratio of length of electrode consumed to the length of weld pass deposited. Burn-off

rate is proportional to the heat input, divided by the square of the electrode core wire

diameter.

NOTE: WTIA Technical Note 1 provides information relating burn-off rate to heat input

1.5.4 Component

Any part of a pipeline other than a pipe.

1.5.5 Construction

All activities required to fabricate, construct and test a pipeline, and to restore the right of

way.

1.5.6 Defect

A discontinuity or imperfection of sufficient magnitude to warrant rejection on the basis of

the requirements of this Standard.

1.5.7 Design temperatures

The range of the metal temperatures to be expected in construction, testing and normal

operation.

1.5.8 Diameter

The outside diameter nominated in the material order, ignoring the manufacturing tolerance

provided in the specification under which the pipe was manufactured.

1.5.9 Discontinuity

A generic term for material imperfections (see Clause 1.5.21), which includes defects (see

Clause 1.5.6) and non-rejectable irregularities.

1.5.10 Engineering critical assessment (ECA)

A formal process for the assessment of structures containing discontinuities, in order to

determine whether the structure is fit for purpose.

NOTE: The process involves the use of fracture mechanics and requires consideration of the

discontinuity, the stress, and the material properties for the likelihood of failure arising from

fracture, plastic collapse, fatigue, buckling, creep, corrosion/erosion, and leakage.

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AS 2885.2—2007 12


1.5.11 Engineering design

The detailed design of a pipeline system, developed from process and mechanical

requirements, complying with the requirements of this Standard and including all necessary

specifications, drawings, and supporting documents.

1.5.12 Environment

The complex of climatic, demographical, geotechnical, oceanographic, and biotic factors

that acts on a pipeline influencing the design, construction, testing, inspection, operation,

and maintenance.

1.5.13 Essential variable and non-essential variable

1.5.13.1 Essential variable

Variable in which a change outside specified limits requires requalification of welding

procedure or welder or operator qualification.

1.5.13.2 Non-essential variable

Variable in which a change outside specified limits does not require requalification of the

welding procedure.

NOTE: Non-essential variables are those Items in Table 5.4(A) that do not appear in the list of

essential variables in Table 5.4(B).

1.5.14 Fitting

A component, including any associated flanges, bolts, and gaskets, used to join pipes, to

change the direction or diameter of a pipeline to provide a branch, or to terminate a

pipeline.

1.5.15 Fluid

Any vapour, liquid, gas, or mixture thereof.

1.5.16 Gas

Any hydrocarbon gas or mixture of gases, possibly in combination with liquid petroleum

condensates or water.

1.5.17 Heat input (arc energy)

60

1000

EIQ

V= ×

where

Q = welding energy input, in kilojoules per millimetre

E = arc voltage, in volts (RMS value for a.c.)

I = welding current, in amperes (RMS value for a.c.)

V = welding speed, in millimetres per minute

NOTE: Both the arc voltage and welding current have to be measured accurately with voltage

measured between the electrode holder or contact tube and the work piece.

1.5.18 Hot repair

Repair welding on a pipeline containing hydrocarbon gas under controlled conditions with a

burning gaseous atmosphere present due to escape of the pipeline contents.

1.5.19 Hot tap

A connection made to a pipeline containing hydrocarbon fluid.

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1.5.20 Hydrogen assisted cold cracking (HACC)

A form of brittle cracking that occurs at near-ambient temperature in the weld or

heat-affected zone or ferritic steel weldments, due to the combined effects of hydrogen

arising from welding, together with tensile stress and a susceptible microstructure.

NOTE: The time delay after welding at which HACC occurs depends upon the particular

circumstances, especially the hydrogen concentration. With low levels of hydrogen it may be 24 h

or more.

1.5.21 Imperfection

A material discontinuity or irregularity that is detectable by inspection in accordance with

this Standard.

1.5.22 Inert gas shielding

Shielding gas consisting principally of argon, helium, or a mixture of the two.

1.5.23 In-service welding

Welding onto a pressurized product-filled pipeline.

1.5.24 Inspector

A person appointed by the pipeline licensee to carry out inspections required by this

Standard.

1.5.25 Location class

An area classified according to its general geographic and demographic characteristics.

1.5.26 Mainline pipework

Those parts of a pipeline between stations, including pipeline assemblies.

1.5.27 Matching (undermatching)

The ability of a full scale welded joint containing discontinuities at the limit of the

acceptance criteria to match the strength of the pipe and to ensure that under displacement-

controlled loading plastic strains occurs in one or both of the pipes before the weld breaks.

1.5.28 May

Indicates—

(a) the existence of an option; and

(b) a course of action that is permissible within the limits of the Standard.

1.5.29 Natural gas

Gaseous hydrocarbons (mainly methane) from underground deposits, the production of

which may be associated with the production of crude petroleum. The gas is described as

‘wet’ or ‘dry’ according to the proportion of readily condensable hydrocarbons, which it

contains. This term also applies to the purified product.

1.5.30 Nominal thickness (δN)

The thickness nominated in the material order, ignoring the manufacturing tolerance

provided in the specification under which the pipe was manufactured.

1.5.31 Non-planar discontinuity

Weld discontinuities not included in the planar category, including volumetric

discontinuities such as porosity, root concavity, burn through, hollow head, and slag

inclusions.

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AS 2885.2—2007 14


1.5.32 Pipeline licensee

The organization responsible for the design, construction, testing, inspection, operation and

maintenance of facilities within the scope of the Standard.

1.5.33 Pig

A device that is propelled inside a pipeline by applied pressure.

NOTE: Pigs can be of various types, such as gauging pig for checking a pipeline bore, a swabbing

pig for cleaning a pipeline, or an intelligent pig for checking wall thickness, deformation or

cracking, or the integrity of the coating of a pipeline.

1.5.34 Pig trap (scraper trap)

A fabricated component to enable a pig to be inserted into or removed from an operating

pipeline.

1.5.35 Pipeline assemblies

Assemblies of pipe, valve and fittings that are considered to be integral parts of the pipeline

(see AS 2885.1).

NOTE: Such assemblies are usually prefabricated off-site.

1.5.36 Planar defect

A category of unacceptable weld discontinuities that are assumed to have only two

dimensions and which, in fracture mechanics terms, are considered to be equivalent in

behaviour to a crack.

NOTE: The fitness-for-purpose-based acceptance criteria in Tier 2 of this Standard classify the

various discontinuity types into planar and non-planar categories. The workmanship based

acceptance criteria in Tier 1 do not require classification of discontinuities according to whether

they are planar or non-planar.

1.5.37 Preheat temperature

The temperature immediately prior to the commencement of welding. The preheat

temperature may be the ambient or pre-existing temperature of the joint, or it may result

from the heating of the parent metal in the region of the weld.

NOTE: A minimum preheat temperature may be required, for example, to avoid hydrogen

cracking in the weld metal or heat-affected zone. A maximum value may also be specified in

order to achieve particular levels of toughness and/or strength. It is recommended that preheat be

measured at least 75 mm from the weld line.

1.5.38 Pre-tested pipe

A pipe or a pressure-containing component that has been subjected to a pressure test in

accordance with this Standard before being installed in a pipeline and intended to be used

for tie-in or maintenance purposes.

1.5.39 Shall

Indicates that a statement is mandatory.

1.5.40 Should

Indicates a recommendation.

1.5.41 Sour service

Piping conveying crude oil or a natural gas containing hydrogen sulfide and an aqueous

liquid phase in a concentration that can affect materials.

NOTE: The limits defined in NACE MR0175 are deemed, for the purposes of this Standard, to

constitute sour service.

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15 AS 2885.2—2007


1.5.42 Thickness for design internal pressure (δdp)

The thickness of material, calculated according to the equations in the design section of this

Standard, required for the material to be capable of withstanding the design internal

pressure.

1.5.43 Weld metal deposition repair

Repair method for loss of thickness.

NOTE: For example, repairing corrosion defects by surfacing with deposited weld metal whilst

the pipeline is in service.

1.5.44 Weldability

The ability of a metal to be welded under given fabrication conditions in a specific

weldment, and to perform satisfactorily in service.

1.5.45 Welding operator

A person who operates automatic welding equipment

1.5.46 Weldolet

An integrally reinforced sit-on branch fitting that is designed and manufactured according

to a nominated Standard.

NOTE: ‘Weldolet’ also refers to similar integrally reinforced sit-on/set-in branch fittings (e.g.,

threadolets, sockolets, latrolets, elbowlets, sweepolets).

1.5.47 Yield strength

Either—

(a) the specified minimum yield strength (SMYS) to which the pipe is purchased; or

(b) the actual yield strength (AYS) being the hoop stress determined from the pressure at

the strength test end point as specified in this Standard.

NOTE: The yield strength may be represented by a material grade, e.g., X60 (Yield strength

413 MPa).

1.6 ROUNDING OF NUMBERS

An observed or calculated value shall be rounded to the nearest unit in accordance with

AS 2706.

1.7 CARBON EQUIVALENT (CE)

For the purpose of this Standard, the carbon equivalent (CE) shall be calculated in

accordance with the International Institute of Welding (IIW) formula, i.e.,

Mn Cr Mo+V Cu+NiCE C

6 5 15

+

= + + +

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AS 2885.2—2007 16


S E C T I O N 2 M A T E R I A L S

2.1 GENERAL

The requirements of this Section are applicable to the welding of materials that comply with

AS 2885.1.

2.2 CONSUMABLES

2.2.1 Electrodes for manual metal-arc welding

Welding electrodes for manual metal-arc welding shall comply with the Standards listed in

Table 2.2.1, as appropriate.

The following should be taken into account for manual arc welding electrodes:

(a) Lower strength electrodes (see welding process column in Table 2.2.1) should be used

for welding of all passes for pipe and components in material up to and including

grade X60.

(b) Unless it can be shown that it is difficult to meet the required mechanical properties

(see Clause 22.3.1(c)), lower strength electrodes should be used for the first pass,

when welding pipe and components of material greater than grade X60.

(c) Electrodes for manual metal-arc welding should be selected and specified in

accordance with Appendix C.

2.2.2 Wires for automatic welding

Wires for automatic welding shall comply with the Standards listed in Table 2.2.1, as

appropriate.

NOTE: The selection of wires for automatic welding should take into account the information

given in Appendix D.

2.2.3 Storage and handling of consumables

Consumables shall be stored and handled as follows:

(a) Electrodes—in accordance with one or more of the following:

(i) Recommendations of the manufacturer.

(ii) Requirements of the relevant Standard.

(iii) Recommendations in WTIA Technical Note 3.

(b) Filler rods and fluxes—in accordance with one or more of the following:

(i) Recommendations of the manufacturer.

(ii) Requirements of the relevant Standard.

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17 AS 2885.2—2007


TABLE 2.2.1

WELDING CONSUMABLES

Welding process Standard Electrode type Remarks

Manual metal-arc welding using lower

strength cellulose electrodes AS/NZS 4855 Cellulose MMA Note 6

— ANSI/AWS A5.1 — —

Manual metal-arc welding using medium

strength cellulose electrodes AS/NZS 4857 Cellulose MMA Note 6


Manual metal-arc welding using lower

strength hydrogen-controlled electrodes AS/NZS 4855 Basic coated MMA —


— AS/NZS 4857 Basic coated MMA —


Manual metal-arc welding using medium

strength hydrogen-controlled electrodes AS/NZS 4857 Basic coated MMA —


Submerged arc welding AS 1858.1 Fused or bonded Note 1


Gas tungsten-arc welding AS/NZS 1167.2 — —

— ANSI/AWS A5.18

ANSI/AWS A5.28 — —

Gas metal-arc welding AS/NZS 2717.1 Solid wire Note 2

and 5



Flux cored arc welding AS/NZS ISO 17632 Gas-shielded flux-cored Note 3

— AS/NZS ISO 17632 Self-shielded flux-cored Note 3

— ANSI/AWS A5.20 Gas-shielded flux-cored Note 4

— ANSI/AWS A5.20 Self-shielded flux-cored Note 4

— ANSI/AWS A5.28 Self-shielded flux-cored Note 4

NOTES:

1 Any combination of these electrodes and fluxes may be used to qualify a procedure. Each combination is

to be identified by its complete classification number (e.g., F6A2-EM12K or F7A1-EL12 as specified in

ANSI/AWS A5.17, EL12-FMM-W501 as specified in AS 1858.1).

2 Any combination of electrodes and gases may be used to qualify a procedure. Each combination is to be

identified by its complete classification number (e.g., ER 70S-6 as specified in ANSI/AWS A5.18, ES2-

GC-W500H as specified in AS/NZS 2717.1), and each shielding gas to be specified by brand name or

mix analysis.

3 Any combination of electrodes (with or without gas) may be used to qualify a procedure. Consumables

are to be identified by the complete classification number (e.g., ETP-GN-W402). Where a shielding gas

is used, this shall be specified by brand name or mix analysis.

4 Any combination of electrodes may be used to qualify a procedure. Consumables are to be identified by

the complete classification number (e.g., root pass E71T-GS, other passes E71T8-K2).

5 See also Appendix D.

6 See also Appendix C.

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AS 2885.2—2007 18


S E C T I O N 3 P O S T - W E L D H E A T T R E A T M E N T

A N D P O S T - W E L D C O O L I N G

3.1 POST-WELD HEAT TREATMENT

Components that comply with a nominated Standard normally do not require post-weld heat

treatment, but, where determined to be necessary under the provisions of Clause 5, post-

weld heat treatment shall be carried out in accordance with AS 1210, or an approved

method.

3.2 POST-WELD COOLING

The use of deliberate accelerated cooling of a weld shall be permissible provided—

(a) it shall not be used before the weld has cooled to 300°C; and

(b) if it used before the weld has cooled to 100°C, it shall be regarded as an essential

variable and shall be qualified as an item of the welding procedure.

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19 AS 2885.2—2007


S E C T I O N 4 W E L D I N G P O S I T I O N S

4.1 DESIGNATION

Positions for test welds shall be designated as shown in Figure 4.1, and shall be within ±5°

of the nominal position.

Where the position of a production weld cannot be related to one or more of the designated

weld positions, a special test position shall be used.

4.2 LIMITS OF QUALIFIED POSITIONS

The position used in the welding procedure qualification test and welder qualification tests

shall also qualify other positions as shown in Table 4.2(A).

For reciprocity of weld types for welder qualification see Table 4.2(B).

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AS 2885.2—2007 20


TABLE 4.2(A)

POSITIONS FOR WELDING PROCEDURE AND WELDER QUALIFICATION

TESTS FOR BUTT, FILLET, SLEEVE AND BRANCH WELDS ON PIPE AND

RECIPROCITY OF TYPES OF WELD AND POSITION (see Note 3)

Qualification test on pipe Type of weld and position qualified

(see Note 2)

Type of weld Position of axis

Description Symbol Pipe Weld Butt Fillet Branch Sleeve

Butt

(girth)

1G Horizontal—

rotated

Horizontal

(flat)

1G — — —

2G Vertical—

fixed

Horizontal 1G and 2G 2F and 2FR — —

5G Horizontal—

fixed

Multiple 1G and 5G Any — —

6G Inclined 45°—

fixed

Multiple Any Any — —

2G and 5G1

(see Note 1)

Vertical—

fixed, and

horizontal—

fixed

Horizontal and

multiple

Any Any — —

Fillet 2F Vertical—

fixed

Horizontal — 2F and 2FR — —

2FR Horizontal—

rotated

Horizontal — 2FR — —

4F Vertical—

fixed

Horizontal

(overhead)

— 2F, 2FR, and

4F

— —

5F Horizontal—

fixed

Multiple — Any — 5F

(sleeve)

Branch

(see Note 4)

2B 315° to 45° Horizontal

(flat)

1G and 2G 2F and 2FR 2B —

4B 135° to 225° Horizontal

(overhead)

1G and 2G 2F, 2FR, and

4F

2B and

4B

—

5B 45° to 135° Multiple 1G and 2G Any Any —

Sleeve 5F Horizontal—

fixed

Multiple — Any — Any

1G Plate Downhand butt

plate

Downhand

(flat)

— Any — 1G Plate

2G Plate Horizontal butt

plate

Horizontal — Any — 1G and

2G Plate

4G Plate Overhead butt

plate

Overhead — Any — Any

NOTES:

1 Qualified by separate tests for each position or a combination of 2G and 5G test welds.

2 Refer to Figure 4.1 for the types of welds and positions.

3 Table 4.2(B) gives reciprocity of weld types for welder qualification (see also Clause 8.6).

4 Tee butt welds qualify fillet welds as listed. Fillet welds do not qualify tee butt welds. Butt welds qualified

by branch connection weld procedure qualification tests shall be restricted to the types of butt welds involved

in the branch connection (see also Clause 10.9).

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21 AS 2885.2—2007


TABLE 4.2(B)

RECIPROCITY OF WELD TYPES FOR WELDER QUALIFICATION

Weld types qualified in welder

qualification test

Type

number of

weld

Description of weld

Weld type number qualified without further testing

(Note 1)

1 1G butt weld with pipe

horizontal and rotated

1 — — — — — — — — —


vertical and fixed

1 2 — — — — — — — —


horizontal and fixed

1 — 3 — — — — 8 — —

4 2G and 5G butt weld or a

6G butt weld with pipe

inclined 45° and fixed

1 2 3 4 — — — 8 — —

5 2G and 5G butt weld or 6G

butt weld plus mark out, cut,

fit and weld a reinforced sit-

on tee-butt branch ≥D/3 in

position 5B

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 —

6 Mark out, cut, fit and weld a

reinforced sit-on tee-butt

pipe branch ≥D/3 in position

5B

— — — — — 6 7 8 9 —

7 Mark out, cut, fit and weld

in position 5B either a sit-on

bevelled end forged fitting

or a sit-on tee-butt pipe

branch

1 2 — — — — 7 8 9 —

8 Make a fillet weld in

position 5F on the socket

weld end of a forged fitting,

a socketed pipe, a slip-on

flange, a bracket, a pad or a

plain end sit-on branch

— — — — — — — 8 — —

9 Mark out, cut, fit, and weld

in position 5B either a

forged set-in branch or a

non-reinforced set-in pipe

branch

1 2 — — — — 7 8 9 —

10 Fit and weld either a

circumferential split sleeve

or a tee fitting with a

longitudinal single V butt

weld with backing strip and

ends fillet-welded

— — — — — — — 8 — 10

NOTES:

1 For reciprocity of welding positions, see Table 4.2(A) (see also Clause 8.6.)

2 Qualified by separate tests in each position or a combination of 2G and 5G test welds.

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AS 2885.2—2007 22


Type of weld Welding positions

Butt weld

Axis of pipe horizontal

Pipe rotated

Flat position, 1G

Axis of pipe vertical

Pipe fixed

Horizontal position, 2G


Pipe fixed

Multiple position, 5G

Axis of pipe inclined

45° Pipe fixed

Multiple position, 6G

Fillet weld


Pipe rotated

Horizontal position, 2FR


Pipe fixed

Horizontal position, 2F


Pipe fixed

Multiple position, 5F


Pipe fixed

Overhead position, 4F

Sleeve/

Stopple

fitting weld


Pipe rotated

Multiple position, 5F

Circumferential fillet

1G Plate with backing

strip

Longitudinal weld


strip

Longitudinal weld


strip

Longitudinal weld

Branch weld

(Including

set-in, set-on

and ‘-O-let’

type fittings)


Axis of branch normal

Pipe and branch fixed

Branch weld positioned

within 45° to 135°

Multiple position, 5B






Overhead position, 4B






Horizontal position, 2B

FIGURE 4.1 WELD TEST POSITIONS

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23 AS 2885.2—2007


S E C T I O N 5 Q U A L I F I C A T I O N O F A W E L D I N G

P R O C E D U R E

5.1 PURPOSE OF QUALIFYING A WELDING PROCEDURE

A welding procedure shall be qualified to demonstrate that the production welds made in

accordance with the welding procedure—

(a) have the required mechanical properties such as strength, ductility and hardness;

(b) are sound, i.e., free from cracks, unacceptable porosity or other defects; and

(c) are free from the risk of hydrogen assisted cold cracking (HACC).

The basis of the design of the welding procedure for the avoidance of HACC shall be

documented in the welding procedure specification. Requirements for the avoidance of

HACC, including recommended methods for ‘designing out’ HACC from welding

procedures, are given in Appendix E.

NOTE: A suitable form of documentation is given in Appendix F.

5.2 TYPES OF WELDS

5.2.1 General

The types of welds encountered in petroleum pipeline systems are the following:

(a) Production welds of joints in or on pipelines, field welding of pipeline assemblies and

fabrication of pipeline assemblies manufactured from pipes and fittings (see

Clause 1.1)

(i) Mainline

(ii) Tie-in

(iii) Special class (e.g., tie-in weld not subject to pressure testing)

(iv) Repair welds (see Clause 23.2)

(v) Welds on components

(vi) Temporary welds used in construction (e.g., test headers)

(b) In-service welds.

(c) Welds made in accordance with other standards (e.g., station piping and components

to AS 4041).

5.2.2 Types of welds requiring welding procedure qualification

The types of welds requiring welding procedure qualification are the following:

(a) The production welds listed in Clause 5.2.1(a), which shall be qualified by one of the

methods listed in Clause 5.4.

(b) In-service welds, which shall be qualified in accordance with Clauses 12 or 13 of this

Standard.

(c) Repair welds, which shall be qualified in accordance with Clause 23 of the Standard.

(d) Welds made in accordance with other standards, which shall be qualified in

accordance with the relevant Standard.

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AS 2885.2—2007 24


5.3 DOCUMENTATION AND APPROVAL

Regardless of the method of qualification, the welding procedure shall be documented in a

welding procedure specification (WPS) in accordance with Clause 5.4, and shall be

approved.

NOTE: A suitable form of documentation is given in Appendix F.

5.4 METHODS OF QUALIFICATION

5.4.1 General

There are four methods of qualifying a welding procedure, as follows:

(a) Qualification by testing.

(b) Qualification by documentation of previous testing and approval.

(c) Qualification by prequalification without testing.

(d) Qualification by the use of supervision.

A flow chart illustrating these methods is shown in Figure 5.4.1.

NOTE: Developing a repair procedure at the same time as the main procedure is good practice.

Qual i f icat ion bydocumentat ion ofprev ious test ing

Qual i f icat ion bypre-qual i f icat ionwithout test ing

Qual i f icat ionby use of

super v is ion

Qual i f icat ionby test ing

Record ofprev ious ly

approved WPQR

Compl iance wi th setcondi t ions

(Clause 5.3)

Engineer ingassessment /just i f icat ion

Record ofsuccessfu l procedure

qual i f icat iontest we ld (WPQR)

Approval of we ld ingprocedure proposal

(WPP)

Weld ing procedurespeci f icat ion (WPS)

Approva l

FIGURE 5.4.1 FLOW CHART SHOWING QUALIFICATION OF PROCEDURE

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25 AS 2885.2—2007


5.4.2 Qualification by testing

Where a welding procedure is to be qualified by testing, a sufficient number of test welds,

having regard to the range of essential and non-essential variables in the welding procedure

specification, and the intended use of the procedure shall be made in accordance with

Clauses 5.5 to 5.11 and the proposed welding procedure, and shall be examined, tested and

assessed in accordance with Clause 6.

Where the procedure is intended to qualify a range or ranges of essential variables that are

broader than the permissible limits given in Table 5.4.2(B), it shall be necessary to qualify

the procedure using more than one test weld with values of the essential variables chosen to

span the qualified range taking into account the tolerances in Table 5.4.2(B).

The specified ranges of the essential variables may be extended at any time by the welding

and testing of additional test welds. Such changes shall be documented in a revised welding

procedure specification.

The ranges of non-essential variables may be extended by documentation only.

NOTE: The welding procedure qualification test may also be used to qualify a welder (see

Clause 7.3(B)).

Where the weld meets all the criteria of acceptance, and the results have been recorded (see

Clause 6.6), the welding procedure shall be qualified.

5.4.3 Qualification by documentation of previous testing and approval

Part or all of the welding procedure qualification tests may be waived on production of

approved documentary evidence that similar welds have been made and tested, and that the

welding procedure has been qualified previously in accordance with one of the following:

(a) This Standard or any of its previous editions.

(b) AS 1697.

(c) AS 4041 or AS 1210 through AS 3992.

(d) ANSI ASME B31.3, ANSI B31.4 or ASME B31.8 through ASME IX.

