Post Galvanizing Toe Cracks in Welds Can We Continue to Rely on a “First Aid” Approach to this Problem? Wesley J Oliphant, PE, AWS-CWI, F.SEI, F.ASCE Principal, Chief Technical Officer, Exo Zachary J Oliphant Principal, President, Exo SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
First: What is a post galvanizing “toe crack”? “Toe cracks”are a delayed weld cracking in the“toe”of the • pole shaft to base plate (or flange plate) weld. Post galvanizing “toe cracks”are those that occur • immediately following the hot-dip galvanizing process. Typically occur at the“toe”of the reinforcing fillet weld on the • shaft side. Typically occur at the“corners”of multisided formed • shafts SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Two important documents: ASCE/SEI 48-11 Design of Steel AWS D1.1 Structural WeldingCode Transmission Pole Structures SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
ASCE/SEI 48-11 Design of Steel Paragraph 10.3.5 WeldInspection. Transmission Pole Structures …..” For galvanized members with large T-Joint connections, such as base plates, flange plates, etc., ultrasonic nondestructive weld testing shall be performed on 100% of all such joints, not only before , but after galvanizing to ensure that no cracks have developed.” SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
AWS D1.1 Structural WeldingCode AWS D1.1 establishes numerous requirements, that if diligently followed, will result in sound welds, both before and after galvanizing. SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
ASCE/SEI 48-11 Design of Steel AWS D1.1 Structural WeldingCode Transmission Pole Structures SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors Base Plate to Pole Shaft Wall Volume Ratio • Source: Aichinger, Richard, Higgins, Warren, (2006). “Toe Cracks in Base Plate Welds, - 30 Years Later”, Proc., ASCE Electrical Transmission Line and Substation Structures Conference, ASCE, Reston VA, 274-285. SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors High Residual Tensile Stress in the deposited • weld during solidification As a weld cools, it contracts providing residual tensile stress Higher heat input during the deposit of a weld is more prone to higher residual tensile stress Increased restraint of the joint will increase residual tensile stress SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors High Residual Tensile Stress in the deposited • weld during solidification Monitor Pre-Heat and Interpass Temperatures carefully. The Aichinger & Higgins study inferred that the AWS D1.1 minimum pre-heat requirements were insufficient in the effort to prevent toe cracks, and should be increased. SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors High Residual Tensile Stress in the deposited • weld during solidification SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors Heat Input during welding • Amps x Volts x 60 Heat Input (Kjoules/inch) = 1000 x Travel Speed (inches/min) or Amps x Volts x 60 Travel Speed (inches/min) = 1000 x Heat Input (Kjoules/inch) Recommended: limited to less than 65 kJoules/inch SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors Heat Input during welding • Volts = 28 Amps = 550 amps Travel speed = 16 in/min 28 volts x 550 amps x 60 = 57 kJoules/in 1000 x 16 inches/min So within the recommended limit of less than 65 kJoules/inch But if travel speed changes to 12”/min The heat input goes to 77 kJoules/in., above the recommended limit of heat input. SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors Heat Input during welding • SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors Highly restrained joint characteristic • SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors Stress concentrations / stress risers due to weld • profile being deposited. Abrupt change increases potential to crack under tensile load SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors Stress concentrations / stress risers due to • welding processes followed Toe Crack Starts and stops of the weld beads SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors High Carbon Equivalency of the Base Metal • SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors High Tensile Strength of the Base Metals • Recommended to limit the Tensile Strength to a maximum of 20% increase over its specified minimum value. Example A572-65 has a minimum 80 ksi TS, it would be limited to 100 ksi TS as delivered. SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors Exposure to thermal gradients during the • galvanizing process Stress is an important factor, and thermal stresses may be very high where extremely large parts are being gradually immersed into the 840 deg. F. molten bath. This creates a thermal gradient rise at the point of immersion in the zinc. SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Contributing Factors Steel and Weld Chemistries that include high • potential for Liquid Metal Embrittlement (LME) Galvanized-induced cracking (GIC) is generally considered a form of liquid metal embrittlement (LME) or liquid metal assisted cracking (LMAC). A contributing factor to LME can be excess silicon in the base or weld metals Large amounts of silicon in the weld filler metal will produce a large and undesirable buildup of zinc on the welds. This zinc will form several post-galvanization compounds of Fe + Zn on the surface of the weld, changing the transverse stress component of the weld. SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Proactive Approach (Prevention) vs. Reactive Approach (Resort to Detection & Repair) SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Proactive Approach (Prevention) 1. Insure all WPS’s and PQR’s are properly prepared and documented, including the requirement for Charpy testing in the deposited weld metal and the HAZ. 2. Make sure all welders are properly certified per the requirements of AWS D1.1 Structural WeldingCode. 3. Make sure all welders are properly trained on the requirements of the WPS’s – preheat, interpass temperature, volts, amps, travel speed, joint prep,etc. 4. Make sure all materials are what they are supposed to be – Charpy’s, chemistries, mechanicals,etc. SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Proactive Approach (Prevention) 5. Calculate Carbon Equivalencies of the specific steels being welded. Make adjustments of preheat as needed. 6. Review chemistries of the specific steels and weld materials being used, particularly silicon content. 7. Review Tensile Strength of materials being welded. 8. Pay attention to the sequence of weld passes. It is always preferable to finish the weld with the final passes occurring in the middle of the weld. 9. Pay attention to the size and type of weld passes (stringer beads are preferable to weaving. SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Proactive Approach (Prevention) And finally: 10. Make absolutely certain that preheat and interpass temperatures are maintained for the entire plate through the entire welding sequence (start to finish). 11. Make sure the weld profile is proper- no excessive concave or convex surface to the fillet weld. SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Questions? Wesley J. Oliphant, PE woliphant@exoinc.com SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
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