(e) ANSI API 1104.

(f) DNV OS F101 or AS 2885.4

This method of qualification shall apply only to Tier 1 defect acceptance criteria as

described in Clause 22.

For new pipeline, the essential variables of this Standard shall apply. For the application of

previously qualified procedures to existing pipeline systems, the essential variables

applicable to the previous qualified procedure may be applied.

5.4.4 Qualification by prequalification without testing

This method of qualification is not applicable to the welding of fittings or welding on live

pipelines or where the design minimum temperature is below 0°C.

A welding procedure may be qualified by being deemed to be prequalified when the

following restrictions are met:

(a) The joints are butt joints between pipes of equal thickness.

(b) The weld preparation is in accordance with Figure 10.2.

(c) The pipe diameter is within the range DN 50 to DN 500.

(d) The pipe thickness is equal to or greater than 4.8 mm and less than 10 mm.

(e) The pipe grade does not exceed X60 and the carbon equivalent does not exceed 0.40.

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AS 2885.2—2007 26


(f) The welding process is MMAW using E4110 electrodes in the vertical down

direction.

(g) The number of passes is not less than 3.

(h) The time lapse between starting the root pass and starting the hot pass shall not

exceed 8 min.

(i) The arc energy is not less than 0.5 kJ/mm, or burn-off rate is not less than 1.00 for

3.2 mm electrodes or 0.50 for 4.0 mm electrodes.

(j) The preheat is not less than that determined by reference to WTIA Technical Note 1.

(k) The lifting and lowering practice is restricted to ‘normal lifts’ as defined in

Appendix E.

NOTE: Extreme lifts may be dealt with within this Clause by adhering to the provisions of

Paragraph E9.2.2, Appendix E.

(l) The welds are made by welders qualified in accordance with this Standard.

(m) All consumables are used within the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Prequalified welding procedures, which are qualified under this Clause, are deemed suitable

for use by dint of their long satisfactory use and do not require testing in accordance with

Clause 5.4.1. Prequalified welding procedures shall be documented in accordance with

Clause 5.2.

5.4.5 Qualification by the use of supervision

In special circumstances outside the restrictions of Clause 5.4.4 and where qualification by

testing or documentation is not practicable, a limited number of special welds may be made

by qualified welders working under the direct and continuous supervision of a qualified

welding engineer.

NOTE: An example of these special circumstances might be the welding into a pipeline of a large

and expensive fitting where it would not be practicable to meet the test weld requirements of this

Standard.

The welding engineer shall have formal qualifications in welding engineering, and shall be

experienced in the welding of a pipeline, including specifically qualification in the type of

welds that are proposed.

The welding procedure used for supervised welds shall be documented and shall be

approved. The documentation shall include a statement of the qualifications and experience

of the welding engineer who will supervise the welds.

5.5 WELDING PROCEDURE SPECIFICATION

The purpose of the welding procedure specification is to document and record the nominal

and, where appropriate, average values of the essential and non-essential variables of the

welding procedure, and the limits of these variables.

Table 5.4.2(A) lists the items that are to be defined for each welding procedure.

Table 5.4.2(B) lists the essential variables for qualified welding procedures. Weld passes in

a butt weld shall be identified as shown in Figure 5.5.

NOTES:

1 The terms essential variable and non-essential variable are defined in Clause 1.5.

2 A welding procedure specification may be presented in any suitable form (written or tabular),

that suits the needs of the organization responsible for qualification of the welding procedure.

A suitable form for welding procedure detail is given in Appendix F.

3 A suitable form for test weld record is given in Appendix G.

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27 AS 2885.2—2007


FIGURE 5.5 IDENTIFICATION OF WELD PASSES IN A SINGLE-SIDED BUTT WELD

5.6 CHANGES IN A WELDING PROCEDURE

5.6.1 Change in an essential variable

The following shall be observed:

(a) Where a change is made to an essential variable in a qualified welding procedure

beyond the qualified range of the welding procedure specification, or the permissible

limit in Table 5.4.2(B), whichever is greater, the welding procedure specification

shall be changed, and the new procedure shall be qualified.

(b) Changes beyond the limits in Table 5.4.2(B) may be made without requalification

provided the following criteria is met:

(i) The changes are shown by appropriate documentary evidence in the form of an

amendment to the qualified welding procedure not to increase the risk of

HACC. This evidence should take into account the material in Appendix E and

WTIA Technical Note 1.

(ii) The changes do not involve an increase in carbon equivalent of more than 0.10

above that used for the procedure test weld.

(iii) The amended welding procedure specification is approved.

5.6.2 Change in other than an essential variable

Where a change is made to other than an essential variable, the welding procedure

specification shall be modified but need not be requalified.

5.7 TEST PIECE SIZE

The size of the test piece(s) used for welding procedure qualification test welds shall

involve at least one complete welded joint of the type for which the procedure is to be

qualified, and shall be sufficient to provide the required number of test specimens.

5.8 TEST PIECE MATERIAL

The test piece material shall comply with the following:

(a) Test piece material used for welding procedure qualification test welds shall be of the

same specification, grade or class, and outside diameter, as will be used in the major

part of the production. The wall thickness shall take into account the limits in the

essential variables and, where there is a choice, it should preferably be at the upper

end of the range qualified.

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AS 2885.2—2007 28


(b) For material grades equal to or greater than X70, the test piece material shall be from

the manufacture, and shall have the same nominal composition as the material

represented. Combinations of materials from different manufacturers that have been

individually qualified do not require separate qualification for the combination (see

Table 5.4.2(B) 1 (b)).

(c) Where a weld is to be made between a material grade less than X70 and another with

material grade equal to or greater than X70, a welding procedure qualification test

weld made on the higher grade shall qualify the combination.

(d) Material with a higher carbon equivalent shall be deemed to be valid for a parent

metal with a lower carbon equivalent.

5.9 PREPARATION AND ASSEMBLY OF TEST PIECES

The joint preparation of test pieces shall be in accordance with the qualified procedure and

shall be within the specified dimensional tolerances. The preparation should preferably be

made by the same method as will be used in production.

Test pieces shall be assembled in the required position so that the weld can be made in

accordance with the welding procedure specification. Tack welding shall be carried out as

per the welding procedure.

5.10 TEST CONDITIONS

Subject to the requirements of Appendix E, the test weld shall be made under conditions

that simulate the worst case likely to be encountered during construction or operations

including, where these are required by Appendix E, the use of full-length suspended pipes,

line-up clamps, lowering off, support and environmental conditions. The welding preheat,

heat input or burn-off rate shall be at or near the lower end of the range to be qualified.

Where delay in completing some joints is anticipated, the test weld shall simulate that

delay.

5.11 SUPERVISION OF THE TEST WELD

The test weld shall be made under continuous supervision to ensure that all the

requirements of the welding procedure specification are complied with and that the weld is

free from unauthorized repairs.

The supervisor shall be qualified in accordance with Clause 11.4.

The test should be terminated at any stage when it becomes apparent to the supervisor that a

satisfactory weld cannot be made.

5.12 IDENTIFICATION OF THE TEST WELD

Each qualified welding procedure and each welder or operator shall be uniquely identified.

This identification shall be clearly marked on the test piece adjacent to the weld.

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29 AS 2885.2—2007


TABLE 5.4.2(A)

ITEMS FOR QUALIFIED PROCEDURES

Item (see Note 1) Remarks

PIPE

1 (a) Material specification Pipe and components complying with the AS 2885 set of

Standards, another relevant Australian Standard, or another

Approved Standard

(b) Material manufacturer Where material grade ≥X70

(c) Material carbon equivalent (CE)

15

iNuC

5

VoMrC

6

MnCCE

+

+

++

++=

2 Wall thickness Nominal wall thickness of each component of the joint

3 Diameter group Applicable to the diameter of each pipe, branch pipe or

component

PROCESS

4 Welding process The arc welding process (e.g., MMAW, automatic GMAW,

GTAW, or a nominated combination)

DESIGN

5 Preparation Joint preparation e.g., type and details of bevel, root face,

and gap, and the dimensional tolerances upon the

preparation. For high-low limits refer to Clause 15.4.3

6 Weld shape and size Shape and size of welds

7 Backing Type of backing or consumable insert (if used)

8 Passes Number and sequence of passes (including stripper passes)

9 Position Positions shown in Table 4.2(A)

10 Direction of welding Vertical up or vertical down

FILLER

11 Filler metal Size and classification of electrode or welding wire for each

pass

SHIELDING

12 Shielding gas (a) Type and composition of gas or gas mixture used for

shielding or backing

(b) Nozzle or cup size

(c) Type and flow rate for shielding or backing gases

13 Shielding flux Type, size, classification, make, and brand of flux

ELECTRICAL

14 Electrical characteristics Arc type, current, polarity and voltage for each size of

electrode.

PROCEDURE

15 Number of welders Minimum number of root and hot pass welders

16 Removal of line-up clamp, and/or type

of lift (see Note 4)

Minimum percentage of root pass completed before release

of clamp. Where less than 100% the location of the

completed proportion shall be specified (see Notes 5 and 6).

The type of lift shall also be specified

17 Tack welding (if used) Number and size of tacks employed

(continued)

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AS 2885.2—2007 30


Item (see Note 1) Remarks

18 Maximum time lapse—

Time lapse between individual

passes (see Note 2) (a) between the start of the root pass and the start of the

hot pass; and

(b) between subsequent passes

19 Preheat temperature and interpass

temperature

Heating method, width heated, preheat temperature and

interpass temperature

(a) For post-weld heat treatment, the heating method,

width heated, minimum and maximum temperature,

time at temperature, method of temperature

measurement, and control of maximum and minimum

cooling rates

20 Post-weld heat treatment and post-

weld cooling

(b) For deliberate accelerated post weld cooling above

100°C, the method and intensity or rate of cooling

21 Heat input or burn-off rate

(see Note 3)

Heat input or burn-off rate for each pass

CLEANING

22 Cleaning Equipment and method used

DEFECT ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

23 Visual inspection and NDE acceptance

criteria

The tier of acceptance criteria for girth weld discontinuity

NOTE: Item indicates the specification topic.

TABLE 5.4.2(A) (continued)

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31 AS 2885.2—2007


TABLE 5.4.2(B)

ESSENTIAL VARIABLES FOR QUALIFIED WELDING PROCEDURES

Item (see Note 1) Essential variable

PIPE

1 Material (a) Change of material grade between <X70 and ≥X70 or

from X70 to a higher grade

(b) Where material grade ≥X70—Material manufacturer

(combinations between different material manufacturers

do not require separate qualification, see Clause 5.8(b))

(c) For actual CE values of < 0.35, an increase of carbon

equivalent of > 0.05 above that used for the procedure

test weld

(d) For actual CE values of ≥ 0.35, an increase of carbon

equivalent of > 0.03 above that used for the procedure

test weld (see Clause 5.6.1(b))

2 Wall thickness (see Note 5) Tier 1: Change of material thickness in a component of a

joint between <0.5 nominal thickness and >1.2 nominal

thickness

Tier 2 and Tier 3: Change of material thickness in joints

with the same nominal thickness between <1 nominal

thickness and >1.2 nominal thickness

In tapered joints or branch welds the thickness to be

considered shall be the effective thickness on the thicker side

of the joint. The effective thickness shall be as defined in

WTIA Technical Note 1

3 Diameter group

(see Note 4)

Change in nominal outside diameter outside the diameter

groups qualified as follows:

(a) D ≤60.3 mm

(b) 60.3 mm < D ≤508 mm

(c) D >508 mm where D is the nominal diameter of the test

weld

Or, as an alternative to the diameter groups given above,

where there is a change in diameter from a qualified

procedure of more than 50% of the nominal outside diameter

PROCESS

4 Welding process (a) A change from one welding process or combination to

another

(b) Change from a manual operation to semi-automatic or

automatic operation, or vice versa

(c) Change of automatic welding system used

DESIGN

5 Preparation (a) Any change to the nominal dimensions of the weld

preparation and their tolerances

(b) An increase in the permitted level of high-low beyond

the limits of Clause 15.4.3

6 Weld shape and size Change beyond that permitted by joint design (see Clause 10)

7 Backing Deletion or addition or change of a backing material or

consumable insert

(continued)

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AS 2885.2—2007 32


TABLE 5.4.2(B) (continued)

Item (see Note 1) Essential variable

8 Passes Not limited unless it is a reduction to less than 4 passes

9 Position Change in position other than as permitted by Table 4.2(A)

10 Direction of welding Change between vertical up and vertical down

FILLER

11 Filler metal (electrodes,

filler wire)

(a) Any change in classification of welding consumables as

specified by Table 2.2.1

(b) Change in diameter of electrode, filler wire or rod for

the root pass

(c) For single-sided butt welds and fillet welds, any change

of root pass electrode brand name

(d) For electrodes of higher strength than E4110, a change

in any of the following:

(i) The type or nominal level of alloying elements

used in the weld metal

(ii) Manufacturer and factory of origin

(iii) A significant change in the proportion of the

thickness welded with different electrode

classifications

(e) For GMAW or FCAW electrodes, a change in brand

designation, factory of origin or electrode diameter

SHIELDING

12 Shielding gas (a) Change between one gas or mixture and another gas or

mixture

(b) Decrease in shielding gas flow rate by more than 10% or

decrease in the nozzle or cup size

(c) Change of gas backing parameters

13 Shielding flux (a) Change in flux type, size, classification

(b) Change in combination of flux and electrode, which

results in a different classification number

ELECTRICAL

14 Electrical characteristics (a) Change of polarity of the electrode

(b) Change of electrical current between a.c. and d.c.

(c) Change of arc type between spray arc, globular arc,

pulsed arc, and short-circuiting (dip transfer) arc or

between the use of a conventional power source and a

controlled waveform power source.

(d) Change of more than 10% in contact tube-to-work

distance

(e) Change of current and/or voltage to a value outside the

manufacturer’s published recommended range or, when

working outside the manufacturer’s recommended range,

the qualified range of values of current and/or voltage

PROCEDURE

15 Number of welders Decrease in number of welders used on any root pass, or hot

pass, in the procedure test weld

(continued)

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33 AS 2885.2—2007


16 Removal of line-up clamp

(if used) and/or a change in the type

of lift

(a) A reduction in the proportion of root pass welded before

the line-up clamp is released

(b) A change from normal to extreme lift

(see Appendix E)

17 Tack welding (if used) A reduction in the number or size of tack welds or both

18 Time lapse between individual passes

(see Note 2 and Clause 5.10)

Increase in time lapse beyond the qualified range

19 Preheat temperature and interpass

temperature

(a) For material grades of less than X70 a decrease in

material temperature of more than 25°C below or an

increase of more than 75°C above that used in the

procedure test weld

(b) For material grades of X70 or higher a decrease in

material temperature of more than 10°C below or an

increase of more than 75°C above that used in the

procedure test weld

Note: Refer to Clause 5.9 which requires the test weld to be

made under conditions that simulate the worst case to be

encountered in production.

20 (a) Change in post-weld heat treatment

Post-weld heat treatment and post-

weld cooling (b) Change in post-weld cooling method and intensity, or

rate of cooling (see Clause 3.2)

21 Heat input or burn-off rate

(see Note 3)

(a) For mechanized or automatic welding, a change of heat

input of more than 15% of the nominated average used

in the procedure test weld

(b) For manual metal-arc welding a reduction of heat input

or burn-off rate on the root pass of more than 10%, or on

the other passes a change of more than 20%

22 Cleaning Equipment and method used

DEFECT ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

23 Visual examination and NDE

acceptance criteria

An increase in the Tier number

TABLE 5.4.2(B) (continued) TABLE 5.4.2(B) (continued) TABLE 5.4.2(B) (continued)

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AS 2885.2—2007 34


NOTES TO TABLE 5.4.2(B)

1 The essential variable specifies the limits outside which re-qualification is required. Changes in non-

essential variables require documentation but do not require re-qualification. Non-essential variables

are those Items in Table 5.4.2(A) which are not listed as essential variables in Table 5.4.2(B).

2 The method of defining time lapse shall be the same for production welds as is used for procedure

qualification welds. It is recommended that the time lapse from start of root pass to start of hot pass be

the defined method to avoid uncertainties associated with root repairs.

3 Burn-off rate is defined as the ratio of length of electrode consumed to the length of weld pass

deposited. WTIA Technical Note 1 provides information relating burn-off rate to heat input.

4 The essential variables in Table 5.4.2(B) primarily address the risk of HACC. This is clearly evident by

the latitude extended to the range of thickness (Item 2). Tier 2, however, permits increased defect limits

based on demonstrated mechanical properties, i.e., weld metal strength matching and fracture

toughness. Although Tier 2 defect limits are proportional to wall thickness, variations in wall thickness

can strongly influence defect tolerance. This is principally a consequence of the fact that planar defects

are assumed to be one weld pass deep (i.e., 3 mm). Such an assumed defect depth in thin-walled pipe

can significantly change the requirement of weld strength matching (despite the proportional decrease

in defect limit). For this reason the Tier 2 and Tier 3 lower limit multiplier for thickness range is more

restrictive than that for Tier 1.

5 Research work carried out by the CRC for welded structures (CRC-WS) has shown that for normal lifts

(see Appendix F) the additional strains, over and above the weld contraction strains, caused by lifting

and lowering are small for pipe diameters less than DN 500 It has also shown that providing due

attention is paid to the other factors governing the risk of HACC, the removal of the line-up clamp after

at least 50% of the root pass is completed, does not by itself cause cracking.

6 The proportion of the root pass that is completed before clamp release shall be ≥50%.

7 Where the proportion of the root pass that is completed before the line-up clamp is released is <100%,

then at least 80% of both the top and bottom quadrants shall be completed before clamp release.

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35 AS 2885.2—2007


S E C T I O N 6 A S S E S S M E N T O F T H E T E S T

W E L D T O Q U A L I F Y A W E L D I N G P R O C E D U R E

6.1 METHOD OF ASSESSMENT

The test weld made to qualify a welding procedure shall be assessed in the following

manner and sequence:

(a) Visual examination

(b) Non-destructive examination using the same methods as those proposed for the

assessment of production welds.

(c) Destructive tests.

The assessment may be stopped at any stage when results are unsatisfactory.

The assessment shall be made on a test piece that has been cooled under representative

conditions.

Final non-destructive examination shall not be carried out until 24 h after the weld has been

completed.

Except for branch connections or in-service weld location, pre-existing laminar

imperfections in the parent metal shall not be cause for rejection of test welds. Additionally,

cracking of regions of mid-section segregation in the heat-affected zone of the parent metal,

where there is no significant through thickness dimension, shall not be cause for rejection.

NOTE: Non-destructive examination may be used to locate areas substantially free from

discontinuities before the test specimens required for destructive tests are taken (see

Clause 6.4.1).

6.2 VISUAL EXAMINATION

The external surface and the internal surface of the test weld shall be visually examined in

accordance with Clause 15.

6.3 NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION

The test weld shall be subjected to non-destructive examination in accordance with

Clause 16. For welds involving fittings, and for all welds in materials having SMYS

≥413 MPa, the internal root surface of the weld shall be examined by magnetic particle

testing.

6.4 DESTRUCTIVE TESTS

6.4.1 Types of test and number of test specimens

The types of test and the number of test specimens required shall be as shown in

Table 6.4.1.

Test specimen shall be spaced evenly within the test welds.

Test specimens shall be cut from the test piece by a method that does not change the

properties of the test specimens.

Where a test piece has been assessed for soundness by a non-destructive examination, test

specimens for tensile tests and bend tests shall be taken from locations that are free from

discontinuities.

Reports of destructive tests shall include the identification of the welding procedure and the

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AS 2885.2—2007 36


6.4.2 Fracture toughness tests

This Standard contains three alternative acceptance criteria (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3) for

discontinuities assessed by non-destructive examination (see Clause 22). The toughness test

shall be performed when—

(a) the criteria for acceptance of discontinuities is Tier 1 and the weld is not made

entirely with E4110 electrodes; or

(b) the criteria for acceptance of discontinuities is Tier 2 or Tier 3.

These properties should be determined from appropriate tests performed on the procedure

qualification test weld.

Where fracture toughness tests are required, the type of test, the method of carrying out that

test, the location and preparation of the test specimens, and the criteria of acceptance shall

be approved.

The most common test methods that are used to assess fracture toughness in pipeline girth

welds are the Charpy test (see AS 1544.2) and the crack tip opening displacement test (see

AS 2205.7.3).

6.4.3 Transverse butt tensile strength test

The purpose of a transverse butt tensile test is to determine the tensile strength of a test

specimen containing weld metal, the heat-affected zone and parent metal affected by the

welding taken transversely from a butt welded joint.

The following applies to transverse butt tensile strength tests:

(a) Method A transverse butt tensile test shall be carried out in accordance with

AS 2205.2.1 and the following:

(i) Test specimen The test specimen shall comply with the following:

(A) Where the outside diameter of the pipe is not greater than 33.4 mm, a full

section test specimen may be used.

(B) Where the outside diameter of the pipe is greater than 33.4 mm, the test

specimen shall comply with AS 2205.2.1.

(ii) Dressing of the face and root surfaces of the test specimen is optional except

where the criteria of acceptance for girth weld discontinuities is Tier 2 in which

case the reinforcement shall be removed from both surfaces (see

Clause 22.3.1(c) and Table 6.4.1).

(b) Criteria of acceptance Where the test specimen breaks in the weld metal or the heat-

affected zone, the tensile strength shall be not less than—

(i) where the parent metals have the same specified minimum tensile strength, the

specified minimum tensile strength of the parent metal; or

(ii) where the parent metals have differing specified minimum tensile strengths, the

lower specified minimum tensile strength of the parent metals.

(c) Reporting of results The report shall include the identification of the welding

procedure, the welder or operator, and the location of the fracture and whether the

weld is dressed. Where the test specimen breaks outside the weld metal or heat-

affected zone and where the tensile strength is less than 95% of the specified

minimum tensile strength of the parent metal, the cause shall be investigated and

reported.

6.4.4 Transverse guided side bend test

The purpose of the transverse guided side bend test is to assess sidewall fusion in welds

made by a gas metal-arc or a flux-cored arc welding process.

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37 AS 2885.2—2007


The following applies to transverse guided side bend tests:

(a) Method A transverse guided bend test shall be carried out in accordance with

AS 2205.3.1 with the former diameter equal to four times the test specimen thickness.

Where the material wall thickness is less than the standard thickness of the

AS 2205.3.1 standard test specimen (10 mm), the thickness of the test specimen shall

be reduced so that it is equal to the material wall thickness.

NOTE: This measure is designed to make the test specimen at least square so as to avoid

difficulties in bending.

(b) Criteria of acceptance The test specimen shall have none of the following:

(i) Cracks that do not originate from one of the edges.

(ii) Cracks that originate from one of the edges and have a length greater than

3 mm.

(iii) Any other discontinuity that does not comply with the criteria of acceptance

specified in Clause 22.

In GMAW welds, minor amounts of lack of fusion that comply with the NDE

acceptance criteria can sometimes exhibit a crack-like appearance. Provided

they occur on the fusion boundary and do not exceed the NDE acceptance limits

their occurrence shall not constitute failure of the bend test.

(c) Reporting of results The report shall include the identification of the welding

procedure, and identification of the welder or operator.

6.4.5 Macro test—Cross-section examination

The purpose of a macro test is to—

(a) provide a record of the number, disposition and sequence of weld passes;

(b) assess the soundness of the weld; and

(c) reveal the presence of hardened zones by the response to etching and so possibly

indicate the need for additional hardness traverses beyond the minimum given in

AS 2205.6.1.

The following applies to macro-examination tests:

(a) Method A macro test cross-section examination shall be carried out in accordance

with AS 2205.5.1 using a magnification of approximately 5×, and a photo-

macrograph shall be prepared at a suitable magnification in the range 2× to 5×.

(b) Criteria of acceptance The test specimen shall be deemed to be acceptable if the

polished surface of the weld and the heat-affected zone shows the following:

(i) The number and sequence of weld passess is as specified in the welding

procedure.

(ii) Freedom from discontinuities that do not comply with the criteria of acceptance

specified in Clause 22.

In order to meet this requirement it may be necessary to investigate and

determine the length of discontinuities that appear on the polished plane of the

macro test piece. If this is necessary it shall be done by reference to the results

of the non-destructive examination. If the non-destructive examination did not

reveal the discontinuity, or if no non-destructive examination was performed,

the investigation shall be undertaken using metallography.

(iii) Freedom from discontinuities greater than one weld pass depth.

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AS 2885.2—2007 38


6.4.6 Hardness test

The purpose of the hardness test is to measure the hardness of the weld metal, heat-affected

zone (HAZ), and parent metal on prescribed traverses located in the regions of expected

maximum and minimum hardness.

The following applies to hardness tests:

(a) Test specimen The test specimen shall be that used for the macro test. It shall be

prepared in accordance with AS 2205.6.1.

(b) Method A Vickers hardness test shall be carried out in accordance with AS 2205.6.1.

Care shall be taken to ensure that, in addition to the minimum requirements for

traverse locations shown in AS 2205.6.1, the information derived from the macro test

(see Clause 6.4.5) is used to ensure that traverses are located so as to find the

maximum hardness.

(c) Criteria of acceptance The maximum hardness in the weld zone shall not exceed

350 HV for non-sour environment, and 250 HV for sour environment. Sour

environments are defined in NACE MR-0175. These environments may cause stress

corrosion cracking (SCC) of susceptible materials. It should be noted that highly

susceptible materials may fail in less severe environments.

6.4.7 Charpy V-notch impact test

The purpose of the Charpy V-notch impact test is to provide an empirical measure of the

fracture toughness of the weld metal in girth welds. Charpy tests are mandatory when the

criteria for acceptance of girth weld discontinuities is Tier 2 (see Clause 22.3 and

Table 6.4.1) or Tier 3 and where the weld is not made entirely with E4110 electrodes.

The following applies to Charpy V-notch impact tests:

(a) Test specimen Charpy test specimens shall be prepared in accordance with

AS 2205.7.1.

(b) Method Charpy tests shall be carried out in accordance with AS 2205.7.1 at the

lowest design temperature at which the combined stress, resulting from internal

pressure and external loads, exceeds 30% SMYS.

(c) Criteria of acceptance The average absorbed energy for each set of three test

specimens shall be 40 J. The minimum absorbed energy for individual specimens

shall be 30 J. These requirements shall be reduced pro rata for sub-size test

specimens.

6.4.8 Crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) test

The purpose of the CTOD test is to provide a quantitative fracture mechanics based

measure of the fracture toughness of the weld metal in girth welds. CTOD tests are only

mandatory when the criteria for acceptance of girth weld discontinuities is Tier 2 (see

Clause 22.3 and Table 6.4.1), and where the thickness is greater than 13 mm. CTOD tests

are also likely to be necessary when Tier 3 acceptance criteria are used. In that case CTOD

tests may be required when the thickness is less than 13 mm.

The following applies to CTOD tests:

(a) Test specimen CTOD test specimens shall be prepared in accordance with BS 7448.2

using the standard B × 2B test specimen.

(b) Method CTOD tests shall be performed in accordance with BS 7448.2 at the lowest

design temperature at which the combined stress, resulting from internal pressure and

external loads, exceeds 30% SMYS.

(c) Criteria of acceptance The results of CTOD tests shall meet a requirement of

0.15 mm average and 0.10 mm minimum individual. Acc

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39 AS 2885.2—2007


6.5 REPEATED TESTS

6.5.1 Visual examination and non-destructive examination

Where a test weld fails to comply with the criteria of acceptance for visual examination or

non-destructive examination, another test weld shall be made and subjected to the same

examination. If this additional test weld fails, the welding procedure shall be deemed not to

comply with this Standard.

6.5.2 Destructive testing

Destructive tests shall be repeated in accordance with the following:

(a) Tensile test Where a test specimen for a tensile test fails to comply with the criteria

of acceptance, another test specimen shall be taken from a location in the same test

piece, determined by the inspector, if there is sufficient material or from another test

piece. This test specimen shall be subjected to the test. If this additional test specimen

fails, the welding procedure shall be deemed not to comply with this Standard.

(b) Other destructive tests Where a test specimen fails to comply with the criteria of

acceptance for destructive testing, another two test specimens shall be taken from a

location in the same test piece, determined by the inspector, if there is sufficient

material or from another test piece. These test specimens shall be subjected to the

same test as the one that failed. If either of these additional test specimens fail, the

welding procedure shall be deemed not to comply with this Standard.

6.5.3 Cause of failure

Where any further test piece or test specimen fails to comply with the criteria of acceptance

for visual examination, non-destructive examination or destructive testing, the cause of

failure should be established before any further testing is carried out.

6.6 RECORD OF RESULTS

Where the assessment has demonstrated that the weld is satisfactory, a record to the effect

that a weld made to the particular welding procedure specification complies with this

Standard shall be signed by the person responsible for the test, and thus qualify the welding

procedure.

A record of the results of each test and any test that has been repeated shall be made for

each welding procedure specification.

6.7 PERIOD OF VALIDITY

A qualified welding procedure shall remain valid within the limitations of the essential

variables until the qualification is withdrawn.

6.8 DISQUALIFICATION OF A QUALIFIED WELDING PROCEDURE

Where it has been demonstrated and established that welds made to a qualified welding

procedure fail to comply with the criteria of acceptance and it has been determined that the

welder is not responsible for the failure, the cause of the failure shall be determined and the

qualification of the welding procedure may be withdrawn.

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AS 2885.2—2007 40


TABLE 6.4.1

WELDING PROCEDURE TEST WELDS—TYPE OF DESTRUCTIVE TEST AND

NUMBER OF SPECIMENS

Type of destructive test and number of specimens from each test piece

(Note 1)

Tensile

(Note 2)

Side

bend test

(Note 3)

Macro Hardness

(Note 4)

Charpy

V-notch

test

(Note 5)

CTOD

test

(Note 5)

Type of

weld

Nominal

thickness

(δN)

Nominal

outside

diameter (D)

(Clause

6.4.3)

(Clause

6.4.4)

(Clause

6.4.5)

(Clause

6.4.6)

(Clause

6.4.7)

(Clause

6.4.8)

mm mm (set of 3) (set of 3)

Circum-

ferential

butt

≤ 33.4 1 — 1 1 — —

>33.4 ≤60.3 1 1 1 1 1 —

≤13 >60.3 ≤114.3 1 2 2 2 1 —

>114.3 ≤323.9 2 2 2 2 1 —

>323.9 4 4 2 2 2 —

≤114.3 1 2 2 2 1 1

>13 >114.3 ≤323.9 2 4 2 2 1 1

>323.9 4 4 2 2 2 1

Fillet All All — — 4 2 — —

Branch:

tee-butt

and fillet

All All — — 4 2 — —

Longi-

tudinal

butt

joints

All All 2 2 2 2 —

Repair All All — — 1 1 — —

Weld

metal

deposit

repair

(Note 6)

All All — 2 4 2 — —

NOTES:

1 Where two or more welders or operators make a weld, at least one of each test specimen type shall be taken to

represent each welder’s or operator’s work.

2 Where the criteria for acceptance of girth weld discontinuities is Tier 2 (see Clause 22.3.1(c)), the weld

reinforcement shall be removed.

3 Except for weld metal deposit repair welds, side bend tests are applicable only to welds made by gas metal-arc

and flux cored welding processes.

4 The hardness test shall be made on the macro test specimens.

5 Applicable where the joint is not made entirely with E4110 electrodes and/or when the criteria for acceptance of

girth weld discontinuities is Tier 2 or Tier 3 (see Clause 22).

6 Weld metal deposit repairs to pipelines made in accordance with Clause 13.

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41 AS 2885.2—2007


S E C T I O N 7 Q U A L I F I C A T I O N O F A W E L D E R

O P E R A T O R

7.1 PURPOSE OF QUALIFYING A WELDER

A welder shall be qualified in order to demonstrate an ability to follow the appropriate

qualified welding procedure and the dexterity to make welds using that procedure to the

requirements of this Standard.

7.2 CATEGORIES AND SCOPE OF WELDER OR OPERATOR QUALIFICATION

This Standard specifies three categories of qualification, as follows:

(a) Category 1 (multiple qualification) A welder holding a Category 1 (multiple

qualification) may weld any type of joint and in any position, but shall be limited by

the welding procedure essential variables and welder essential variables.

(b) Category 2 (partial qualification) A welder holding a Category 2 (partial

qualification) may weld only the type or types of weld (see Table 4.2(B)), the weld

pass(es), and the section of the weld and in the position qualified (see Table 4.2(A)),

but shall be limited by the welding procedure essential variables and the welder

essential variables.

(c) Category 3 (operator qualification) An operator holding a Category 3 (operator

qualification) may weld the type or types of weld using automatic welding and in the

positions qualified, but shall be limited by the welding procedure essential variables

and the welders and operators essential variables.

NOTE: Automatic welding does not include semi-automatic welding, which is qualified as

Category 1.

7.3 METHODS OF QUALIFICATION

A welder or operator shall be qualified by one of the following methods:

(a) The welding of a test piece that simulates the production weld, and its subsequent

examination, testing, and assessment in accordance with Clause 8.

(b) The production of documentary evidence showing that the test piece required for the

qualification of the welding procedure has been welded, and that the procedure has

been qualified.

(c) Where a welder holds a Category 2 (partial qualification) and is required to qualify

for a Category 1 (multiple qualification), the successful making of the appropriate

additional test welds.

(d) Assessment of the welder or operators first production weld in accordance with

Clause 8.1.

7.4 QUALIFICATION BY TESTING

Where a welder or operator is to be qualified by testing, a test weld shall be made on a

suitable test piece in accordance with a qualified welding procedure.

The test weld shall be examined and tested. Where the weld complies with this Standard

and the results have been recorded (see Clause 8.5), the welder or operator shall be

qualified.

Where two or more welders or operators qualify on a single test piece, each welder or

operator shall be qualified for that position used and section or portion of the weld made. Acc

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AS 2885.2—2007 42


Part or all of the welder or operator qualification tests may be waived on production of

evidence that similar welds, within the limits of the essential variables (Table 7.5) have

been made within the previous 12 months.

7.5 ESSENTIAL VARIABLES FOR WELDERS AND OPERATOR

Essential variables for welders and operators shall be as listed in Table 7.5.

NOTES:

1 Essential variables for a welder or operator are those variables in which a change outside the

limits shown in Table 7.5 is considered likely to result in a change in the mechanical

properties and soundness of a weld, e.g., a change in technique or welding process, change in

welding position.

2 The essential variables associated with the welder or operator qualification and welding

procedure qualification are not the same; welder or operator qualification is a function of the

essential variables listed in Table 7.5.

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43 AS 2885.2—2007


TABLE 7.5

ESSENTIAL VARIABLES FOR QUALIFIED WELDERS AND OPERATORS

Categories (see Notes)

Item Category 1

qualification

(multiple)

Category 2

qualification

(partial)

Category 3

qualification

(automatic

welding)

1 Welding process

Change of welding process or combination of welding

processes A A A

2 Material—Thickness

Change of material thickness (δN) beyond the range δN/2

to 1.5δN, where δN equals the thickness used in the

welding procedure qualification test weld

— A A

3 Material—Outside diameter

Change of outside diameter beyond the range qualified

in the welding procedure qualification test weld — A —

4 Joint design

Change of basic joint design used for the welding

procedure qualification test (e.g., angle of bevel, root

gap, root face)

— A A

Deletion of backing strip or a consumable insert in a

single-sided butt weld A A A

5 Welding position

Addition of welding positions not qualified by the

welder qualification test weld — A A

6 Direction of welding

Change of direction of welding between vertical-down

and vertical-up A A A

7 Filler metal

Change of flux type from one flux type to another

(e.g., cellulose to basic) A A A

8 Electrical characteristics

Change between spray arc, globular arc, pulsed arc, and

short-circuiting arc (dip transfer) A A A

NOTES:

1 The categories are defined in Clause 7.2.

2 ‘A’ indicates applicability.

7.6 TEST PIECE

The size of the test piece(s) used for a welder’s qualification shall be sufficient to provide

the required number of test specimens.

The material for the test piece(s) shall be within the limits of the welding procedure

essential variables and the welder and operator essential variables.

The joint preparation shall be within specified tolerances for production, and should

preferably be made by the same method as that used in production.

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AS 2885.2—2007 44


7.7 ASSEMBLY OF TEST PIECES

A test piece shall be assembled so that the weld can be made in accordance with the

qualified welding procedure and in the required position.

If tack welds are used, they shall be made in accordance with the qualified welding

procedure.

7.8 AUTOMATIC WELDING EQUIPMENT

Where an operator is to be tested on automatic welding equipment, the equipment shall be

identical to that used in production, and it shall have been demonstrated that the equipment

can make an acceptable welding procedure test weld. The operator shall be adequately

trained on the automatic welding equipment before making the test weld.

7.9 CATEGORIES OF TEST WELDS

7.9.1 General

The type and number of test welds shall be appropriate to the category of qualification

required.

7.9.2 Test welds for Category 1 (multiple qualification)

The welder shall make a butt weld and a branch weld as follows:

(a) Butt weld The welder shall make a butt weld, without a backing ring, on pipe in

either—

(i) the 5G position; or

(ii) the 6G position.

(b) Branch weld The welder shall mark out, cut, fit, and weld a reinforced bevelled end

sit-on branch to a pipe run. The outside diameter of the branch pipe shall be not less

than one-third of the outside diameter of the pipe run.

The branch weld shall be made with—

(i) the pipe run in either the 5G position or the 6G position;

(ii) the branch in the 5B position; and

(iii) the angle between the axis of the pipe run and the branch at 90°.

7.9.3 Test welds for Category 2 (partial qualification)

The welder shall make one or more of the types of welds classified in Table 4.2(B).

Where the welder does not mark out, cut, and fit a branch but only welds the joint, the

welder’s record shall be marked ‘WELDING ONLY’.

7.9.4 Test welds for Category 3 (operator qualification)

An operator shall make a butt weld using automatic welding equipment.

7.10 MAKING A TEST WELD

The test weld shall be made in accordance with the qualified welding procedure.

7.11 SUPERVISION OF A TEST WELD

A test weld for a welder or operator qualification test shall be made under continuous

supervision, to ensure that the requirements of the welding procedure specification are

followed and that the weld is free from unauthorized repairs.

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The test should be terminated at any stage when it becomes apparent to the person

supervising the test that the welder or operator does not have the ability required to produce

a satisfactory weld.

7.12 IDENTIFICATION OF A TEST WELD

The identification of the qualified welding procedure specification and each welder or

operator’s identification shall be clearly marked on the test weld. The top (or other

appropriate orientation) shall also be marked on the test weld along with the limits of each

welder’s or operator’s work in circumstances where more than one welder or operator is

involved.

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AS 2885.2—2007 46


S E C T I O N 8 A S S E S S M E N T O F T E S T W E L D S

F O R W E L D E R O R O P E R A T O R Q U A L I F I C A T I O N

8.1 METHOD OF ASSESSMENT

A test weld made for welder or operator qualification shall be assessed by each of the

following methods:

(a) Visual examination.

(b) Where production welds are to be subject to non-destructive examination, assessment

by non-destructive examination (using the methods to be used for the assessment of

production welds).

NOTE: Destructive tests may be used to supplement non-destructive examination.

(c) Where production welds are not subject to examination, or assessment by either non-

destructive examination or macro-examination in accordance with Clause 6.4.5.

(d) Where more than one welder or operator is involved in making a test weld,

assessment by each of the applicable methods.

8.2 VISUAL EXAMINATION

The external surface and, where practicable, the internal surface of the test weld shall be

visually examined in accordance with Clause 15. The visual examination shall include

measurement of the height of weld reinforcement in order to ensure compliance with the

requirements of Figure 15.4.2 where applicable.

NOTE: Experience has shown that excessive weld reinforcement height particularly at the top and

bottom of welds has been a problem in the field, which has caused serious difficulties in meeting

the density requirements in radiographic inspection. For this reason it is important that an

assessment be made of the capability of the welder to produce welds within the required

reinforcement limits.

8.3 NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION

Where production welds are to be subjected to non-destructive examination, the test weld

shall be subjected to non-destructive examination in accordance with Clause 16.

8.4 REPEATED TEST

8.4.1 General

Where the test weld fails to comply with the acceptance criteria and, in the opinion of the

inspector, the welder or operator is not responsible for the failure, one further test weld may

be made and subjected to the same examination. At the discretion of the inspector, a period

of practice, prior to the second test, may be allowed.

8.4.2 Repeated failure

If the second test weld fails to comply with the criteria of acceptance under similar

circumstances, the cause shall be investigated. Where appropriate, the welding procedure

should be an aspect of the investigation.

8.5 RECORD OF RESULTS

A record of the results of the assessment of each test, including any repeated test, shall be

made for each welder or operator qualification test.

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47 AS 2885.2—2007


Where tests have demonstrated that the weld is satisfactory, a record to the effect that a

weld made to the particular qualified welding procedure complies with this Standard shall

be signed by the person responsible for the test, thus qualifying the welder.

8.6 CLASSIFICATION OF CATEGORIES OF WELDS

In order to reduce the number of test welds required for welder or operator qualification,

welds shall be classified in accordance with Table 4.2(B).

8.7 PORTABILITY OF A WELDER’S OR OPERATOR’S QUALIFICATION

It is recommended that, subject to the approval of the pipeline licensee, welder or operator

qualification tests undertaken by others be accepted provided these tests have been—

(a) carried out in accordance with this Standard or the appropriate previous edition of

this Standard; and

(b) fully documented.

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AS 2885.2—2007 48


S E C T I O N 9 W E L D E R O R O P E R A T O R

Q U A L I F I C A T I O N A N D D I S Q U A L I F I C A T I O N

9.1 RECIPROCITY OF A WELDER’S OR OPERATOR’S QUALIFICATION

A welder who qualifies for a Category 1 (multiple qualification) shall be qualified for a

Category 2 (partial qualification) within the limitations of welder essential variables, and

without further testing.

A welder who has qualified to make a weld having one type number shall be qualified to

make welds having other type numbers in accordance with Table 4.2(B).


A welder’s or operator’s qualification shall remain valid until withdrawn (see Clause 9.4)

provided, during the preceding 12 months, the welder or operator has been engaged in

welding to the same qualified welding procedure, or a procedure that is within the essential

variables for qualified welders and operators in Table 7.5.

9.3 QUALIFICATION RECORD

A record shall be made of the tests undertaken by each welder or operator and of the

detailed results of each test.

A list of qualified welders or operators, including the identification symbol or mark, and the

qualified welding procedures for which each is qualified shall be signed by the inspector

and maintained by the pipeline licensee.

9.4 DISQUALIFICATION OF A WELDER’S OR OPERATOR’S QUALIFICATION

Where production welds made by a specific welder or operator frequently fail to comply

with the criteria of acceptance, thus demonstrating that the welder or operator no longer has

either the ability to follow the qualified welding procedure or the dexterity to make a

satisfactory weld, the welder’s qualification shall be withdrawn.

The welder or operator shall be requalified again before making further production welds or

repairs to welds.

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49 AS 2885.2—2007


S E C T I O N 1 0 D E S I G N O F A W E L D E D J O I N T

10.1 GENERAL

A welded joint shall be designed to be capable of withstanding the design forces, and

strains presented by AS 2885.1 and, for pressure-containing components, shall be leak-tight

in accordance with AS/NZS 2885.5.

Details of the weld preparations shall be in accordance with those shown in the qualified

welding procedure specification. The welding procedure specification shall include

tolerances for all of the specified dimensions.

10.2 BUTT WELDS BETWEEN COMPONENTS OF EQUAL NOMINAL WALL

THICKNESS

The weld preparation for a butt weld between components of equal nominal wall thickness

shall be single V type, double V type, or an approved preparation.

For a manual metal-arc welding process, joints using the combination of weld preparations

shown in Figure 10.2 are preferred.

For other welding processes, the weld preparation shall have been shown to be satisfactory

by being qualified in the welding procedure test.

10.3 BUTT WELDS BETWEEN COMPONENTS OF UNEQUAL NOMINAL WALL

THICKNESS

The weld preparations on a butt weld between components of unequal nominal wall

thickness shall be as shown in Figure 10.3.

When the specified minimum yield strengths of the components to be jointed are unequal,

the deposited weld metal shall have tensile strength at least equal to that of the thinner

component as demonstrated by carrying out a transverse butt tensile strength test in

accordance with Clause 6.4.3. This may be demonstrated by a joint using the thinner

material only. In the case of the thicker component, the thickness for design internal

pressure shall be not greater than 1.5 times the nominal thickness of the thinner component.

10.4 REINFORCEMENT OF A BUTT WELD

The height of the weld reinforcement of a butt weld shall comply with Clause 15.4.2, and

with any requirements specified in the engineering design. Unless otherwise specified in the

design, this Standard does not specify minimum levels of weld reinforcement beyond filling

the joint flush with the parent metal.

10.5 FILLET WELD

10.5.1 Dimensions of a fillet weld

A fillet weld may be slightly convex or slightly concave and shall have the specified leg

length or throat thickness. The size of fillet weld shall be the leg length of the largest

isosceles triangle that can be inscribed in the weld section. The size, convexity or concavity

and leg lengths shall be measured to the nearest 0.5 mm on a section scribed with lines as

shown in Figure 10.5. The depth of the concavity or the height of the convexity shall be

equal to or less than 2 mm.

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AS 2885.2—2007 50


10.5.2 Fillet welding a lug, boss or pad

A fillet-welded lug, boss, or pad shall comply with the following:

(a) Dimensions The length of a lug shall be not less than 50 mm. A boss should be

circular with a diameter not less than 50 mm. Rectangular or square pads may be

used, provided the corners of the pad are rounded.

(b) Lugs The long sides of a rectangular lug shall be in the circumferential direction of

the pipe.

(c) Surface preparation The area of the pipe to which the connection is to be made shall

be clean and be free from oil, scale, and surface-connected defects.

(d) Fitting The attachment shall be shaped to the circumference of the pipe or pressure-

containing component.

10.5.3 Miscellaneous fillet welds

The size of fillet welds for flanges, sleeve and forged socket fittings shall be as specified in

AS 4041.

10.6 WELDING OF THREADED JOINTS

Welding shall not be carried out on threaded joints for any purpose, including sealing

against leakage.

10.7 REINFORCEMENT OF A WELDED BRANCH CONNECTION

The reinforcement of a welded branch connection shall be determined from AS 2885.1.

10.8 REINFORCEMENT OF MULTIPLE OPENINGS

The reinforcement of multiple openings shall be determined from AS 2885.1.

10.9 FORGED BRANCH FITTING

A forged branch fitting with integral reinforcement shall be designated sit-on or set-in.

The weld between a set-in branch fitting and a pipe shall be designated a tee-butt weld.

The weld between a sit-on branch fitting and a pipe shall be designated a single bevel butt

weld. The welding of forged branch type fittings with integral reinforcement, such as

Weldolets, is shown in AS 4041. The weld joint design shall be in accordance with the

AS 2885.1.

10.10 FABRICATED ELBOW OR BEND

The pressure-containing welds in a fabricated elbow or bend shall be full penetration butt

welds.

10.11 EFFECT OF COMPONENTS UPON PIG PASSAGE

The method of welding components into pipelines, which may require pigging during their

design life, shall—

(a) allow free passage of pigs in the main pipeline; and

(b) prevent entry of main pipeline pigs into the branch line.

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51 AS 2885.2—2007


10.12 OFFSET OF LONGITUDINAL WELDS

Longitudinal welds on the opposite sides of a girth weld shall be staggered. The minimum

offset distance between such welds shall be not less than six times the pipe wall nominal

thickness.

10.13 DISTANCE BETWEEN WELDS

A weld for a welded branch pipe or a weld for an attachment to the pipe should not be

located within a distance of approximately 6 times the pipe wall nominal thickness from a

longitudinal weld, spiral weld, or circumferential weld in the pipe.

NOTE: The standard root face dimension is 1.6 ±0.8 mm.

DIMENSIONS IN MILLIMETRES

FIGURE 10.2 END PREPARATIONS AND ACCEPTABLE COMBINATIONS OF END

PREPARATIONS

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AS 2885.2—2007 52


NOTE: The standard root face dimension is 1.6 ±0.8 mm.

FIGURE 10.3 WELD PREPARATIONS FOR BUTT WELDS

USING MMAW—UNEQUAL NOMINAL WALL THICKNESS

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53 AS 2885.2—2007


FIGURE 10.5 CROSS-SECTION OF A FILLET WELD

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AS 2885.2—2007 54


S E C T I O N 1 1 P R O D U C T I O N W E L D S

11.1 WELDING PROCESS

Production welds shall be made in accordance with previously defined and qualified

procedures of Clause 5.3(a), (b), (c) or (d), and within the limits of essential variables.

NOTE: It is recommended that gas tungsten arc welding or gas welding be used for butt welds on

pipe of outside diameter 42.2 mm and less.

11.2 WELDING EQUIPMENT

Welding equipment shall be of a size and type suitable for the work. It shall be maintained

in a condition that will ensure the production of satisfactory welds, the continuity of

operation and the safety of personnel.

11.3 WELDER AND WELDING PROCEDURE

All welds shall be made by qualified welders or operators using a qualified welding

procedure.

11.4 SUPERVISION OF WELDING

Welding shall be carried out under the supervision of an approved person who has had

appropriate experience and training in the supervision of welding of pipelines and the use of

ancillary equipment.

NOTE: AS 1796 provides rules for certification of welding supervisors.

11.5 SAFETY IN WELDING

11.5.1 General

All welding operations shall comply with the Australian Standards relevant to safety in

welding.

11.5.2 Welding site

A thorough check shall be made in and around the welding site to ensure there are no

substances that could constitute a risk of fire or explosion.

11.6 STORAGE AND HANDLING OF ELECTRODES, FILLER RODS AND

FLUXES

Electrodes, filler rods and fluxes shall be stored and handled in accordance with

Clause 2.2.3, in such a manner that will prevent damage or deterioration.

Consumables in opened containers shall be protected from deterioration.

Damaged material shall not be used.

11.7 WELDING IN ADVERSE CLIMATE CONDITIONS

Welding shall not be carried out under climatic conditions that contribute to persistent

defects.

Where a gas-shielded arc-welding process is used and winds or draughts could impair the

quality of the weld, welding habitats or windshields should be used.

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55 AS 2885.2—2007


11.8 PREPARATION FOR WELDING

11.8.1 Edge preparation

Surfaces and edges to be welded shall be smooth, uniform and free from cracks, fins, tears,

and other defects that could affect the soundness of the weld. Surfaces to be welded and

surfaces adjacent to the weld shall be free from paint, scale, slag, moisture, rust, grease, or

other foreign matter.

11.8.2 Internal cleaning

The internal surface of the pipe shall be free of loose debris. It should be swabbed if

necessary.

11.9 METHOD OF MAKING THE WELD PREPARATION

The weld preparation shall be made in the manner specified in the qualified welding

procedure specification.

11.10 ACCURACY OF ALIGNMENT

Components shall be assembled to provide alignment within the limits of Clause 15.4.3.

11.11 LINE-UP CLAMP

Line-up clamps shall have the following attributes:

(a) Provide rounding of pipe ends (removal of ovaling does not expand pipe diameters).

(b) Accommodate dimensional tolerances in abutting pipes.

(c) Provide even distribution of ‘high-low’.

(d) Have appropriate gap setting.

(e) Provide access for welding operation.

(f) They shall not damage pipe coating (both internal and external)

(g) They shall not contaminate the weld (pick up impurities).

NOTE: Line-up clamps require specific settings and maintenance.

The line-up clamp shall be released only after the length of root pass is equal to or greater

than that specified in the qualified welding procedure specification.

11.12 TACK WELDS

Tack welds shall only be used as a means of alignment during welding when tack welding is

specified in the qualified welding procedure. Tack welds shall be deposited only in the weld

groove and, where the tack weld is to be incorporated into the finished weld, full fusion at

the root shall be obtained. The length of individual tack welds shall not be less than 25 mm

or 20% of the outside diameter of the pipe, whichever is the lesser. Tack welds that are

unsound shall be ground out.

11.13 WORKING CLEARANCE

There shall be safe access and clearance for welding.

11.14 PLACEMENT OF WELD PASSES

Consecutive or adjacent weld passes shall not be started at the same circumferential

position.

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AS 2885.2—2007 56


11.15 ARC STRIKE AND ARC BURN

An arc shall be struck only on the fusion faces or the surfaces of the parent material that

will be fused into the weld. An arc burn that results from an inadvertent arc strike shall be

removed in accordance with Clause 24 or 25. The work return clamp shall make good

electrical contact with no evidence of arcing.

11.16 CLEANING

Each pass of weld metal shall be cleaned in the manner specified in the qualified welding

procedure.

11.17 PEENING

Peening shall not be carried out on the root pass or the capping pass or passes. On filler

passes, peening shall be carried out when specified in the qualified welding procedure.

11.18 INSERT PATCHING

Insert patching shall not be carried out.

11.19 PREHEAT AND INTERPASS TEMPERATURE

11.19.1 General

The preheat and interpass temperature shall be that specified in the qualified welding

procedure. Both parts of the parent metal shall be at the required temperature at the time

that welding is commenced.

11.19.2 Application of preheat and interpass temperature

The specified preheat and interpass temperatures shall be maintained during all stages of

welding including tack welding.

11.19.3 Extent of heating

The full thickness of both parts of the parent metal shall be heated to the required

temperature. The width of the heated band on either side of the centre-line of the weld shall

be not less than 75 mm or three times the width of the weld, whichever is the greater.

11.19.4 Monitoring of preheat and interpass temperature

The temperature shall be monitored at positions that are not less than 25 mm from the weld

position by the use of temperature-indicating crayons or paint, thermocouples, pyrometers,

or other appropriate methods.

11.19.5 Condensation

Where preheating is specified in the qualified welding procedure, and where a gas flame is

used for preheating, no condensation or moisture shall remain. Where the metal temperature

is less than 100°C, the flame should not be directed into the weld preparation.

11.20 POST-WELD HEAT TREATMENT

Where specified in the qualified welding procedure, post-weld heat treatment shall be

carried out.

11.21 IDENTIFICATION OF A PRODUCTION WELD

A production weld shall be identified in an approved manner.

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57 AS 2885.2—2007


S E C T I O N 1 2 W E L D I N G A N D C U T T I N G O N A

P I P E L I N E A F T E R C O M M I S S I O N I N G O R A F T E R

H Y D R O S T A T I C T E S T I N G

12.1 GENERAL

This Section specifies the requirements for welding or cutting in special situations on a

pipeline after commissioning or hydrostatic testing (for example, a pipeline repair where

gas is escaping) where the pipeline will not be subjected to another pressure test before it is

returned to service. All welding procedures and welding operations shall be qualified,

documented and approved under conditions that simulate those that are expected during

field welding. Pipeline repair welding shall be continuously supervised.

NOTE: Guidance on methods for the repair of pipelines is given in WTIA Technical Note 20.

12.2 SAFETY

All of the activities associated with welding or cutting on pipelines containing flammable

and/on pressurized substances involve a high risk. The procedures that are qualified in

accordance with Clause 12.1 shall include a thorough risk assessment in accordance with

AS 2885.1. The risk assessment shall include the safety of personnel and suitability of

equipment. These safe working procedures shall be approved.

Specific attention should be paid to the risk of ignition or electrocution due to the pipeline

being at an elevated potential with respect to earth, and the likelihood that it may carry

substantial currents.

Bonding cables should be installed prior to cutting, to effectively bypass any current that

may be flowing in the pipeline especially if the methods of cutting employed are not

expected to cause ignition.

The pipeline shall be earthed prior to the commencement of welding or cutting. Because of

the potentially hazardous nature of the earthing procedure, the earthing procedure shall be

approved.

The formation of mixtures of flammable vapour, including gas and air, shall be prevented.

12.3 HOT REPAIR OF LEAKING GAS-FILLED PIPELINES

Hot repair of leaking gas-filled pipelines shall only be permitted when all of the following

conditions prevail:

(a) The pipeline contents are known to be natural gas as defined in AS 4564.

(b) A slight flow of gas is kept moving toward the point where thermal cutting or welding

is being done.

(c) The gas pressure is controlled to a slight positive pressure of approximately 150 Pa

gauge.

(d) All slots or open ends are sealed with tape, tightly fitted canvas or both, or other

suitable means, as soon as they are made so as to maintain positive pressure and

prevent the formation of an explosive air/gas mixture.

(e) Two openings are not uncovered at the same time.

NOTE: This is particularly important where the two openings are at different elevations.

(f) Any escape of gas is ignited and kept burning.

(g) Where the gas is toxic, adequate precautions are taken to protect all personnel

including the public.

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AS 2885.2—2007 58


In addition to the requirements of Clauses 12.1 and 12.2, the hot repair procedures shall

include approved procedures for the following:

(i) The detection of explosive mixtures.

(ii) The means of maintaining work site to mainline valve communication.

(iii) The method of regulating gas pressure.

12.4 WHERE GAS IS NOT ESCAPING

Where work is to be carried out on a pipeline containing gas, but where gas is not escaping,

the requirements of Clause 13 shall apply.

12.5 PIPELINES CONTAINING PETROLEUM FLUIDS OTHER THAN LEAN

NATURAL GAS

Welding shall only be carried out on a pipeline containing petroleum fluids other than lean

natural gas (see AS 2885.1) when no fluid is allowed to escape from the pipeline.

A pipeline that contains, or has contained, petroleum fluids other than lean natural gas but

has not been purged shall be cut only by mechanical means. Care shall be taken to prevent

ignition due to electrical sparking (see Clause 12.2).

Where a pipeline is filled with air and connected to a source of petroleum fluids other than

lean natural gas that cannot be completely isolated, the following procedure should be

adopted during welding, thermal cutting, or repair operations:

(a) Purge the pipeline.

(b) Ensure that—

(i) combustible hydrocarbon fluid cannot flow towards the work site; and

(ii) valves that isolate the work from the source of hydrocarbon fluids do not leak.

NOTE: It may be necessary to install stopples or spheres on each side of the work site.

(c) Frequently test the atmosphere at the work site to ensure that an unsafe accumulation

of hydrocarbon fluid does not occur as work progresses.

12.6 QUALIFICATION OF WELDER(S)

The welder(s) shall be qualified for the welding position, the welding process, and the

configuration of the joint.

12.7 QUALIFICATION OF SUPERVISORS AND INSPECTORS

The supervisor and inspector shall be qualified by experience and training in the welding or

cutting of pipelines containing or having contained hydrocarbons, and in accordance with

Clause 14.2.

12.8 FIT-UP BEFORE WELDING AND CUTTING

Weld preparations shall be made accurately, and shall be in accordance with the qualified

welding procedure.

12.9 EXAMINATION AND TESTING

The finalized weld and adjacent material shall be subjected to appropriate 100% non-

destructive examination.

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59 AS 2885.2—2007


12.10 CRITERIA OF ACCEPTANCE

Welds shall comply with the visual inspection and non-destructive examination acceptance

criteria of this Standard.

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AS 2885.2—2007 60


S E C T I O N 1 3 W E L D I N G O N T O A N I N -

S E R V I C E P I P E L I N E

13.1 GENERAL—PIPELINE CONTAINING FLAMMABLE OR PRESSURIZED

FLUID

Where a pipeline contains stationary or flowing flammable fluid, or the internal pressure is

greater than 50 kPa gauge, welding shall comply with the requirements of Clauses 13.2 to

13.15.

NOTES:

1 Examples of in-service welding include fully welded repair sleeves, hot tap fittings, branch

connections and weld metal deposition repairs.

2 Guidance on methods for repair of pipelines is given in WTIA Technical Note 20.

3 At times there may be a need for control of the operating pressure and flow rates in order to

provide suitable conditions for welding.

4 Welding onto pipelines that contain multiphase fluids requires special consideration.

5 Welding onto pipelines with a wall thickness less than 4.8 mm requires special consideration.

Research by CRC-WS has shown that the variability in heat input with MMAW for wall

thickness less than 4.8 mm revealed a significant high risk of burn-through.

13.2 PRECAUTIONS TO BE UNDERTAKEN BEFORE IN-SERVICE WELDING

13.2.1 Avoidance of hydrogen-assisted cold cracking (HACC) and burn through

The selection of heat input and preheat for welding on pipe with flowing hydrocarbons is a

compromise between two opposing possibilities. At high heat input, the drop in the yield

stress of the steel pipe at elevated temperature may lead to localized blow-out or

generalized bulging. Pressure reduction may be necessary. At low heat input, the heat sink

effect from the flowing fluid and the usually thick enclosing sleeve may promote hydrogen

cold cracking, and preheat is usually necessary. The heat sink effect makes the achievement

of effective preheat difficult.

13.2.2 Risk assessment and risk management plan

Prior to the commencement of any work, a risk assessment shall be undertaken to examine

all of the potential threats to the public, operating personnel, and the continuity of supply

that will arise during or as a result of the in-service welding, and a risk management plan

shall be developed and approved to mitigate the risks.

13.3 LINING

The effect of welding upon internal linings shall be considered.

13.4 SAFETY

Detailed safety procedures shall be established and approved before work begins.

13.5 INSPECTION BEFORE WELDING

The location of pipe to be welded shall be defined and the specification of the pipe shall be

established. The pipe in the region of the welding shall be free of all coating material that is

deleterious to the weld, or which could interfere with the inspection of the pipe.

The pipe to be welded shall be inspected visually and by non-destructive means, and at least

the following shall be reported:

(a) Actual wall thickness.

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61 AS 2885.2—2007


(b) Diameter, and ovality.

(c) Any external or internal corrosion.

(d) Any laminations or inclusions in the vicinity of the area to be welded.

(e) Any unsoundness of a longitudinal weld or spiral weld in the vicinity of the area to be

welded.

(f) Remaining wall thickness in the corrosion pit areas for weld metal deposition repairs.

13.6 ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION BEFORE WELDING

13.6.1 Purpose of examination

The purpose of the examination is to determine and record the integrity of the pipe wall in

the area that is to be affected by the welding operation.

13.6.2 Method

The method of examination and the reference sensitivity shall be as specified in AS 1710,

for wall thicknesses greater than 5.0 mm. Where the wall thickness is between 3.2mm and

5.0mm, a 5–10 MHz twin crystal probe shall be used.

13.6.3 Criteria of acceptance

The following applies:

(a) Welding shall only be carried out where the pipe is demonstrated to be free of

significant laminations, inclusions, or unsoundness of any longitudinal seam or spiral

seam.

(b) The results of the ultrasonic examination shall be the subject of an engineering

assessment prior to any welding being undertaken.

13.7 WELDING CONSUMABLES

Welds shall be made with a hydrogen-controlled process.

13.8 HEAT INPUT

The heat input (arc energy) and size of electrode shall be approved.

13.9 QUALIFICATION OF WELDING PROCEDURES

Welds shall be made in accordance with a documented, qualified and approved welding

procedure developed in accordance with Clause 5, which takes into account pressure and

cooling effects from the flow of fluid in the pipeline upon which welding is to be

conducted, and which simulates site conditions. The essential variables in Table 5.4.1(B)

only apply to welds that are not directly affected by product pressure and cooling effects

such as the longitudinal seams on line stop fittings or sleeves. These joints shall be fitted

with a low carbon steel back-up strip or suitable tape to prevent penetration of the weld into

the carrier pipe.

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AS 2885.2—2007 62


All welding that is affected by product pressure and cooling effects such as circumferential

fillet welds, weld metal deposition and branch welds shall be qualified by simulated testing

(see Note 1). No essential variables apply to these welds; however, grouping of certain

conditions may be permitted when approved. The grouping of conditions shall involve

sound engineering judgement and be fully investigated and documented with respect to

burn-through and hydrogen cracking potential and should include worst case welding

procedure qualification testing.

NOTES:

1 Figure 13.9 describes the suggested procedure qualification test assembly.

2 Thermal analysis tools are available from Battelle, PRC-I and the CRC for Welded Structures.

13.10 WELDING SEQUENCE

The recommended welding sequences are shown in Figure 13.10.

Backstep welding technique for the longitudinal joints should be considered to minimize

weld shrinkage effects in the case of thin wall carrier pipe.

FIGURE 13.9 SUGGESTED IN-SERVICE WELDING TEST ASSEMBLY

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63 AS 2885.2—2007


FIGURE 13.10 RECOMMENDED WELDING SEQUENCES Acc

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AS 2885.2—2007 64


13.11 QUALIFICATION OF WELDER(S)

The welder(s) shall be qualified for the welding position, the welding process, and the

configuration of the joint. For heat input control procedures, the welder shall be able to

demonstrate the ability to maintain a heat input level within the range specified. For temper

bead procedures, the welder shall be able to demonstrate proper bead placement.

13.12 QUALIFICATION OF SUPERVISORS AND INSPECTORS

The supervisor and inspector shall be qualified by experience and training specifically

related to in-service welding on pipeline and in accordance with Clause 14.2.

13.13 FIT-UP BEFORE WELDING

Weld preparations shall be made accurately, and shall be in accordance with the qualified

welding procedure. All components shall fit the pipe, and care shall be exercised to ensure

that any longitudinal weld preparations are suitably aligned. Buttering passes may be

required on the carrier pipe or fitting to accommodate gaps above those specified in the

welding procedure.

NOTE: Consideration should be given to suitable means of preventing compression of the pipe

due to the contraction of the longitudinal welds on the fitting.

13.14 EXAMINATION OF TESTING

The finalized weld and adjacent material shall be subjected to the appropriate 100% non-

destructive examination, including tests for the presence of lamellar tearing.

Before cutting the line pipe with a hot tapping tool, the weld and adjacent material should

be leak-tested at a pressure not greater than the current internal pressure of the pipeline.

Delayed cracking due to residual hydrogen in the weld metal may occur. Final non-

destructive examination shall be carried out not sooner than 24 h after completion of

welding, followed by leak testing.


The criteria of acceptance for all in-service welding shall be as specified in Tier 1 Criteria

as specified in Clause 22.1.9.

13.16 WELDING OF TEST ASSEMBLY

For in-service welding, pipeline operating conditions that affect the ability of the flowing

contents to remove heat from the pipe wall shall be simulated while test joints are being

made.

NOTE: Filling the test section with water and allowing water to flow through the test section

while the test joint is being made has been shown to produce thermal conditions equivalent to or

more severe than any typical in-service welding application (see Figure 13.9). Other media (e.g.,

water mist or motor oil) may be used to simulate less severe thermal conditions.

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65 AS 2885.2—2007


S E C T I O N 1 4 A S S E S S M E N T O F P R O D U C T I O N

W E L D S A N D R E P A I R W E L D S

14.1 GENERAL

Production welds shall be examined and assessed in accordance with this Clause 14.

14.2 QUALIFICATION OF PERSONNEL

Personnel involved in the inspection of welds, or in the interpretation of results of testing,

shall have qualifications or experience appropriate to the task, and shall be approved.

14.3 RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities of inspectors shall include the following:

(a) The witnessing of all welding procedure qualification test welds and their

examination and testing.

(b) The witnessing of all welder or operator qualification test welds and their

examination and testing.

(c) The examination of all production welds.

(d) Ensuring that all reports and records are made as required.

14.4 METHODS OF EXAMINATION

Production welds shall be subjected to the following:

(a) Visual examination in accordance with Clause 15.

(b) Non-destructive examination in accordance with Clause 16.

(c) For pipelines longer than 10 km, welding procedure qualification testing of a

minimum of three production cut-out welds for weld procedure verification. These

shall be taken at random, preferably at the end of a pipe string for least impact on

production. The welds shall be chosen to verify the applicability of the welding

procedure at the extremes of the envelope encompassed by the qualified welding

procedure. Typically, this would involve choosing welds with low heat input

(maximum welding speed) and/or low ambient temperature and/or high restraint.

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AS 2885.2—2007 66


S E C T I O N 1 5 V I S U A L E X A M I N A T I O N

15.1 PURPOSE

The weld shall be examined visually to determine that the surfaces of the weld are free from

unacceptable discontinuities and the weld is dimensionally correct including that the height

of weld reinforcement is within the limits necessary to achieve effective radiography as

shown in Figure 15.4.2.

15.2 METHOD OF EXAMINATION

Visual examination shall be undertaken without magnification other than normal

prescription spectacles. Appropriate measuring tools and gauges may be used.

15.3 EXTENT OF VISUAL EXAMINATION

The full length of each weld shall be examined.


15.4.1 All welds

Welds shall not contain any visible discontinuities that exceed those specified in Clause 22.

The dimensions of the weld shall comply with those shown in the welding procedure

specification.

15.4.2 Butt welds

The weld preparation shall be completely filled. In order to permit effective radiography of

those welds that are to be radiographed, the height of external weld reinforcement shall be

not greater than that specified in Figure 15.4.2. Welds that are to be radiographed, which do

not comply with the weld reinforcement limits, shall be ground in order to achieve

compliance.

15.4.3 Alignment (high-low)

The alignment of pipe ends shall minimize the offset between abutting surfaces. For pipe

ends of the same nominal thickness, the offset shall not exceed 3 mm for pipe with wall

thicknesses greater than 6.4 mm, and 2 mm for pipe with wall thicknesses equal to or less

than 6.4 mm. Larger variations are permissible provided the welding procedure is

requalified with a higher limit of high-low.

15.5 UNDERCUT DEPTH MEASUREMENT

Undercut depth measurement shall consist of the following:

(a) External undercut The only permitted method for measuring and sentencing external

undercut shall be visual or mechanical measurements.

(b) Internal undercut The primary means of measuring internal undercut depth shall be

visual or mechanical measurements. Where direct measurement is not possible,

undercut comparator shims or reference radiographs in accordance with Clause 17.5

may be used.

If a disagreement occurs between the visual/mechanical methods and the other

methods, the former shall take precedence.

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67 AS 2885.2—2007


FIGURE 15.4.2 MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF EXTERNAL WELD REINFORCEMENT

IN BUTT WELDS THAT ARE TO BE RADIOGRAPHED IN ORDER

TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVE RADIOGRAPHY

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AS 2885.2—2007 68


S E C T I O N 1 6 N O N - D E S T R U C T I V E

E X A M I N A T I O N

16.1 PURPOSE

The methods of non-destructive examination, the equipment, and the examining personnel

shall be collectively capable of producing indications of discontinuities in welds, which can

be interpreted and evaluated in order to determine whether the criteria of acceptance have

or have not been attained.

Discontinuities shall be evaluated in accordance with Clause 22.

16.2 ORGANIZATIONS UNDERTAKING NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION

Organizations undertaking non-destructive examination shall comply with the requirements

of AS ISO/IEC 17025.

16.3 QUALIFICATIONS OF PERSONNEL

Non-destructive examination personnel engaged in the supervision or interpretation of

results shall be qualified in accordance with AS 3998 or equivalent.

16.4 METHODS

Non-destructive examinations shall be made in accordance with a qualified procedure using

one of the following methods, unless an exemption applies (see Clause 16.6):

(a) Radiographic examination.

(b) Ultrasonic examination.

NOTE: The preferred method of ultrasonic examination is with a mechanized system in

accordance with Clause 19.2.

Welds made by GMAW welding should be examined with mechanized ultrasonic testing.

These examinations may be supplemented with one or both of the following non-destructive

tests:

(i) Magnetic particle testing.

(ii) Penetrant testing.

16.5 AMOUNT OF NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION

16.5.1 General

The determination of the amount and the specified location of NDE shall be considered as

part of the process of risk assessment conducted in accordance with AS 2885.1.

Where quality monitoring systems are available, the information derived from monitoring

should be used to select the regions chosen for NDE.

16.5.2 Butt welds and tee-butt welds

Except where otherwise approved, all butt welds and tee-butt welds in the following

locations shall be subjected to non-destructive examination:

(a) A road or railway reserve.

(b) A stream, river, reservoir, public water supply or water catchment area that could be

polluted by a leak from the pipeline.

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69 AS 2885.2—2007


(c) A branch connection not subject to hydrostatic testing.

(d) A tunnel, pipe bridge or overhead structure.

(e) Areas subject to flooding, possible severe land movement (see AS 1170.4) or

subsidence.

(f) A depth of cover greater than 5 m.

(g) Welds on fittings.

(h) Welds qualified under the terms of Clause 5.4.5.

In addition to the above, non-destructive examination shall be carried out on all butt welds

that are—

(i) contained in pipeline assemblies manufactured in accordance with AS 2885.1;

(ii) part of a pipeline that will not be hydrostatically tested before being placed into

operation;

(iii) any part of a telescoped pipeline to which a test pressure factor of less than 1.25 will

be applied;

(iv) in reclaimed pipe used in accordance with AS 2885.1;

(v) repaired pipeline, including a 75 mm overlap at each end of the repair; or

(vi) so specified by the pipeline licensee.

As well as items listed above, an additional number of butt welds shall be subjected to non-

destructive examination, and this number shall be dependent on the class of pipeline as

follows:

(A) Class T1 location and Class T2 location .........100% of the total number of butt welds.

(B) Class R2 location.............................................15% of the total number of butt welds.

(C) Class R1 location.............................................10% of the total number of butt welds.

16.5.3 Welder’s or operator’s work

A sample of each welder’s or operator’s work for each day shall be selected by the

inspector and be non-destructively examined.

Where 100% of the selected number of butt welds has been specified (see Clause 16.5.1),

the full length of each weld shall be examined.

Where the pipeline licensee exercises its option for less than 100% of all butt welds to be

examined, the length of weld examined for each welder or operator shall be one of the

following:

(a) The total length of each selected weld.

(b) Partial lengths from a sufficient number of welds to ensure that the equivalent length

to Item (a) above is examined.

16.6 EXEMPTION FROM RADIOGRAPHIC OR ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION

Subject to the approval of the pipeline licensee, where it is not practicable to carry out a

radiographic examination or an ultrasonic examination due to the weld geometry, an

approved non-destructive examination by magnetic particle testing or dye-penetrant testing

shall be made.

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AS 2885.2—2007 70


Where a butt weld in pipeline assemblies is made on pipe of outside diameter of 114.3 mm

or less, and the pipe is to operate at a nominal design stress not exceeding 60% SMYS and

the welded joint is pressure tested prior to operation, the non-destructive examination may

be magnetic particle testing or dye-penetrant testing instead of radiographic examination or

ultrasonic examination.

Fillet welds shall not be radiographed.

At the option of the pipeline licensee, the non-destructive examination of fillet welds and

socket welds may be by magnetic particle testing or dye-penetrant testing instead of

ultrasonic examination.

16.7 TIMING OF NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION

The elapsed time after welding is completed at which NDE is performed will affect the

likelihood of detecting HACC.

The timing of NDE is not restricted by this Standard, except for—

(a) weld procedure qualification tests (see Clause 6.1); and

(b) welds made in accordance with procedures in which the risk of HACC has not been

‘designed-out’ in accordance with Appendix C.

Where the risk of HACC is other than ‘remote’, the NDE on production welds shall be

conducted after at least 24 h have elapsed after the completion of welding.

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71 AS 2885.2—2007


S E C T I O N 1 7 R A D I O G R A P H I C E X A M I N A T I O N

17.1 GENERAL

The radiographic examination shall comply with all of the requirements of this Standard.

The procedure shall be documented and qualified, or be previously qualified and approved.

Gamma-radiography shall only be used where the risk of HACC is ‘designed out’ from the

welding procedure and where permitted by the Note in Table 17.4.

NOTES:

1 AS 2177 should be referred to for guidance.

2 The preferred technique of radiographic examination of welds in pipelines is that of using an

internal orthogonal x-ray radiographic crawler as, inter alia, the detectability of imperfections

including cracks is superior to that obtained using high-energy gamma rays or double-wall

exposure techniques.

17.2 SAFETY AND PROTECTION FROM IONIZING RADIATION

All radiographic examination shall be carried out in accordance with statutory State and

Federal health and safety regulations.

17.3 DENSITY

The radiographic density through the parent metal shall be as follows:

(a) X-radiography ............................................ not less than 2.5 and not greater than 4.0.

(b) Gamma-radiography ................................... not less than 3.0 and not greater than 4.0.

The radiographic density through the weld metal shall not be less than 1.3.

Weld reinforcement shall be within the limits of Figure 15.4.2.

If the density in the parent metal falls within the range specified above but the required

minimum for the weld metal is not met, then the weld reinforcement shall be ground in the

regions of insufficient density and the radiograph(s) shall be retaken so that the above

requirements are met.

17.4 IMAGE QUALITY

The image quality indicator (IQI) shall be a wire type complying with AS 2314.

NOTE: The specification of wire type IQI in AS 2314 complies with ISO 1027 and DIN 54109.2.

Radiographic image quality is indicated by the smallest wire visible in the radiograph

assessed through the parent metal. IQI wire numbers for corresponding nominal wall

thicknesses shall comply with Table 17.4.

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AS 2885.2—2007 72


TABLE 17.4

IMAGE QUALITY INDICATOR (IQI)

SENSITIVITY vs MATERIAL THICKNESS

IQI to DIN 54109/ISO 1027

IQI on film side

Single wall/

single image

Double wall/

single image

Nominal wall

thickness

mm

Number Diameter

mm

Number Diameter

mm

> 3.0 ≤ 4.5 15 0.125 14 0.16

> 4.5 ≤ 6.2 14 0.16 13 0.20

> 6.2 ≤ 8.4 14 0.16 13 0.20

> 8.4 ≤ 12.0 13 0.20 12 0.25

> 12.0 ≤ 15.9 12 0.25 12 0.25

> 15.9 ≤ 20.0 11 0.32 11 0.32

> 20.0 ≤ 32.0 10 0.40 10 0.40

> 32.0 ≤ 40.0 10 0.40 10 0.40

> 40.0 ≤ 50.0 9 0.50 9 0.50

NOTE: Welds in pipe Grade AP15L X60 or lower, welded entirely

with low strength electrodes and in R1 locations, may be examined

using gamma-radiography. Image quality indicator wire visibility

using this technique may be reduced by 1 in the first three rows.

17.5 UNDERCUT DEPTH MEASUREMENT

Where radiography is used as the only method of determining internal undercut (see

Clause 15.5), the images of discontinuities that have been identified as undercut shall be

assessed for depth by comparing the density of its film image with the density of the film

images of grooves of given sizes cut into a comparator shim. Alternatively, undercut may

be assessed for depth by comparing production radiographs with reference radiographs

prepared from weldments of the same thickness and welding procedure, and where the

depth of real examples of undercut has been measured by macro examination.

Undercut comparator shims shall comply with the following:

(a) Material A comparator shim shall have the same radiographic opacity as the

material under examination.

(b) Dimensions The dimensions of comparator shims shall be as shown in Figure 17.5.

(c) Location A comparator shim shall match the curvature of the pipe and shall be

placed alongside and parallel with the edge of the external weld with the grooves on

the inside radius. The shallowest groove on the comparator shim shall be placed

closest to the weld.

(d) Number of comparator shims Comparator shims shall be visible as follows:

(i) For panoramic exposures, a minimum of two comparator shims spaced

approximately equidistant shall appear on the radiograph. The separation of

comparator shims shall not exceed 400 mm.

(ii) Where a multi-exposure method is used, comparator shims should be located

adjacent to the image quality indicators or at locations where undercut is

expected.

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73 AS 2885.2—2007


(iii) Where a multi-exposure or multi-film method is used, at least one shim should

be visible on each cut length of film of 400 mm or less.

(e) Method of assessment of undercut using comparator shims To assess the relative

depth of undercut, compare the density of the actual undercut with the density

observed in the machined grooves of known depth in the undercut comparator. This

may be achieved by totally masking all areas of the radiograph, with the exception of

a window that is of comparable size with the actual undercut, and comparing the

density observed in the same size window of the machined grooves.

NOTES:

1 Tolerance on depth of groove ±0.05 mm.

2 A Charpy V-notch tool should be used to produce the grooves.


FIGURE 17.5 UNDERCUT COMPARATOR SHIM

17.6 GAS PORE DEPTH MEASUREMENT

The images of discontinuities that have been identified as gas pores (GP) shall be assessed

for depth (through thickness dimension) by comparing the density of its film image with the

density of the film images of flat bottom hole.

The gas pore comparator shim shall comply with the following:

(a) Material The comparator shim shall have the same radiographic opacity as the

material under examination.

(b) Dimensions The dimensions of the comparator shim shall be as shown in

Figure 17.6.

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AS 2885.2—2007 74


(c) Method of use Reference radiographs shall be made of the comparator shim and test

weld. These reference radiographs shall be used in order to assess the depth of gas

pores in production radiographs.

PLAN VIEW

Hole depths

SIDE VIEW

50

15

3

3

0.5 1.0 2.0 3.0END VIEW

Third angle protect ion

Gas pore sh im


FIGURE 17.6 GAS PORE COMPARATOR SHIM

17.7 INTEPRETATION AND ASSESSMENT OF RADIOGRAPHS

Discontinuities observed on radiographs shall be identified, sized, and assessed in

accordance with Clause 22. Defects shall be correlated with the radiograph, located with

respect to the weld and recorded on a test report.

Defects shall be identified, and symbolized in accordance with AS 4749.

NOTE: Where the terminology and abbreviations used in AS 4749 do not adequately describe

some of the discontinuities found in pipeline welds, additional descriptive abbreviations may be

required (e.g., I = internal; E = external; HB = hollow bead; AS = arc strike; WT = wagon tracks;

A = absence of defects; DIP = debris in pipe).

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The weld shall comply with Clause 22.

17.9 REPORT OF RADIOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION

A test report shall be made in accordance with AS 2177 and the requirements of this

Standard.

17.10 RETENTION OF RADIOGRAPHS

Radiographs shall be retained for a minimum of three years.

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S E C T I O N 1 8 Q U A L I F Y I N G A

R A D I O G R A P H I C P R O C E D U R E

18.1 RADIOGRPHIC PROCEDURE

A radiographic procedure shall be developed and documented in accordance with AS 2177

and the requirements of this Standard. It shall include all the necessary information to

enable radiographs to be taken, processed, and interpreted to the requirements of this

Standard.

The documented radiographic procedure shall include the following information:

(a) Pipe size classified according to the dimensions, nominal bore, outside diameter and

wall thickness.

(b) Material specification.

(c) Construction specification.

(d) Acceptance specification or Standard, or both.

(e) Method of weld identification.

(f) Radiographic method designation (see AS 2177).

(g) Equipment consisting of the following:

X-radiography Gamma radiography

(i) Orthogonal panoramic

Focal spot size

Tube voltage

(i) Panoramic

Source type

Source size

(ii) Directional

Focal spot size

Tube voltage

(ii) Directional

Source type

Source size

(h) Film type.

(i) Intensifying screens (type and thickness).

(j) Diagnostic film length.

(k) Source to film distance.

(l) Source offset angle.

(m) Image quality indicator (type and designation).

(n) Undercut comparator.

(o) Film processing/chemicals used.

(p) Density range to be achieved.

18.2 METHOD OF QUALIFYING THE RADIOGRAPHIC PROCEDURE

Radiographs of a complete weld shall be taken, processed and interpreted in accordance

with the radiographic procedure. The weld may be selected from a number of welding

procedure qualification and/or welder qualification welds or any production weld. The

resultant radiograph(s) shall comply with the approved procedure.

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The height of reinforcement on this typical weld should approximate the maximum

specified in Figure 15.4.2.

Images of discontinuities observed on the radiograph shall be reported and recorded in

accordance with Clause 17.6.

The radiographic results of this weld shall be documented in a report having the same

format as reports issued for inspection of production welds.

18.3 TEST CONDITIONS

A test radiograph shall be made under conditions that simulate those to be encountered

during construction.

18.4 RADIOGRAPHIC PROCEDURE SPECIFICATION DOCUMENTATION

Where the assessment has demonstrated that the radiograph is satisfactory and

discontinuities in the weld can be identified, a record to the effect that the radiograph made

to the particular radiographic procedure complies with this Standard shall be maintained in

the radiographic procedure specification documentation.


A qualified radiographic procedure shall remain valid until it is withdrawn.

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AS 2885.2—2007 78


S E C T I O N 1 9 U L T R A S O N I C E X A M I N A T I O N

19.1 MANUAL ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION

19.1.1 General

The ultrasonic examination of a weld shall be performed using an approved documented

and qualified procedure. For wall thicknesses in excess of 6 mm, the procedure shall

comply with AS 2207. For wall thicknesses less than 6 mm, the test method shall be

approved.

The effectiveness of the ultrasonic procedure shall be demonstrated on a ‘mock up’ weld (or

section thereof) that is typical of those made in production and containing artificial

discontinuities in the form of appropriately placed side-drilled holes or machined grooves.

19.1.2 Purpose

The purpose of an ultrasonic examination is to detect discontinuities in the weld, the heat-

affected zone, and in the parent metal immediately adjacent to the weld. Manual ultrasonic

examination may be suitable—

(a) as an alternative to radiographic examination in pipe where the weld root geometry is

consistent, such as is achieved with automatic welding methods;

(b) as a supplement or an alternative to radiographic examination in the determination of

particular discontinuities; and

(c) where due to geometry or lack of access (radiographic examination is not

appropriate).

19.1.3 Method

The methods of test shall be appropriate to the type of weld to be examined.

Where there is a possibility of transverse cracking in the weld, appropriate scanning

patterns shall be employed.

NOTE: The examination of the weld root area for discontinuities in single preparation welds

poses problems associated with the root profile/penetration bead, which usually gives a strong

ultrasonic reflection. This reflection needs to be separately identified from indications given by

other discontinuities.

19.1.4 Surface preparation

It is important to ensure that the minimum surface preparation is adequate for and

appropriate to the level of testing.

The shape of weld reinforcement may limit interpretation. In such cases additional surface

preparation may need to be carried out. To fully evaluate a weld, surface preparations

categorized by AS 2207 as SP1, SP2, SP3 and SP4 may be necessary.

19.1.5 Sensitivity

Welds shall be scanned using an adequate level of sensitivity to ensure that all relevant

discontinuities are detected. Discontinuities so detected shall be subsequently evaluated

using the appropriate sensitivity and recording requirements as follows:

(a) Tiers 1 and 2 Evaluation sensitivity shall be Level 2 in accordance with AS 2207.

(b) Tier 3 Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA). Evaluation sensitivity shall be

Level 1 in accordance with AS 2207.

NOTE: See Clause 22 for further information about Tiers 1, 2 and 3.

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Irrespective of the evaluation sensitivity used, all cracks shall be sized for length and

height.

19.1.6 Assessment

An assessment of the discontinuities detected in a weld shall be made.

Discontinuities shall be identified and symbolized. The terminology and abbreviations

described in Clause 17.6 and AS 4749 may be used for this purpose.



19.1.8 Report

The results of tests shall be reported in accordance with AS 2207.

19.1.9 Qualification of personnel

Personnel shall be qualified in accordance with Clause 16.3.

19.2 MECHANIZED ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION

19.2.1 General

The ultrasonic examination of a weld shall be made in accordance with DNV OS-F101.

19.2.2 Purpose

The purpose of an ultrasonic examination is to detect discontinuities in the weld, the heat-

affected zone, and in the parent metal immediately adjacent to the weld.

Mechanized ultrasonic examination may be used as the prime method for non-destructive

examination of manual and mechanized welded pipeline girth welds where the thickness

exceeds 6 mm or, for lesser thicknesses, where approved and a satisfactory level of

performance can be demonstrated.

19.2.3 Method

The weld shall be examined by scanning from both sides of the weld from the external

surface in accordance with Appendix E of DNV OS-F101.

19.2.4 Reference standard

Calibration shall be carried out on a uniquely identified reference standard manufactured

from a sample of unflawed project-specific line pipe representing the pipe being tested. The

pipe used for the reference standard shall be traceable to the rolling mill, steel

manufacturer, steel grade and be of the same nominal dimensions as the pipe being tested.

The dimensions of the reference standard shall be clearly specified in the procedure and the

size, location, orientation, form, method of manufacture and manufacturing tolerances of

each of the reference reflectors shall be detailed.

If pipe is procured for a project where there are a number of suppliers or manufacturing

routes or different material grades required, the shear wave acoustic velocity in the

longitudinal and transverse directions shall be determined for each supplier, manufacturing

route and grade.

If the shear wave acoustic velocities deviate by more than 5% from that determined for the

reference standard, either—

(a) additional reference standards shall be made; or

(b) software shall be reconfigured to compensate for the deviations.

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AS 2885.2—2007 80


19.2.5 Reference reflectors

Reference reflectors shall be machined in the reference standard. The size and location of

reference reflectors shall be determined for the project after the welding procedure has been

established. These machined reflectors shall be designed and located to simulate the

following:

(a) Lack of root fusion

(b) Lack of side wall fusion

(c) Root undercut

(d) Porosity if B-scan or C-scan imaging is used.

Reference reflectors shall be no larger than the maximum acceptable defects they simulate.

Incompletely filled groove and external undercut shall be evaluated by visual examination.

19.2.6 Procedure

19.2.6.1 Static calibration

Static calibration shall be carried out at the commencement of each production run and in

accordance with the following:

(a) The system shall be optimized for field inspection using the relevant reference block.

(b) All transducers shall be positioned at the appropriate stand-off position and adjusted

to provide an optimized signal from the relevant calibration reflector and gain

adjusted to the specified percentage of full screen height.

(c) The gain level for each transducer shall be recorded as the primary reference

sensitivity for respective transducers.

19.2.6.2 Dynamic calibration

Dynamic calibration shall be carried out under production conditions and in accordance

with the following:

(a) Where the temperature difference between the reference standard surface, probe

wedge material and examination surface causes shifts in the refracted angle that

results in the system not being able to provide the required zone discrimination, a

means of regulating the temperature of the reference standard or probe wedge

material, or both, shall be employed.

(b) The rotational speed of the test unit shall be the same as for production testing.

(c) The same couplant medium and couplant delivery system shall be used.

Dynamic calibration shall be carried out at intervals in accordance with Clause 19.2.7.

19.2.7 Calibration verification frequency

In addition to the requirements of Appendix E of DNV OS-F101, calibration shall be

verified by dynamic test on the reference standard and the scan recorded at the following

intervals:

(a) Commencement of a shift.

(b) Completion of a shift.

(c) Before continuing testing after any break, e.g. meal times.

(d) After every tenth weld or every 2 h, whichever comes first.

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81 AS 2885.2—2007


(e) Unless it can be demonstrated that the testing system is tolerant to wider variations in

temperature while maintaining sensitivity and accuracy of detection, whenever there

is a difference of temperature of the test pipe of more than 10°C from the temperature

of the reference standard at the last calibration verification.

(f) After any change of components or repair or adjustment of the system.

(g) After any change of wall thickness, grade or change to material from another

supplier.



19.2.9 Report

The results of tests shall be reported in accordance with Appendix E of DNV OS-F101. The

raw data from the test may be presented as a computer graphic, graphical print out or

C-scan map. If data is stored electronically and computer presentations are used for

reporting purposes, the data shall be stored in a form that allows re-creation of computer

screen images or strip chart or other hard copy presentations at the original resolution so as

to enable re-evaluation of the test data by a third party.

19.2.10 Retention of raw data

The raw data shall be stored for a minimum of three years. The medium used for such

storage shall be suitable for that purpose. In order to guard against corruption or damage to

electronic data files it is recommended that duplicate copies be held.

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AS 2885.2—2007 82


S E C T I O N 2 0 M A G N E T I C P A R T I C L E

T E S T I N G

20.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of a magnetic particle test is to locate discontinuities that are on or near the

surface of the weld and adjacent parent metal.

20.2 METHOD

Magnetic particle testing shall be carried out in accordance with AS 1171 and the

following:

(a) Method of magnetization The method of magnetization shall be magnetic flow

(sustained).

(b) Cleaning after testing Magnetic particle medium shall be removed after testing. A

corrosion inhibitor may be applied.

(c) Test report A test certificate shall be issued.




The weld shall not contain any discontinuities that are on or near the surface of a weld and

adjacent parent metal that do not comply with Clause 22.

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S E C T I O N 2 1 D Y E - P E N E T R A N T T E S T I N G

21.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of dye-penetrant testing is to locate discontinuities that are open to the surface

of a weld and adjacent parent metal.

21.2 METHOD

Dye-penetrant testing shall be carried out in accordance with AS 2062 and the following:

(a) Type of testing medium The type of testing medium shall contrast in colour and be

water washable.

(b) Cleaning after testing The penetrant and the developer shall be removed after

testing. A corrosion inhibitor may be applied.

(c) Reports A test certificate shall be issued.




The weld shall not contain any discontinuities that are open to the surface of a weld and

adjacent parent metal that do not comply with Clause 22.

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AS 2885.2—2007 84


S E C T I O N 2 2 C R I T E R I A O F A C C E P T A N C E

F O R G I R T H W E L D D I S C O N T I N U I T I E S

22.1 GENERAL

The criteria of acceptance for girth weld discontinuities in this Standard are based on a

three-tier system. The choice of which tier is to be used shall be approved. Figure 22.1

shows the procedure for selection of acceptance criteria.

Welds that comply with the selected criteria of acceptance shall be deemed to comply with

this Standard. Production welds that do not comply with the selected criteria shall be

repaired (see Clause 23 or 24) or cut out (see Clause 25).

Acceptance criteria are as follows:

(a) Tier 1 (see Clause 22.2) Tier 1 acceptance criteria are based on commonly

achievable standards of good workmanship.

Such acceptance criteria are very similar to ANSI/API 1104, which is the de facto

international Standard of workmanship for pipeline girth welds. They are also similar

to the requirements of the superseded editions of this Australian Standard except for

wall thicknesses less than 7 mm where limits on embedded defects have been reduced

from 50 mm to 25 mm in length, on the basis of Australian research.

NOTE: Tier 1 may be used without any special pre-qualification requirements. It is expected

that Tier 1 will be most commonly applied where the special requirements of the other tiers

are not justified by the scale of the project.

(b) Tier 2 (see Clause 22.3) Tier 2 acceptance criteria are based on generalized fitness-

for-purpose criteria. Weld discontinuities that would not be acceptable under the

workmanship standards of Tier 1 may be acceptable to Tier 2.

The principal basis for the Tier 2 criteria is the European Pipelines Research Group

(EPRG) EPRG guideline on defects in transmission pipeline girth welds, April 1994

edition. Australian experience, which formed the basis for the 1987 edition of this

Standard, and the results of recent Australian research work undertaken by the CRC

for Welded Structures have also been taken into account (see also Preface).

The use of Tier 2 acceptance criteria requires certain special requirements to be met.

The most important of these is that because the limits are based on experimentally

validated plastic collapse considerations, the welds have to be shown to have

adequate toughness in order to ensure that failure does not occur by brittle fracture.

Australian research has shown that when strength matching can be demonstrated the

Tier 2 limits can be extended down to 5 mm wall thickness and up to grade X80.

However in practice the demonstration of strength matching is difficult, and this

Standard (see Clause 22.3 Note 1) only allows the application of Tier 2 grades above

X65 when wide plate or full section pipe tensile tests are used to demonstrate

overmatching. The application of Tier 2 to wall thickness less than 7 mm is not

allowed.

(c) Tier 3 (see Clause 22.4) Tier 3 acceptance criteria are fitness-for-purpose criteria

developed from an engineering critical assessment (ECA) carried out expressly for

the project concerned.

The use of approved engineering critical assessment (ECA) procedures for the

development of fitness-for-purpose acceptance criteria for particular circumstances

has been permitted by this Australian Standard for some time. This means that a two-

tier system in which ECA was Tier 2 has already been established.

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NOTES:

1 This new edition of the Standard retains the option of using ECA procedures for

particular circumstances, and this is designated as Tier 3.

2 It is likely that in most cases, because actual operating conditions will be known and

therefore assumptions do not need to be as conservative as in the generalized case used in

Tier 2, the criteria of Tier 3 may, subject to satisfactory levels of fracture toughness,

permit the acceptance of more severe discontinuities than both Tiers 1 and 2.

3 BS 7910 and API579 describe ECA procedures that are suitable for use for this

application. Alternatively, wide plate tests or full-scale tests could be used.

Pre-existing laminar imperfections in the parent metal, which comply with the requirements

of ANSI/API Spec 5L, shall be acceptable, unless they do not meet the requirements for

ultrasonic inspection of Clause 19.

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AS 2885.2—2007 86


NOTE: The decision tree does not show access to Tier 2 acceptance criteria from the workmanship standards of Tier 1.

This is because in normal circumstances the prerequisite conditions in Clause 22.3.1 would not have been met, which is

not intended to prevent the application of quality control practices aimed at the normal achievement of workmanship

standards whilst allowing a fall-back position to Tier 2. In such circumstances, the abovementioned prerequisite

conditions will need to be met.

FIGURE 22.1 PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION OF CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTANCE FOR

GIRTH WELD DISCONTINUITIES

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87 AS 2885.2—2007


22.2 TIER 1 CRITERIA—WORKMANSHIP STANDARD

22.2.1 Inadequate penetration

Inadequate penetration without high/low lack of penetration (LP) is defined as the

incomplete filling of the weld root. This condition is shown schematically in

Figure 22.2.2(a). LP shall be unacceptable when any of the following conditions exist:

(a) The length of an individual indication of lack of penetration (LP) exceeds 25 mm.

(b) The aggregate length of indications in any continuous 300 mm length of weld exceeds

25 mm.

(c) The aggregate length of indications of lack of penetration (LP) exceeds 8% of the

weld length in any weld less than 300 mm in length.

NOTE: See Table 22.2.7 for the summary of Tier 1 acceptance criteria for girth weld

discontinuities.

22.2.2 Inadequate penetration due to high-low

Inadequate penetration (LP) due to high/low LP(H/L) is defined as the condition that exists

when one edge of the root is exposed (or unbonded) because adjacent pipe or fitting joints

are misaligned, and where ‘high/low’ (H/L) is a condition where the pipe or fitting surfaces

are misaligned. This condition is shown schematically in Figure 22.2.2(b). LP(H/L) is

deemed not to be a defect and shall be acceptable unless incomplete fusion is also present.

22.2.3 Incomplete fusion

Incomplete fusion, lack of fusion at the root (LR) or lack of fusion at the side (LS) is

defined as a discontinuity between the weld metal and the base metal that is open to the

surface or buried for LS. This condition is shown schematically in Figure 22.2.2(c). LR or

LS shall be unacceptable when any of the following conditions exist:

(a) The length of an individual indication exceeds 25 mm.


25 mm.

(c) The aggregate length of indications exceeds 8% of the weld length in any weld less

than 300 mm in length.

22.2.4 Incomplete fusion due to cold lap

Incomplete fusion due to cold lap [lack of inter-pass fusion (LI) or lack of side wall fusion

(LS)] is defined as a discontinuity between two adjacent weld beads, or between the weld

metal and the base metal that is not open to the surface. This condition is shown

schematically in Figure 22.2.2(d) and Figure 22.2.2(f). It shall be unacceptable when any of

the following conditions exist:

(a) The length of an individual indication exceeds 25 mm for δN <7, or 50 mm for δN ≥7.


25 mm for δN <7, or 50 mm for δN ≥7.

(c) The aggregate length of indications in any weld length less than 300 mm exceeds 8%

of the weld length for δN <7 or 20% of the weld length for δN. ≥7.

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AS 2885.2—2007 88


(a) Lack of root penetrat ion (LP)

Part of original bevel root face not fused

(c) Lack of side wall fusion (LS)

Part of original bevel side wall not fused

(b) Lack of root fusion & misal ignment LP(H/L)

Part of original bevel root face not fused

(d) Lack of inter-run fusion (LI)

Part of adjacent weld pass not fused

Misal ignment

FIGURE 22.2.2 (in part) SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF TIER 1 DEFECTS

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89 AS 2885.2—2007


(f) Lack of root fusion (LR)

Part of the original bevel root face not fused

(g) Piping porosity (EC)

Elongated porosity which typical ly extends from the weld crater

(h) Inclusions (IN/IL)

Trapped discontinuit ies typical ly welding slag

(e) Internal or root concavity (SRC)

The weld root face is below the adjacent base metal surface

FIGURE 22.2.2 (in part) SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF TIER 1 DEFECTS

22.2.5 Root concavity

Root concavity (SRC) is defined and shown schematically in Figure 22.2.2(e). Any length

of internal concavity is acceptable, provided the density of the radiographic image of the

internal concavity does not exceed that of the thinnest adjacent base metal. For areas that

exceed the density of the thinnest adjacent base metal, the criteria for burn-through (see

Clause 22.2.6) are applicable.

22.2.6 Burn-through

A burn-through (BT) is defined as a portion of the root bead where excessive penetration

has caused the weld puddle to be blown into the pipe, leaving a hole in the root of the weld.

Criteria shall be as follows:

(a) For pipe with an outside diameter ≥60 mm, a BT shall be unacceptable when any of


(i) The maximum length or width dimension exceeds 6 mm and the density of the

BT’s image exceeds that of the thinnest adjacent base metal.

(ii) The maximum length or width dimension exceeds the thinner of the nominal

wall thicknesses joined, and the density of the BT’s image exceeds that of the

thinnest adjacent base metal.

(iii) The sum of the maximum length or width dimensions of separate BTs whose

image density exceeds that of the thinnest adjacent base metal exceeds 13 mm

in any continuous 300 mm length of weld or the total weld length, whichever is

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AS 2885.2—2007 90


(b) For pipe with an outside diameter <60 mm, a BT shall be unacceptable when any of


(i) The maximum length or width dimension exceeds 6 mm and the density of the

BT’s image exceeds that of the thinnest adjacent base metal.

(ii) The maximum length or width dimension exceeds the thinner of the nominal

wall thicknesses joined, and the density of the BT’s image exceeds that of the

thinnest adjacent base metal.

(iii) More than one BT of any size is present and the density of more than one of the

images exceeds that of the thinnest adjacent base metal.

22.2.7 Slag inclusions

A slag inclusion is defined as a non-metallic solid entrapped in the weld metal or between

the weld metal and the pipe metal. Elongated slag inclusions (e.g., ILs), continuous or

broken slag lines or wagon tracks (WTs) are usually found at the fusion zone. Isolated slag

inclusions (INs) are irregularly shaped and may be located anywhere in the weld. For

evaluation purposes, when the size of a radiographic indication of slag is measured, the

indication’s maximum dimension shall be considered its length (see Figure 22.2.2(h)). The

unacceptability of slag inclusions is as follows:

(a) For pipe with an outside diameter ≥60 mm, slag inclusions shall be unacceptable

when any of the following conditions exist:

(i) The length of an IL indication exceeds 50 mm. Parallel IL indications separated

by approximately the width of the root bead (wagon tracks) shall be considered

a single indication unless the width of either of them exceeds 1 mm. In that

event, they shall be considered separate indications.

(ii) The aggregate length of IL indications in any continuous 300 mm length of

weld exceeds 50 mm.

(iii) The width of an IL indication exceeds 2 mm.

(iv) The aggregate length of IN indications in any continuous 300 mm length of

weld exceeds 13 mm.

(v) The width of an IN indication exceeds 3 mm.

(vi) The aggregate length of IL and IN indications in any continuous 300 mm length

of weld exceeds 8% of the weld length.

(b) For pipe with an outside diameter <60 mm, slag inclusions shall be unacceptable


(i) The length of an IL indication exceeds three times the thinner of the nominal

wall thicknesses joined. Parallel IL indications separated by approximately the

width of the root bead (wagon tracks) shall be considered a single indication

unless the width of either of them exceeds 1 mm. In that event, they shall be

considered separate indications.

(ii) The width of an IL indication exceeds 2 mm.

(iii) The aggregate length of IN indications in any continuous 300 mm length of

weld exceeds two times the thinner of the nominal wall thicknesses joined and

the width exceeds one-half the thinner of the nominal wall thicknesses joined.

(iv) The aggregate length of IL and IN indications in any continuous 300 mm length

of weld exceeds 8% of the weld length.

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22.2.8 Porosity

Porosity is defined as gas trapped by solidifying weld metal before the gas has had a chance

to rise to the surface of the molten puddle and escape. Porosity is generally spherical but

may be elongated or irregular in shape, such as piping (wormhole) porosity (WH). When

the size of the radiographic indication produced by a pore is measured, the maximum

dimension of the indication shall apply to the following criteria:

(a) Individual porosity (GP) or scattered porosity (PU) shall be unacceptable when any of


(i) The depth in the through-thickness dimension exceeds 30% of the wall

thickness.

(ii) Surface breaking porosity with any dimension exceeding 1.5 mm is present.

(b) Cluster porosity (PG) that occurs in any pass except the finish pass shall comply with

the criteria in Item (a) above. PG that occurs in the finish pass shall be unacceptable


(i) The diameter of the cluster exceeds 13 mm.

(ii) The aggregate length of PG in any continuous 300 mm length of weld exceeds

13 mm.

(iii) The depth of an individual pore within a cluster in the through-thickness

dimension exceeds 30% of the wall thickness.

(c) Hollow-bead porosity (HB) is defined as elongated linear porosity that occurs in the

root pass. Hollow bead is deemed not to be a defect and is acceptable when it does

not reduce the weld thickness to less than that of the thinner parent metal as assessed

from the radiographic density, or by the width of the discontinuity assuming it is of

circular cross-section. See Figure 22.2.2(g). HB that exceeds this limit shall be

unacceptable when any of the following conditions exist:

(i) The length of an individual indication of HB exceeds 13 mm.

(ii) The aggregate length of indications of HB in any continuous 300 mm length of

weld exceeds 50 mm.

(iii) Individual indications of HB, each greater than 6 mm in length, are separated

by less than 50 mm.

(iv) The aggregate length of all indications of HB exceeds 20% of the weld length.

22.2.9 Cracks

Cracks shall be unacceptable when any of the following conditions exist:

(a) The crack, of any size or location in the weld, is not a shallow crater crack or star

crack.

(b) The crack is a shallow crater crack or star crack that has a length or width exceeding

4 mm.

NOTE: Shallow crater cracks or star cracks are located at the stopping point of weld beads and

are the result of weld metal contractions during solidification.

22.2.10 Undercutting

Undercutting is defined as a groove melted into the base metal adjacent to the toe or root of

the weld and left unfilled by weld metal. A discontinuity known as root slag intrusion,

which occurs at the toe of the root bead, is recognized as an intrinsic feature of cellulosic

electrode welds in pipelines. Root slag intrusions shall be classified as undercut for the

purposes of sentencing to this Standard. Acc

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AS 2885.2—2007 92


Undercutting adjacent to the cover pass SUC(ext) or root pass SUC(int) shall be

unacceptable when any of the following conditions exist:

(a) The individual or aggregate length of indications of SUC with a depth greater than

0.8 mm, in any continuous 300 mm length of weld, exceeds 50 mm.

(b) For wall thicknesses of 7 mm and greater, the individual or aggregate length of

indications of SUC with a depth >0.8 mm exceeds 20% of the weld length.

(c) For wall thicknesses of less than 7 mm, the individual or aggregate length of

indications of SUC with a depth >0.4 mm exceeds 20% of the weld length. The depth

of internal undercut shall be assessed in accordance with Clause 15.5.

22.2.11 Root slag intrusion

Root slag intrusions shall be classified as undercutting and be included with undercutting

for sentencing (see Clause 22.2.10).

22.2.12 Accumulation of discontinuities

Excluding incomplete penetration due to high-low and undercutting, any accumulation of

discontinuities shall be unacceptable when any of the following conditions exist:

(a) The individual or aggregate length of indications in any continuous 300 mm length of

weld exceeds 25 mm for δN <7, or 50 mm for δN ≥7.

(b) The individual or aggregate length of indications exceeds 8% of the weld length for

δN <7 or 20% of the weld length for δN ≥7.

22.2.13 Coincident discontinuities

The following applies to coincident discontinuities:

(a) Discontinuities that have length limits in Tier 1 shall be unacceptable, regardless of

length, when more than one different type of discontinuity, whether having a length

limit or not, is superimposed upon another in the same position in the weld so that it

is likely that the total defect depth is more than one weld pass.

(b) Discontinuities that do not have length limits in Tier 1, such as certain conditions of

porosity, hollow bead, root concavity, and undercut shall be acceptable, regardless of

length, when more than one different type of discontinuity is superimposed upon

another in the same position in the weld provided they do not collectively reduce the

weld thickness below that of the thinner parent metal as assessed from the

radiographic density.

22.2.14 Pipe or fitting discontinuities

Arc burns, longitudinal seam discontinuities, and other discontinuities in the pipe or fittings

detected by radiographic testing shall be reported to the pipeline licensee. Their disposition

by repair or removal shall be as directed by the pipeline licensee.

NOTES:

1 See Clauses 15.5 and 17.5 for information on the methods of measurement of undercut depth.

2 See Clauses 24 and 25 for information dealing with arc burns.

Acc

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93 AS 2885.2—2007


TA

BL

E

22

.2.7

SU

MM

AR

Y O

F T

IE

R 1

AC

CE

PT

AN

CE

CR

IT

ER

IA

FO

R G

IR

TH

WE

LD

DIS

CO

NT

IN

UIT

IE

S

Th

is s

um

mary

of

Tie

r 1

accep

tan

ce c

rite

ria f

or

gir

th w

eld

dis

co

nti

nu

itie

s is

pro

vid

ed

fo

r th

e c

on

ven

ien

ce o

f th

e u

ser

an

d i

s to

be r

ead

in

co

nju

ncti

on

wit

h C

lau

se 2

2.2

.

Accep

tab

ilit

y l

imit

s

Cla

use

T

yp

e o

f d

isco

nti

nu

ity

In

div

idu

al

len

gth

/wid

th/d

iam

ete

r

Ag

greg

ate

len

gth

/wid

th/d

iam

ete

r

in a

ny

co

nti

nu

ou

s 3

00

mm

len

gth

of

weld

Ag

greg

ate

len

gth

/wid

th/d

iam

ete

r i

n w

eld

<3

00

mm

lo

ng

22

.2.1

In

ad

eq

uate

pen

etr

ati

on

(w

ith

ou

t H

/L)

(LP

) >

25

mm

>

25

mm

>

8%

weld

len

gth

22

.2.2

In

ad

eq

uate

pen

etr

ati

on

du

e t

o H

/L (

LP

(H/L

))

Inco

mp

lete

fu

sio

n a

lso

pre

sen

t

22

.2.3

In

co

mp

lete

fu

sio

n (

LR

or

LS

)

>2

5 m

m

>2

5 m

m

>8

%

22

.2.4

In

co

mp

lete

fu

sio

n d

ue t

o c

old

lap

(L

I) o

r

lack

of

sid

e w

all

fu

sio

n (

LS

)

δN

≥7

mm

>2

5 m

m

>2

5 m

m

>8

% w

eld

len

gth

δN

<7

mm

>5

0 m

m

>5

0 m

m

>2

0%

weld

len

gth

22

.2.5

R

oo

t co

ncav

ity

(S

RC

) A

ny

len

gth

accep

tab

le i

f ra

dio

gra

ph

ic d

en

sity

of

inte

rnal

cav

ity

do

es

no

t ex

ceed

th

at

of

thin

nest

ad

jacen

t b

ase

meta

l. O

therw

ise b

urn

th

rou

gh

cri

teri

a a

pp

ly

22

.2.6

(a)

Bu

rn t

hro

ug

h (

BT

): o

uts

ide p

ipe d

ia.

≥6

0 m

m

>1

3 m

m w

here

den

sity

of

BT

’s i

mag

e e

xceed

s th

at

of

thin

nest

ad

jacen

t

base

meta

l

22

.2.6

(b)

<

60

mm

Max

. le

ng

th o

r w

idth

>6

mm

or

thin

ner

wall

thic

kn

ess

an

d d

en

sity

of

BT

’s

imag

e e

xceed

s th

at

of

thin

nest

ad

jacen

t b

ase

meta

l —

*M

ore

th

an

on

e o

f an

y s

ize

pre

sen

t an

d t

he d

en

sity

of

mo

re

than

on

e o

f th

e i

mag

es

ex

ceed

s

that

of

the t

hin

nest

ad

jacen

t b

ase

meta

l

Sla

g i

nclu

sio

ns

≥6

0 m

m

IL

>5

0 m

m o

r w

idth

>2

mm

>5

0 m

m

—

IN

wid

th >

3 m

m

>1

3 m

m

—

22

.2.7

(a)

IL+

IN

>

8%

weld

len

gth

—

(co

nti

nu

ed

)

Acc

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94 AS 2885.2—2007


TA

BL

E

22

.2.7

(continued

)

Accep

tab

ilit

y l

imit

s

Cla

use

T

yp

e o

f d

isco

nti

nu

ity

In

div

idu

al

len

gth

/wid

th/d

iam

ete

r

Ag

greg

ate

len

gth

/wid

th/d

iam

ete

r

in a

ny

co

nti

nu

ou

s 3

00

mm

len

gth

of

weld

Ag

greg

ate

len

gth

/wid

th/d

iam

ete

r i

n w

eld

<3

00

mm

lo

ng

<6

0 m

m d

ia.

IL

>3

× l

ess

er

thic

kn

ess

or

wid

th

>2

mm

2 ×

less

er

thic

kn

ess

—

IN

—

2 ×

less

er

thic

kn

ess

an

d w

idth

half

less

er

thic

kn

ess

—

22

.2.7

(b)

IL+

IN

—

>8

% w

eld

len

gth

—

Wag

on

tra

ck

s sh

all

be c

on

sid

ere

d a

sin

gle

in

dic

ati

on

un

less

th

e w

idth

of

eit

her

of

them

ex

ceed

s 1

mm

.

In t

hat

ev

en

t, t

hey

sh

all

be c

on

sid

ere

d s

ep

ara

te i

nd

icati

on

s.

22

.2.8

(a)

Po

rosi

ty:

Ind

ivid

ual

gas

po

re (

GP

) T

hro

ug

h t

hic

kn

ess

dim

en

sio

n

of

ind

ivid

ual

po

re >

30

% o

f th

e

thic

kn

ess

or

an

y d

imen

sio

n o

f

surf

ace b

reak

ing

po

rosi

ty

>1

.5 m

m

—

—

22

.2.8

(b)

Clu

ster

(PG

):

—o

ther

than

fin

ish

pass

—fi

nis

h p

ass

See I

tem

(a)

>1

3 m

m d

ia.,

or

thro

ug

h

thic

kn

ess

dim

en

sio

n o

f

ind

ivid

ual

po

re >

30

% o

f th

e

thic

kn

ess

>1

3 m

m,

or

thro

ug

h t

hic

kn

ess

dim

en

sio

n o

f in

div

idu

al

po

re >

30

%

of

the t

hic

kn

ess

—

22

.2.8

(c)

Ho

llo

w b

ead

(H

B)

If H

B r

ed

uces

weld

th

ick

ness

to

less

th

an

th

at

of

thin

ner

pare

nt,

or

by

th

e w

idth

of

the d

isco

nti

nu

ity

then

un

accep

tab

le i

f

>1

3 m

m

or

ind

ivid

ual

len

gth

s each

>6

mm

are

sep

ara

ted

by

<5

0 m

m

>5

0 m

m

>2

0%

22

.2.9

C

rack

s (K

L,

KT

, K

E,

KC

) A

ll c

rack

s sh

all

be u

naccep

tab

le e

xcep

t sh

all

ow

cra

ter

or

star

cra

ck

wit

h a

max

imu

m d

imen

sio

n o

f 4

mm

22

.2.1

0(a

) U

nd

erc

utt

ing

(S

UC

) all

th

ick

ness

es

if d

ep

th >

0.8

mm

>

50

mm

>

50

mm

—

(co

nti

nu

ed

)

Acc

esse

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95 AS 2885.2—2007


TA

BL

E

22

.2.7

(continued

)

Accep

tab

ilit

y l

imit

s

Cla

use

T

yp

e o

f d

isco

nti

nu

ity

In

div

idu

al

len

gth

/wid

th/d

iam

ete

r

Ag

greg

ate

len

gth

/wid

th/d

iam

ete

r

in a

ny

co

nti

nu

ou

s 3

00

mm

len

gth

of

weld

Ag

greg

ate

len

gth

/wid

th/d

iam

ete

r i

n w

eld

<3

00

mm

lo

ng

22

.2.1

0(b

) δ

N ≥

7 m

m;

if d

ep

th >

0.8

mm

>

20

% w

eld

len

gth

>

20

% w

eld

len

gth

—

22

.2.1

0(c

) δ

N <

7 m

m;

if d

ep

th >

0.4

mm

>

20

% w

eld

len

gth

>

20

% w

eld

len

gth

—

22

.2.1

1

Ro

ot

slag

in

tru

sio

n—

shall

be c

lass

ifie

d a

s u

nd

erc

utt

ing

, se

e 2

2.2

.10

22

.2.1

2

Accu

mu

lati

on

(ex

clu

de i

nco

mp

lete

pen

etr

ati

on

du

e t

o h

i lo

an

d u

nd

erc

utt

ing

) δ

N <

7 m

m

—

>2

5 m

m (

ind

ivid

ual

or

ag

gre

gate

)

>8

% (

ind

ivid

ual

or

ag

gre

gate

)

δN

≥7

mm

—

>

50

mm

(in

div

idu

al

or

ag

gre

gate

) >

20

% (

ind

ivid

ual

or

ag

gre

gate

)

22

.2.1

3(a

) C

oin

cid

en

t d

isco

nti

nu

itie

s w

ith

len

gth

lim

it

Mo

re t

han

on

e t

yp

e o

f d

isco

nti

nu

ity

, w

heth

er

hav

ing

a l

en

gth

lim

it o

r n

ot,

su

peri

mp

ose

d a

nd

to

tal

dep

th

lik

ely

to

ex

ceed

on

e w

eld

pass

2.2

.2.1

3(b

) C

oin

cid

en

t d

isco

nti

nu

itie

s w

ith

ou

t le

ng

th l

imit

M

ore

th

an

on

e t

yp

e o

f d

isco

nti

nu

ity

su

peri

mp

ose

d s

o t

hat

weld

rad

iog

rap

hic

den

sity

is

red

uced

to

less

than

th

at

of

the t

hin

ner

pare

nt

meta

l

22

.2.1

4

Pip

e o

r fi

ttin

g d

isco

nti

nu

itie

s (a

rc b

urn

, lo

ng

itu

din

al

seam

s an

d o

ther

defe

cts

)—re

pair

or

rem

ov

al

at

the d

irecti

on

of

the p

ipeli

ne l

icen

see

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AS 2885.2—2007 96


22.3 TIER 2 CRITERIA—GENERALIZED FITNESS-FOR-PURPOSE STANDARD

22.3.1 General

Discontinuities, other than cracks that do not reduce the weld thickness to less than 90% of

the thinner of the parent metal thicknesses, are acceptable.

The generalized fitness-for-purpose criteria of Tier 2 are based on limit load/net section

plastic collapse considerations. All of the following requirements apply:

(a) Either—

(i) the welds shall be made in their entirety with E4110 electrodes; or

(ii) charpy V-notch impact tests, performed as part of the welding procedure

qualification test, shall meet a minimum requirement of 40 J minimum average

and 30 J minimum individual at the lowest design temperature at which the

combined stress exceeds 30% SMYS.

The requirement in Item (ii) is applicable to full-size test pieces. The test piece size

shall be the largest standard size that can be obtained. The requirement shall be

reduced pro rata according to the cross-sectional area of the test piece (see

Clause 6.4.7).

(b) For welds in material greater than 13 mm thick, crack tip opening displacement

(CTOD) tests shall be performed in accordance with AS 2205.7.3 and shall meet a

requirement of 0.15 mm minimum average and 0.10 mm minimum individual at the

lowest design temperature at which the combined stress exceeds 30% SMYS (see

Clause 6.4.8).

(c) Transverse butt tensile tests shall be performed as part of the welding procedure

qualification test with the weld reinforcement removed by dressing. The tests are

acceptable if the specimens fail in the pipe material or if the specimens break in the

weld metal with a tensile strength greater than, or equal to, the specified minimum

tensile strength of the pipe material.

(d) The nominal thickness shall lie within the range 7 mm to 25 mm.

(e) Each defect is assumed to be confined to a single weld pass not greater than 3 mm in

depth. If there is a suspicion of a single defect being greater than 3 mm then Tier 2

acceptance criteria shall not be applied. These criteria shall only be applied to

pipeline girth welds between pipes of equal grade and nominal thickness.

(f) The pipe SMYS shall not exceed 448 MPa.

(g) Service conditions shall not include onerous fatigue conditions (see Note 2).

NOTES:

1 The weld discontinuity acceptance limits in this Standard are based on those in the EPRG

Guidelines referred to elsewhere and also on Australian research by the CRC for Welded

Structures, which has assessed thin-walled high-strength pipeline girth welds. The values of

defect length are founded upon plastic collapse calculations that include assumptions

regarding the flow stress and the yield/tensile ratio of the girth weld metal and the pipe parent

metal, and the requirement that the yield strength of the weld metal be equal or exceed that of

the parent pipe. The Australian research has demonstrated that a certain level of weld metal

yield strength undermatching can be tolerated within the requirements of Tier 2 while

maintaining defect tolerance. It should be noted that, as mentioned in Paragraph C3 of

Appendix C, the notched tensile test, which was used to determine yield strength matching,

has been removed from the Standard along with a return of Tier 2 criteria to those in the 1995

edition of this Standard; however, the wide plate and full section pipe tension tests can still be

used to define defect limits for particular weld consumable pipe grade combinations and can

be applied to those pipe grades now excluded from Tier 2.

2 Normal daily pressure fluctuations due to line packing are not deemed to constitute onerous

fatigue conditions.

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97 AS 2885.2—2007


22.3.2 Tier 2 acceptance criteria

The Tier 2 acceptance criteria are described in Table 22.3.2(A) and Figure 22.3.2.

Equations to the lines in Figures 22.3.2 are set out in Table 22.3.2(B).

Tier 2 Acceptance limits for some common pipe sizes are given in Table 22.3.2(C).

TABLE 22.3.2(A)

WELD DISCONTINUITY ACCEPTANCE LIMITS FOR TIER 2

Type of discontinuity Tier 2 acceptance criteria

External profile

(non-planar)

The maximum height of external weld reinforcement shall comply with Figure 15.4.2 The

weld shall be completely filled

Planar root concavity

(see Note 3)

Root concavity that does not reduce the thickness of the weld below 90% of the thickness

of the parent metal shall be acceptable regardless of length

Non-planar root cavity

(see Note 4)

Root concavity that reduces the thickness of the weld below 90% of the thickness of the

parent metal shall be assessed against the all defects line in Figure 22.3.2

Non-planar undercut Depth less than 0.8 mm—no limit

Planar undercut Depth greater than 0.8 mm—planar defect in Figure 22.3.2

Inadequate penetration and all

lack of fusion defects (planar)

Planar defect in Figure 22.3.2

Cracks (planar) Not allowed

Crater cracks

(see Note 5)

(non-planar)

Maximum dimension of 4 mm

Burn-through

(non-planar)

Burn-throughs less than 6 mm long and less than one weld pass (3 mm) depth have no

structural significance and are not limited under Tier 2. Burn-throughs longer than 6 mm

shall be assessed using the root concavity limitations if the depth is less than one weld

pass. Burn-throughs more than one weld pass (3 mm) deep are not allowed

Porosity

(non-planar)

The depth of individual gas pores in the through-thickness dimension exceeds 30% of the

wall thickness.

Other porosity is of no structural significance and is not limited by Tier 2

Hollow bead

(see Notes 3, 4 & 7)

(non-planar)

All defects in Figure 22.3.2. Hollow bead that does not reduce the thickness of the weld

below 90% of the thickness of the parent metal shall be acceptable regardless of length

Slag inclusions

(see Note 6) (non-planar)

All defects in Figure 22.3.2

Interaction

(planar and non-planar)

If the defect is separated from a planar defect by a distance smaller than the length of the

shorter of the two defects, then re-categorize as a single planar defect (defined for the

purposes of Figure 22.3.2 as an interacting planar defect) of length equal to the two

individual lengths plus separation. Figure 22.3.2 gives limits for interacting planar defects

Coincident defects

(see Note 2)

Discontinuities that have length limits in this Table are unacceptable regardless of length

when they are superimposed in the same position in the weld so that the total assumed

defect depth at that position exceeds one weld pass (3 mm)

Discontinuities that do not have length limits in this Table are acceptable regardless of

length when they are superimposed in the same position in the weld provided that they do

not collectively reduce the thickness of the weld below 90% of the thickness of the parent

metal

Systematic and repeated

defects

At the option of the pipeline licensee, systematic and repeated occurrences of defects of

workmanship may be sentenced according to the requirements of Tier 1

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AS 2885.2—2007 98


NOTES TO TABLE 22.3.2(A):

1 Clause 22.2 requires that discontinuities that do not reduce the remaining weld thickness below 90% of the thinner

parent metal thickness be ignored. This applies to all types of discontinuity in Table 22.3.2(A).

2 The discontinuities that do not have length limits are as follows:

(a) Defects that do not reduce weld thickness below 90% of the thinner parent metal thickness.

(b) Undercut less than 0.8 mm, where the depth does reduce the weld thickness below 90%. This can occur in

thickness less than 8 mm.

(c) Porosity having maximum pore size less than 3 mm.

3 The remaining weld thickness relative to the 90% minimum limit when the volumetric defects root concavity, burn-

through, and hollow bead are present is a matter for the radiographer’s judgment, assisted by reference to the density

of the parent metal and the images of the grooves on the undercut comparator shim.

4 Root concavity, burn-through, and hollow bead that reduce the remaining weld thickness below 90% of the thickness

of the parent metal are assumed to be one weld pass deep.

5 As per Tier 1.

6 Includes wagon tracks.

7 The permitted reduction in weld metal thickness to 90% of parent metal thickness for hollow bead is allowed in the

Tier 2 fitness-for-purpose acceptance criteria in recognition of the demonstrated achievement of matching strength

in the procedure qualification requirements for Tier 2.

TABLE 22.3.2(B)

EQUATIONS TO THE LINES IN FIGURE 22.3.2

Coordinates at maximum

defect length Line Equation

Wall thickness

mm

Defect length

%

Total—all defects 3.91 × (wall thickness) + 0.11 12.8 50

Total—all planar defects 2.37 × (wall thickness) − 5.50 13.0 25

Interacting planar defect 1.54 × (wall thickness) − 1.92 17.5 25

Individual planar defect 1.04 × (wall thickness) − 2.48 26.5 25

NOTE: These equations apply only to the sloping portion of the lines.

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99 AS 2885.2—2007


TABLE 22.3.2(C)

TIER 2 ACCEPTANCE LIMITS FOR SOME COMMON PIPE SIZES

millimetres

Maximum acceptable discontinuity length

Pipe

diameter

Wall

thickness Total all

defects in

any weld

Total all

planar

defects in

any weld

Volumetric defects

that reduce wall

thickness below

0.90δN, i.e., certain

root concavity, burn-

through, and hollow

bead conditions

Individual planar

defects, i.e., undercut

deeper than 0.8 mm and

all inadequate

penetration and lack of

fusion defects

Interacting

planar

defects

7.1

7.9

8.7

192

213

235

78

91

104

192

213

235

34

39

45

62

70

79 219

9.5

11.0

12.7

256

297

342

117

142

169

256

297

342

51

62

74

87

103

121

7.1

7.9

8.7

239

266

293

97

113

130

239

266

293

42

49

56

77

88

98 273

9.5

11.0

12.7

320

370

427

146

176

211

320

370

427

63

77

92

109

129

151

7.1

7.9

8.7

284

316

347

115

135

154

284

316

347

50

58

67

92

104

117 324

9.5

11.0

12.7

379

439

507

173

209

250

379

439

507

75

91

109

129

153

180

7.1

7.9

8.7

312

347

382

127

148

169

312

347

382

55

64

73

101

115

128 356

9.5

11.0

12.7

417

482

557

190

230

275

417

482

557

83

100

120

142

168

197

7.1

7.9

8.7

355

395

435

144

169

193

355

395

435

63

73

84

115

131

146 406

9.5

11.0

12.7

475

550

635

217

262

314

475

550

635

94

114

137

162

192

225

7.1

7.9

8.7

400

445

490

163

190

217

400

445

490

70

82

94

129

147

165 457

9.5

11.0

12.7

535

619

715

244

295

353

535

619

715

106

129

154

182

216

253

NOTE: Table 22.3.2(C) lists Tier 2 weld discontinuity acceptance limits for discontinuities listed in Table 22.3.2(B) and

shown graphically in Figure 22.3.2. The values have been calculated from the equations listed in Table 22.3.2(B).

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AS 2885.2—2007 100


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101 AS 2885.2—2007


22.4 TIER 3 CRITERIA—ENGINEERING CRITICAL ASSESSMENT

The discontinuity acceptance criteria may be determined using an approved engineering

critical assessment procedure or other approved method. The method shall be documented.

For welds that may be subject to displacement controlled loading, this process shall include

an assessment of weld strength matching. In pipe grades up to and including X65, weld

strength matching may be deemed to be achieved on the basis of experience. For higher

grades an experimental method, such as wide plate testing, or full scale testing shall be

used.

NOTE: BS 7910 describes ECA procedures that are suitable for use for this application.

‘PIPESAFE’, a software package developed by the Cooperative Research Centre for Welded

Structures (CRC-WS), which is available from the Welding Technology Institute of Australia, is

an approved method for conducting engineering critical assessments on pipeline girth welds.

Application of ECA procedures, such as BS 7910, should be approached with caution where weld

strength mismatch is encountered since in these situations strain can be concentrated in the weld

metal.

Factors to be considered are the effect of strength matching on fracture toughness measurement,

relative difference between the work hardening rates of the weld and parent metals and defect

type, e.g., shallow and part wall thickness located in weld or HAZ. Before application of such

ECA methods, reference should be made to expositions on the significance of weld strength

matching, e.g., BS 7910. Engineering critical assessment is an active area of research so that

expert knowledge may be of benefit in particular situations.

Generally where displacement controlled loading is not expected and the stress in the weld is less

than its yield strength then such procedures may be applied with safety. It should be noted,

however, that undermatched welds have lower defect tolerance than overmatched welds since in

the latter case yielding of the pipe may be possible without weld fracture.

Wide plate and full-scale tests are also approved methods when performed by personnel with

proven fracture mechanics expertise.

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AS 2885.2—2007 102


S E C T I O N 2 3 R E P A I R O F A N

U N A C C E P T A B L E W E L D

23.1 GENERAL

A weld containing a defect shall be repaired or cut out.

23.2 REPAIR METHODS

A repair to a weld containing a defect shall be made using an approved repair procedure

documented and qualified in accordance with Clause 5. Repairs to repair welds are not

prohibited by this Standard; however, they shall be subject to the specific approval of a

welding engineer on a case by case basis. The repair procedure should be developed in

consideration of the material in Appendix E in general, and in particular Paragraph E9.4.

The procedure specification shall include details of the following:

(a) The means of removing the defect, including the length of sound metal to be removed

at each end.

(b) Welding procedure items according to Clause 5.

(c) The means of providing assurance that HACC will not be encountered.

(d) The non-destructive examination methods used to determine that the defect is

completely removed, including the length of overlap of the repaired length.

(e) The method and the timing of non-destructive examination of the completed repaired

production weld.

(f) Hardness test results on the repair section of the repair procedure test weld.

(g) Macro test results on the repair section of the repair procedure test weld.

23.3 QUALIFICATION OF THE REPAIR WELDING PROCEDURE

The following applies:

(a) Qualification of a repair weld shall comply with the methods of qualification

identified in Clause 5.3.

(b) Where qualification by testing is required, a test weld shall be prepared to represent

the location and depth of repair.

(c) Repair weld procedures that involve a full thickness repair may be used for partial

thickness repairs.

(d) Repairs involving a single pass only shall require separate qualification.

23.4 INSPECTION

The repaired weld shall be inspected in accordance with Clause 15 and Clause 16.


The criteria of acceptance of a repaired weld shall be as specified in Clause 22.

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103 AS 2885.2—2007


S E C T I O N 2 4 R E M O V A L O F A N A R C B U R N

24.1 GENERAL

An arc burn on pipe that is to be operated at a pressure that produces a hoop stress equal to

or greater than 40% SMYS shall be—

(a) repaired by grinding; or

(b) cut out.

24.2 REPAIR BY GRINDING

Where a repair is made by grinding, the area of the metallurgical notch created by the arc

burn shall be removed completely, and the remaining wall thickness shall be not less than

90% of the nominal wall thickness of the pipe.

24.3 METHOD OF INSPECTION

The ground area shall be etched with either a 10% solution of ammonium persulfate or a 5%

solution of nital, and shall be visually inspected.

If a blackened spot appears, the metallurgical notch produced by the arc burn has not been

removed.


The swabbed area shall be free of any black spot.

24.5 CLEANING AFTER TESTING

Regions that have been etched shall be cleaned after testing is complete. A corrosion

inhibitor may be applied.

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AS 2885.2—2007 104


S E C T I O N 2 5 C U T T I N G O U T A N

U N A C C E P T A B L E W E L D O R A N A R C B U R N

A permanent repair shall be made by cutting out a cylindrical piece of pipe containing the

unacceptable weld or arc burn and—

(a) making new weld preparations and welding the joint; or

(b) replacing it with another cylinder of pipe that complies with the engineering design.

Where a repair is made on a tested pipeline, a cylinder cut from pre-tested pipe shall be

used.

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105 AS 2885.2—2007


S E C T I O N 2 6 R E C O R D S

A record shall be made showing the following, by relation to a kilometre post, engineering

station, or geographical feature:

(a) The number of butt welds made.

(b) The number and location of welds that have been subjected to non-destructive

examination. The type(s) and extent of non-destructive examination shall be noted for

each weld.

(c) The number and location of welds that failed to comply and were subsequently

successfully repaired.

This record shall be retained and maintained by the pipeline licensee until the pipeline is

abandoned or removed.

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AS 2885.2—2007 106


APPENDIX A

ITEMS REQUIRING APPROVAL

(Normative)

Clause Subject Item requiring approval

1.2 Qualification and approval Welding procedure

Delegation of authority to approve

3.1 Post-weld heat treatment An alternative method of post weld

heat treatment other than a method

specified in AS 1210

6.4.2 Fracture toughness test criteria Type, method and location of test,

preparation of test specimens and

criteria of acceptance

11.4 Supervision of production welds Qualification of welding supervisor

11.21 Identification of production welds Manner in which production welds are

identified.

12.1 Welding procedures for welding on live

pipelines

Welding procedures and operations

13.8 Heat input for welding on live pipelines Heat input (arc energy) and electrode

size.

13.9 Qualification for welding on live

pipelines

Welding procedure for in-service

welds, including pressure and cooling

effects from fluid flow in the pipeline.

12.2 Safety for welding on live pipelines Earthing procedure

13.4 Welding onto an in-service pipeline Safety procedures

(continued)

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107 AS 2885.2—2007


(continued)

Clause Subject Item requiring approval

Procedures for the following:

• Detection of explosive mixtures

• Means of maintaining work site to

mainline valve communication

12.3 Hot repair of a leaking gas-filled

pipeline

• Method of regulating gas pressure

13.6.2 Pre-welding ultrasonic examination Method of examination and reference

sensitivity

14.2 Assessment of production and repair

welds

Qualification and experience of

personnel involved in welding

inspection

16.5 Non-destructive examination (NDE) Amount and specified location of NDE

16.6 Exemption from NDE Alternative magnetic particle or dye-

penetrant test method

17.1 Radiographic examination Examination procedure

19.1.1 Manual ultrasonic examination Examination procedure

19.2.1 Mechanised ultrasonic examination Examination procedure

22.1 Criteria of acceptance for girth weld

discontinuities

Choice of tier to be used as acceptance

criteria

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AS 2885.2—2007 108


APPENDIX B

LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

(Normative)

AS

1170 Minimum design loads on structures

1170.4 Part 4: Earthquake loads

1171 Non-destructive test—Magnetic particle testing of ferromagnetic products,

components and structures

1210 Pressure vessels

1544 Methods for impact tests on metals

1544.2 Part 2: Charpy V-notch

1545 Methods for the calibration and grading of extensometers

1697 Gas transmission and distribution systems

1710 Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing of carbon and low alloy steel

plate—Test methods and quality classification

1796 Certification of welders and welding supervisors

1858 Electrodes and fluxes for submerged-arc welding

1858.1 Part 1: Carbon steels and carbon-manganese steels

2062 Non-destructive testing—Penetrant testing of products and components

2177 Non-destructive testing—Radiography of welded butt joints in metal

2205 Methods for destructive testing of welds in metal

2205.1 Part 1: General requirements for tests

2205.2.1 Part 2.1: Transverse butt tensile test

2205.3.1 Part 3.1: Transverse guided bend test

2205.5.1 Part 5.1: Macro metallographic test for cross-section examination

2205.6.1 Part 6.1: Weld joint hardness test

2205.7.1 Part 7.1: Charpy V-notch impact fracture toughness test

2205.7.3 Part 7.3: Fracture mechanics toughness tests (KIc, critical CTOD and

critical J values)

2207 Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing of fusion welded joints in

carbon and low alloy steel

2314 Radiography of metal—Image quality indicators (IQI) and

recommendations for their use

2706 Numerical values—Rounding and interpretation of limiting values

2885 Pipelines—Gas and liquid petroleum

2885.1 Part 1: Design and construction

3998 Non destructive testing—Qualification and certification of personnel

4041 Pressure piping

4564 Specification for general purpose natural gas

AS

4749 Non-destructive testing—Terminology of and abbreviations for fusion

weld imperfections as revealed by radiography

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109 AS 2885.2—2007


AS/NZS

1167 Welding and brazing—Filler metals

1167.2 Part 2: Filler metal for brazing and braze welding

1553 Covered electrodes for welding

2717 Welding—Electrodes—Gas metal arc

2717.1 Part 1: Ferritic steel electrodes

2885 Pipelines—Gas and liquid petroleum

2885.5 Part 5: Field pressure testing

3992 Pressure equipment—Welding and brazing qualification

3834 Quality requirements for welding—Fusion welding of metallic materials

3834.1 Part 1: Guidelines for selection and use

3834.2 Part 2: Comprehensive quality requirements

4855 Welding consumables—Covered electrodes for manual metal arc welding

of non-alloy and fine grain steels—Classification

4857 Welding consumables—Covered electrodes for manual metal arc welding

of high strength steels—Classification

AS/NZS ISO

17632 Welding Consumables—Tubular cored electrodes for gas shielded and

non-gas shielded metal arc welding of non-alloy and fine grain steels—

Classification

ISO

1027 Radiographic image quality indicators for non-destructive testing—

Principles and identification

ANSI/AWS

A5.1 Specification for carbon steel electrodes for shielded metal arc welding

A5.5 Specification for low alloy steel covered arc welding electrodes

A5.17 Specification for carbon steel electrodes and fluxes for submerged arc

welding

A5.18 Specification for carbon steel electrodes and rods for gas shielded arc

welding

A5.20 Specification for carbon steel electrodes for flux cored arc welding

A5.28 Specification for low alloy steel filler metals for gas shielded arc welding

BS

7910 Guide on methods for assessing the acceptability of flaws in metallic

structures

7448 Fracture mechanics toughness test

7448.2 Part 2: Method for determination of KIc, critical CTOD and critical J

values of welds in metallic materials

DIN

54109 Non-destructive examination—Imagine quality of radiography

54109.2 Part 2: Recommended practice for determining image quality values and

image quality classes

ANSI/API

1104 Welding of pipelines and related facilities

Spec 5L Specification for line pipe Acc

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AS 2885.2—2007 110


ANSI/ASME

B31.3 Liquid transportation systems for hydrocarbons liquid petroleum gas,

anhydrous ammonia and alcohols

B31.8 Gas transmission and distribution piping systems

Section IX Qualification Standard for welding, brazing procedures, welders, brazers

and welding and brazing operators

NACE∗

MR-0175 Sulfide stress cracking resistant-metallic materials for oilfield equipment

WTIA Technical Note 1 The weldability of steels

Technical Note 3 Care of manual arc-welding steel electrodes

Technical Note 20 Repair of pipelines

DNV OS-F101 Submarine pipeline systems

EPRG† The EPRG guideline on defects in transmission pipeline girth welds

∗ NACE is the designator for the American National Association of Corrosion Engineers.

† EPRG is the designator for the European Pipeline Research Group.

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111 AS 2885.2—2007


APPENDIX C

SELECTION AND SPECIFICATION OF CELLULOSIC WELDING ELECTRODES

(Informative)

C1 SCOPE

This Appendix gives advisory information on the selection and specification of cellulosic

manual metal arc welding (MMAW) electrodes for pipeline welding.

C2 BACKGROUND

Cellulosic (EXX10) electrodes have been the primary choice for the welding of pipelines

because of their unique combination of high welding speeds and their ability to make

single-sided full penetration welds.

The principal disadvantage of EXX10 electrodes is the high level of hydrogen they

contribute to the weld metal, and the resulting risk of hydrogen-assisted cold cracking

(HACC) in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) or in the weld metal (WMHACC).

Pipeline grades above X60, and up to and including X70, have been satisfactorily welded

with cellulosic electrodes in various combinations; however, there have been widely

documented problems, including serious instances of WMHACC.

Australian experience, in particular, has stressed the advantages of using low strength (i.e.,

E6010) electrodes in the root pass in order to achieve the benefits of high toughness and

reduce risk of WMHACC, and AS 2885.1 was specifically amended to delete the use of root

bend tests so as to allow low strength electrodes to pass the procedure qualification test.

Experience has shown that for pipeline grades up to around grade X60 (depending on the

wall thickness), E6010 (E4110) electrodes can be used successfully whilst obtaining

adequate strength matching between the weldment and the pipe. The welds made with

E6010 electrodes also give good toughness, and have a low risk of WMHACC.

Recent research has shown that EXX10 electrodes can suffer loss of coating moisture when

they are exposed to the atmosphere, and that this loss of moisture can result in an increased

likelihood of WMHACC due to increased transfer of alloying elements across the arc. Care

needs to be taken to see that electrodes are supplied in packaging that prevents the loss of

moisture, and that once the packaging is opened, the contents are discarded if not used on

the same day.

C3 STRENGTH MATCHING

An important factor in the selection of girth welding consumables is the matching of pipe

strength. In general, it is desirable that welds be stronger than the pipe they join so that, in

the presence of a weld imperfection, if displacement controlled loads are experienced by the

pipeline, the pipe will be plastically strained rather than the displacement being

concentrated within the weld joint (see Clause 1.5.27).

The subject of strength matching is extremely complex, and it is not possible to show in all

circumstances that matching is achieved by means of simple tests.

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AS 2885.2—2007 112


Recent research on the relatively thin-walled pipelines used in Australia has shown (by

interpolation) that strength matching is achieved by the use of E6010 electrodes up to grade

X60, and by combinations of E6010 and E8010 electrodes up to X65. The research has also

shown that E6010 and E8010 combinations can undermatch X70 grade pipe, and that

adequate strength matching in 5 mm wall thickness X80 can not be achieved with any

existing cellulosic consumables. These observations are very much simplified and depend

on a number of critical factors such as the actual strength of the pipe in the longitudinal

direction, the test method used to assess the level of matching, and the pipe wall thickness.

This experience is expected to be valid for circumstances in which the distribution of yield

strength of the pipe is within the range of common Australian experience; however, the use

of unexpectedly strong pipe will make it very difficult to achieve strength matching,

especially in thin pipe in the higher grades. It is good practice, for a number of reasons, to

limit the range of the transverse yield strength of the pipe, and attention is drawn to the

option of specifying an upper limit to the yield strength of the pipe by utilizing the

supplementary requirements of ANSI/API Spec 5L PSL 2.

The method of measurement of the pipe yield strength is also important. Depending on the

method of manufacture, the longitudinal strength of the pipe may be greater than or less

than the transverse value, and the transverse value will be affected by the type of test piece,

that is, whether a flattened strap test piece or a ring expansion test is employed.

Whilst hardness testing and conventional joint tensile testing can provide useful

information, which would help someone familiar with the research form a judgement on the

degree of matching achieved, these tests cannot objectively determine whether matching is

actually achieved. The notched tensile test, which was previously included in this Standard,

has been found to be difficult to interpret and has been withdrawn pending further research.

This change is accompanied by a return of the Tier 3 criteria to those in the 1995 edition of

this Standard. Required levels of weld metal strength matching may be assessed using the

wide plate test; however, it has been shown that they are still width sensitive up to around

300 mm or so and, at the time of preparing this Appendix, the only method that could be

relied upon to represent the displacement controlled axial load case is the full section pipe

tension test, which evaluates the entire joint circumference.

C4 ELECTRODE QUALITY

The performance of pipeline girth welds made with EXX10 electrodes depends heavily

upon the design formulation and upon the manufacturing quality assurance of the

electrodes. Unfortunately, however, the national specifications that are used for these

electrodes do not meet the current needs of the pipeline industry. The specifications for the

higher strength E7010, E8010 and E9010 low alloy steel electrodes AS/NZS 4857 and

ANSI/AWS A5.5 are particularly inadequate.

The purpose of this Appendix is to provide guidance on the desirable supplementary

measures, which may be used to provide increased confidence in the integrity of the welds.

The need for these supplementary measures is an important part of the pipeline project

engineering process. In the past, the quality assurance processes in the procurement of

welding consumables received too little attention; both in absolute terms and in comparison

with pipe procurement. Over the last 20 years or so there have been major advances in the

strength and the weldability of pipe steels. This has caused a situation where if welding

problems are to occur they will most likely be in the weld metal, and this, combined with

the limitations of current welding electrode Standards, has necessitated the development of

this Appendix.

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113 AS 2885.2—2007


C5 SUPPLEMENTARY RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are recommended:

(a) A risk management approach be taken to this aspect of the design of the welding

procedures. On this basis, large projects using high-strength pipe with, for example,

significant areas of unstable ground, will justify greater effort in treating the risks of

undermatching which has been referred to earlier in this Appendix.

(b) On the basis of longstanding satisfactory experience, E6010 electrodes are suitable

for use in circumstances where their application is warranted without supplementary

requirements.

(c) E7010-G, E8010-G, and E9010-G electrodes, without supplementary specification

requirements, should not be used unless the risks identified are acceptable. Successful

experience in the use of electrodes from a particular supplier in similar circumstances

may be a suitable input to the risk assessment process.

(d) In general, electrodes conforming to E7010-P1 and E8010-P1 (or equivalent)

classifications are preferred, and if a higher strength electrode is required, then a

specification for E9010-P1 should be negotiated with the supplier, even though such a

classification does not currently exist in the Standards.

NOTE: P1 Classifications incorporate Charpy V-notch fracture toughness requirements.

(e) In addition to the use of P1 classification electrodes, it is recommended that all-weld

metal limit of 0.17% carbon and a maximum IIW carbon equivalent (CE) be

stipulated. The maximum CE values should not exceed the following:

(i) E7010 ...................................................................................................... 0.40.

(ii) E8010 ...................................................................................................... 0.44.

(iii) E9010 ...................................................................................................... 0.46.

These limits will help avoid the production of deposits of excessive strength and

susceptibility to HACC.

(f) The electrodes should be manufactured under an approved quality assurance system

and individual batches should be certified on test certificates.

(g) For X70 pipelines less than 7 mm wall thickness, and for all X80 pipelines, special

consideration should be given to girth weld strength matching. This may include the

need for special tests such as full section pipe tension test.

(h) Electrodes should be supplied in hermetically sealed metal containers and should be

discarded if not used on the day the container is opened.

C6 REFERENCES

1 Bilston K., Dietsch A., and Fletcher L. Performance requirements for onshore

pipeline girth welds in Australia: A Discussion Paper, WTIA/APIA Panel 7 Research

Seminar, Wollongong Oct 1995.

2 Barbaro F., Bilston K., Fletcher L., Kimber M., and Venton P. Research shows that

X80 pipe can be economically and safely welded by conventional methods, The

Pipeliner No 98, July 99.

3 Yurioka N. (Editor) Proceedings WTIA/APIA First International Conference on Weld

Metal Hydrogen Cracking in Pipeline Girth Welds, CRC for Welded Structures

March 99 Published Feb 00.

4 Bilston K. ‘Capabilities and limitations of cellulosic electrodes. A user’s perspective’

Ibid.

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AS 2885.2—2007 114


5 Bowie G F and Barbaro F J., Assessment of workmanship defect acceptance levels in

high strength thin walled pipeline girthwelds, International Conference on Pipeline

Construction Technology, Wollongong, 4-5 March 2002.

6 Weaver R.J. and Ogborn J.S. Cellulosic covered electrode storage conditions –

influence on weld properties. IBP_05. Rio Pipeline Conference and Expositions 2005.

Instituto Brasileiro de Petrόleo Gás - IBP

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115 AS 2885.2—2007


APPENDIX D

GUIDANCE ON ‘GMAW’ WELDING CONSUMABLES FOR MECHANIZED PIPELINE GIRTH WELDS

(Informative)

The most commonly used consumables for GMA welding of pipeline steel grades below

X80 is plain carbon manganese steel wire, which may have small additions of titanium and

boron. These wires generally comply with the ANSI/AWS A5.18 classification E70S-6 and

the nearest Australian equivalent is AS/NZS 2717.1 designation ES6xxW50. They are used

with argon-based gas mixtures or CO2 shielding. It is also reported that the same wires have

been used successfully for fill passes on X80 pipeline steels but where overmatching yield

strength is required, a nickel/molybdenum alloyed wire is preferred.

It is, however, clear that within the broad classification of E70S-6 or ES6xxW50 there is

scope for considerable variation in chemistry, both in the deliberate alloying additions, and

in the level of residual elements. In some cases there may be deliberate but unreported

additions of alloying element, and this may be indicated by the use of terms such as ‘micro-

alloying’.

This is of some concern in mechanized girth welding since small changes in alloying

element levels can have a significant effect on strength and toughness, arc stability, slag

formation, inter-pass cleaning, bead profile and hot cracking susceptibility. It should also

be noted that the properties achieved vary with shielding gas and operating mode.

In addition, consistent feedability and low contact resistance are very important in

mechanized welding, and are influenced by the surface quality and coating thickness of the

wire as well as its cast (diameter of a loose turn) and helix.

The operator may also specify dehydrogenation baking of the wire at an appropriate stage

of processing to achieve the lowest possible levels of hydrogen in weld metal.

For all of the foregoing reasons operators of GMAW girth welding systems have chosen to

test and qualify specific consumables by brand name rather than relying on Standard

classifications. It is, therefore, important that the selected consumables be tested and

qualified using a representative welding procedure and, once selected, the consumable be

specified not only by standard designations but also by brand name (to avoid substitution).

Regular batch testing of the consumable is recommended and the supplier should be advised

that any substitution of a wire from a different manufacturing stream will require

re-qualification.

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AS 2885.2—2007 116


APPENDIX E

AVOIDANCE OF HYDROGEN ASSISTED COLD CRACKING (HACC)

(Normative)

E1 SCOPE

This Appendix provides requirements for the selection and specification of welding

procedures designed to avoid hydrogen assisted cold cracking (HACC) in the heat-affected

zone (HAZHACC) or weld metal (WMHACC) in pipeline girth welds that are made with

cellulosic electrodes.

E2 BACKGROUND

HACC, especially HAZHACC, is a widely known problem in welding technology, and a

large body of research and practical technological literature exists on the subject.

E3 HACC IN PIPELINE WELDING

The problem of HACC in pipeline welding is unique, due to the following:

(a) Cellulosic electrodes are commonly employed, leading to very high levels of

hydrogen in the weld metal of 30 ppm or more. These levels of hydrogen are never

encountered in other safety critical large scale welded constructions.

(b) Pipeline steels are amongst the strongest steels used for welded constructions, and the

deliberate use of consumables having such high hydrogen levels is never encountered

in other applications using high strength steels.

(c) Pipeline girth welds are subjected to externally applied loads during welding as a

result of lifting and lowering-off.

(d) In high-strength pipe, the composition of the weld metal will, in order to achieve a

strength level that matches the strength of the pipe, be substantially less weldable

than the pipe. The pipe will be more leanly alloyed and hence more weldable than the

weld metal because, and, unlike the weld metal, it has benefited from

thermomechanical controlled processing (TMCP) during strip or plate rolling. (The

same does not apply to fittings, and for this reason special care needs to be taken with

the development of welding procedures for fittings.)

E4 WELD METAL HYDROGEN-ASSISTED COLD CRACKING (WMHACC)

Unlike HAZHACC, there are no available methods for predicting the onset, and hence

providing methods for avoidance of WMHACC.

In the welding of modern high-strength pipelines WMHACC is the much more likely form

of HACC.

E5 DETECTION OF HACC WITH NDE

In pipeline construction practice, the most common form of non-destructive examination

(NDE) is radiography, which is not the most ideal tool for detection of HACC. High-quality

X-radiography performed with fine-grained film and a single-wall single-image technique,

with the primary beam normal to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, has a high probability of

detecting cracks, but it is not as effective as ultrasonic testing. Other forms of radiography

have a much lower probability of detecting cracks.

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117 AS 2885.2—2007


In other safety critical welding applications, the NDE is conducted at least 24 h after the

completion of welding so as to ensure that delayed HACC will have taken place by the time

the NDE is performed. In pipeline construction practice, considerable effort is expended to

keep the NDE crew as close behind the welding crew as possible. Radiography is often

completed in much less than 24 h.

E6 THE EFFECT OF DELAY TIME

In pipeline welding with cellulosic electrodes, when cracking does occur, it usually takes

place within minutes of welding because the hydrogen concentration is already saturated,

and the accumulation of hydrogen by diffusion (which is the rate-dependent process

responsible for delayed cracking) is not required.

The single most important factor that controls whether or not cracking will occur is the time

delay between the root pass and the hot pass. Delays of more than 6 min between the

completion of the root pass and the deposition of the hot pass greatly increase the risk of

HACC occurring. The hot pass increases the weld throat thickness, reduces the notch effect

strain concentration in the wagon track region, refines and tempers the microstructure, and

most importantly raises the temperature of the weldment above the critical level for the

onset of HACC and reduces the weld cooling rate to enhance hydrogen effusion.

E7 THE EFFECT OF STRENGTH

Another important practice that is adopted in pipeline welding is the deliberate use of low

strength, often undermatching, electrodes for the root pass. This is a very effective method

of reducing the risk of HACC by the use of lower strength more ductile weld metal that is

less susceptible to the detrimental effects of hydrogen.

E8 WELDING PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION

Section 5 of this Standard requires the development and qualification of a welding

procedure in order to demonstrate that the production welds made in accordance with that

procedure, i.e., within the limits of the essential variables and the permitted changes to the

essential variables will, amongst other things, be free from HACC.

The welding procedures may be qualified by—

(a) testing;

(b) documentation;

(c) prequalification; or

(d) supervision.

In any of these cases, because HACC is such a serious problem in view of its threat to the

integrity of the pipeline, its potential systemic nature if it does occur, and the fact that it can

not be detected during construction by NDE, it is of critical importance that it be designed

out of the procedure, and this is a key part of procedure development and qualification. The

risk of occurrence should be ‘remote’ under any welding condition that is within the

envelope encompassed by the qualified procedure. This means that under the nominal (or

mid-range) conditions there should be a substantial margin of safety. Again, using the risk

assessment terminology of AS 2885.1, the likelihood of HACC under the nominal

conditions of the procedure should be ‘improbable’.

The means of achieving and, importantly, demonstrating this outcome is not simple. All of

the tools that are required do not exist in a convenient form.

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AS 2885.2—2007 118


There is no simple test that fully simulates the field welding situation. Whilst there are

well-established guidelines for the avoidance of HAZHACC, there are no guidelines for the

avoidance of WMHACC. The development of such guidelines is a key part of ongoing

research programs.

E9 RECOMMENDED METHODS FOR ‘DESIGNING-OUT’ HACC FROM

WELDING PROCEDURES

E9.1 Restrictions

These methods apply only to the following circumstances:

(a) Welding with conventional cellulosic electrode procedures.

(b) Where the delay time between the start of the root pass and the start of the hot pass

does not exceed 8 min.

(c) Normal methods of onshore pipeline construction used in Australia.

(d) The typical range of climatic conditions normally encountered in pipeline

construction in Australia.

(e) Welding of new pipe and fittings.

Other methods may be used for circumstances outside the restrictions; however such

methods shall be fully documented, and shall be approved.

E9.2 Welding of pipe

E9.2.1 Normal lifts

Where no more than 2 standard (up to 18 m) pipe lengths are lifted clear of the skids and

where in all other respects the lifting and lowering off stresses are normal as for a largely

level right of way without bends of any kind, the following applies:

(a) In pipe up to 14.5 mm wall thickness and DN 500, and up to and including X60

welded entirely with E6010 electrodes, the risk of HACC may be considered to be

‘remote’. The use of controlled heat input, preheat and other measures designed to

reduce the risk of HACC is not required and the welding procedure qualification test

weld (if required) need not simulate lifting and line-up stresses or other conditions

expected to affect HACC.

(b) In pipe up to 10 mm wall thickness and DN 500, up to and including X70, and with

carbon equivalent (CE) values up to a limit of 0.40, weld with E6010 electrodes in the

root and with electrodes up to E8010 specified in accordance with the

recommendations of this Appendix, in the remaining passes, the risk of HACC may

be considered to be ‘remote’ provided the electrode burn-off rate does not fall below

the equivalent of 0.5 kJ/mm. The use of preheat is not required, and the welding

procedure qualification test weld (if required) need not simulate lifting and line-up

stresses or other conditions expected to affect HACC.

(c) In circumstances outside those covered by Items (a) and (b) above, the risk of HACC

may be considered ‘remote’ provided the welding procedure incorporates a minimum

preheat and interpass temperature of 100°C.

(d) Alternative methods of demonstrating that the risk of HACC is ‘remote’ may be used.

These may be based on full-scale testing, involving simulation of the worst case

condition that will be encountered in the field, or other methods such as correlations

with laboratory tests such as Welding Institute of Canada tests. Such methods shall be

fully documented, and shall be approved.

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119 AS 2885.2—2007


E9.2.2 Extreme lifts

For lifting conditions other than in Paragraph E9.2.1, a minimum preheat temperature of

100°C shall be used and the hot pass shall be completed prior to lifting or lowering off. The

delay time between the start of the root pass and the start of the hot pass should not exceed

6 min.

E9.3 Welding of fittings

The development of welding procedures for fittings presents special problems. Firstly, for

reasons referred to earlier, fittings of equivalent grade are likely to be less weldable than

pipe. Secondly, the development of a welding procedure by testing, of necessity, results in

the destruction of a fitting. And thirdly the methods of holding fittings for welding are quite

different from that used for pipes.

For fittings in material grades up to and including X52 or equivalent, the risk of HACC in

the welding of fittings may be considered to be ‘remote’ providing low hydrogen welding

procedures are used and the minimum preheat and interpass temperature is not less than that

determined using WTIA Technical Note 1, or 100°C, whichever is higher.

For fittings in higher grades, the carbon equivalent shall be known and unique procedures

shall be developed and qualified.

NOTE: Non-destructive examination of welds in fittings should be undertaken at least 24 h after

the completion of welding.

E9.4 Repair welding

The risk of HACC during repair welding is significant. Specific consideration should be

given to the following:

(a) Repairs to the root bead from inside the pipe should be avoided due to the high risk of

HACC in un-tempered low heat input welds and their HAZs.

(b) Single pass cosmetic repairs to the capping pass should be avoided for the same

reasons as in Item (a). If repairs to the capping pass are necessary, they shall be

subjected to a qualified, documented, and approved procedure.

(c) Low heat input stripper passes used to even out the extent of groove filling can

constitute a risk of WMHACC, and should be avoided.

(d) In general, the level of residual stress associated with repair welding will be higher

than in the original welds, and the need for preheat is likely to be higher.

Whilst the use of low hydrogen electrodes is good practice for repair welding in order to

reduce the risk of HACC, consideration needs to be given to the fact that when low

hydrogen welding is undertaken the delay time before NDE should be at least 24 h. This is

of course not a reason to avoid the use of low hydrogen welding methods. It just means that

where a delay time of 24 h cannot be accommodated there needs to be a very high level of

confidence that HACC has been designed out of the welding procedure and, in addition,

that the procedure is adhered to.

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AS 2885.2—2007 120


APPENDIX F

EXAMPLE OF WELD PROCEDURE SPECIFICATION FORM

(Informative)

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121 AS 2885.2—2007


REFERENCED PQRs: 00 WPS NUMBER: XYZ-01 REVISION: 0

JOB NUMBER: XYZ PROJECT: Standards Australia

CODE: AS 2885.2:200X SPECIFICATION: PROCESSES: MMAW

MATERIALS

MATERIAL SPECIFICATION

MANUFACTURER SMYS MAX CE DIAMETER RANGE THICKNESS RANGE (DTT)

SMYS less than 413 MPa to

N/A to <413 <0.33 >60.3 to <323.9 mm OD 7.10 to 17.04 mm

SMYS greater than, or equal to, 413 MPa

XYZ Corporation fittings

>413 <0.50 >60.3 to <323.9 mm OD 7.10 to 17.04 mm

CONSUMABLES

ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS

REFERENCE BRAND NAME

SPECIFICATION SIZE ORIGIN CONSUMABLE TREATMENT

D.C. + P4 XYZ Brand E6010 4.00 mm Australia Use from original containers

D.C. + F5 XYZ Brand E8010-P1 5.00 mm Austria Use from original containers

WORKMANSHIP TOLERANCES

WELD SHAPE & SIZE: Butt PREPARATION METHOD: Flame cut/machine & grind JOINT CONFIGURATION: Single vee BACK-GOUGE METHOD: N/A INCLUDED ANGLE: 60° – 70° INTERPASS CLEANING: Grind and/or mechanical buff ROOT FACE: 1.0 to 2.0mm MAXIMUM BEAD WIDTH: 15 mm ROOT GAP: 1.0 to 2.0mm DIRECTION OF WELDING: Vertical down POSITION: 6G

PARAMETERS WELD SEQUENCE

ELECTRICAL STICKOUT: N/A WIRE FEED SPEED: N/A SHROUD SIZE: N/A SHIELDING GAS/FLUX: N/A SHIELDING GAS FLOW: N/A PURGE GAS FLOW: N/A

THERMAL TREATMENT PREHEAT TEMP: 75

°C

PREHEAT METHOD: Propane MAX INTERPASS TEMP.: 180°C MAX HEAT INPUT 3.80°kJ/mm PWHT REQUIRED: N/A

NOTES 1 Preheat 75ºC minimum. 100ºC preheat/interpass required for capping passes. 2 Number of passes will vary with change in thickness. 3 Higher amps and volts are associated with higher travel speeds. 4 Time lapse: Start of root pass to start of hot pass = 28 min maximum. Time lapse between subsequent passes = 21.5 hours

maximum. 5 Welding may be performed with a single welder. 6 External pipe clamp, released on completion of 60% of the root bead. 7 Typical application: Spool fabrication. 8 Qualified for use on fillet welds (welding of compensation plates). 9 Burn off rate calculated as ‘electrode consumed/weld length’. Result is the ratio of electrode per unit of weld length. 10 Tempering pass required on each side of the joint, prior to final capping pass

WELD DETAILS ELECTRODE/

CONSUMABLES WELDING PARAMETERS

PASS SIDE PRCSS PS

TN UP/DOWN REFERENCES AC/DC AMPS VOLTS

SPEED

mm/min

HEAT

INPUT

BURN

OFF

1 1 MMAW 5G Down P4 DCEP 126 - 165 23 - 32 236 - 402 0.58 -

0.94 /0.55

2 1 MMAW 5G Down P4 DCEP 153 - 193 28 - 35 259 - 351 0.92 -

1.27 /0.61

Fill 1 MMAW 5G Down F5 DCEP 140 - 207 24 - 35 80 - 220 1.20 -

3.80 /0.78

Cap 1 MMAW 5G Down F5 DCEP 131 - 171 24 - 34 184 - 375 0.77 -

1.55 /0.44

WPS design to avoid HACC – Yes/No Complies with Appendix F—Yes / No Signed:

Prepared by: Approved by: Date:

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AS 2885.2—2007 122


APPENDIX G

EXAMPLE OF WELDING PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION RECORD FORM

(Informative)

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123 AS 2885.2—2007


PQR NUMBER: 00 REVISION: 0

JOB NUMBER: XYZ CLIENT: Standards Australia

PROJECT: AS 2885.2

STANDARD: AS 2885.2:200X SPECIFICATION: PROCESSES: MMAW

MATERIAL SPECIFICATION

MANUFACTURER YS (SMYS) CE DIAMETER THICKNESS HEAT NUMBER PIPE NUMBER

MSS SP-75 WPHY 65 XYZ Corporation

(reducing tee) 611 MPa (448)

0.47 219 mm OD 14.2 mm XXX123 XXXX00

API 5L X52 XYZ (pipe) 500 MPa (358)

0.28 219 mm OD 14.2 mm XXX124 XXXX01

CONSUMABLES

ELECTRICAL

CHARACTERISTICS

REFERENCE BRAND NAME SPECIFICATION SIZE ORIGIN BATCH

NUMBER

D.C. + P4 XYZ Brand E6010 4.00 mm Australia ABC123 D.C. + F5 XYZ Brand E8010-P1 5.00 mm Austria ABZ123

WORKMANSHIP TOLERANCES

WELD SHAPE & SIZE Butt PREPARATION METHOD: Flame cut / Machined & Ground. JOINT CONFIGURATION: Single Vee BACK-GOUGE METHOD: N/A INCLUDED ANGLE: 60° INTERPASS CLEANING: Ground & mechanically wire brushed ROOT FACE: 1.0—2.0 mm MAX BEAD WIDTH: 14 mm ROOT GAP: 1.5—2.0 mm DIRECTION OF WELDING: Vertical Down POSITION: 6G

PARAMETERS THERMAL TREATMENT

BACKING N/A ELECTRICAL STICKOUT: N/A PREHEAT TEMPERATURE: 75°C minimum WIRE FEED SPEED: N/A PREHEAT METHOD: N/A SHROUD SIZE: N/A MAX INTERPASS TEMP.: 132°C SHIELDING GAS/FLUX N/A MAX HEAT INPUT/BURN-OFF: 3.45 kJ/mm SHIELDING GAS FLOW: N/A PWHT REPORT NUMBER: N/A PURGE GAS FLOW: N/A PWHT: Temp.

o

C N/A Time: N/A

NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING MECHANICAL TESTING

TYPE COMPLIANCE REPORT NUMBER TRANSVERSE TENSILES: 2 MACROS: 2 ALL WELD TENSILES: 0 HARDNESS: 180—248 HV5 Radiography Complies XXXXX BEND TESTS: 0 IMPACTS: WM, HAZ Magnetic particle Complies YYYYYY FILLET BREAK TEST: 0 IMPACT TEMP: Minus 20 SPECIAL TESTS: 0 COMPLIANCE: Complies

24 hour delay prior to NDT. RREEPPOORRTT NNoo:: ZZZZZZZZZZ

ANCILLARY INFORMATION NOTES:

NO. OF WELDERS: No. of welders used WELDER ID: Welder’s name & ID 1. Interpass temp taken on pipe wall adjacent to weld, immediately prior

to welding. DATE WELDED: State test date LOCATION: State test location TACK WELDING: N/A

2. Burn-off rate calculated as ‘electrode consumed/weld length’. Result is the ratio of electrode per unit of weld length.

IDENTIFICATION OF Clamp meter MEASURING Clamp meter 3. Welding machines used consisted of one XYZ 400. INSTRUMENTS: Digi temp meter 4. Reducing tee welded on the upper side of the 6G position. Tempering

beads placed against both materials during the welding of the cap. CLAMP TYPE & RELEASE:

Dearman clamp, released on completion of 60%

Test witnessed by: Client: TIME LAPSE BETWEEN PASSES:

Start of root pass to start of hot pass = 28 min. End of hot pass to start of next = 21 h 59 min

(continued)

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AS 2885.2—2007 124


WELD SEQUENCE: DETAIL:

WELD DETAILS ELECTRODE/ WELDING PARAMETERS

CONSUMABLES

TRAVEL

SPEED PASS SIDE WELDER PRCSS PSTN UP/

DWN REFERENCES

I/PASS

TEMP AC/DC AMPS VOLTS

mm/min

HEAT

INPUT

BURN

OFF

Peak high and low values recorded for each pass. Refer to running sheet for a complete set of parameters and calculations.

Root

1 1 W007 MMAW 6G Dwn P4 25 DCEP 145 - 150 25 - 29 262 - 365 0.64 -

0.85

>0.61

Hot Pass

2 1 W007 MMAW 6G Dwn P4 50 DCEP 170 - 175 31 - 32 288 - 319 1.02 -

1.15

>0.76

Fill

3 1 W007 MMAW 6G Dwn F5 45 DCEP 170 - 188 28 - 30 89 - 127 2.50 -

3.45

>1.65

4 1 W007 MMAW 6G Dwn F5 DCEP 160 - 170 29 - 32 112 - 166 1.85 -

2.49

>1.14

5 1 W007 MMAW 6G Dwn F5 DCEP 155 - 165 27 - 29 165 - 200 1.33 -

1.66

>0.97

Cap

6 1 W007 MMAW 6G Dwn F5 132 DCEP 150 - 155 29 - 31 204 - 235 1.17 -

1.41

>0.78

7 1 W007 MMAW 6G Dwn F5 DCEP 140 - 145 28 - 30 247 - 275 0.86 -

1.06

>0.64

8 1 W007 MMAW 6G Dwn F5 113 DCEP 145 - 155 27 - 31 283 - 341 0.85 -

0.92

>0.55

Prepared by: Approved by: Date:

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