836STRUCTURAL STEEL, FASTENERS AND MISCELLANEOUS METALS

Field Welding shall be performed by manual Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) using approved electrodes and procedures in accordance with the specifications noted herein. If a minimum of 3 inches (75 mm} of excess material beyond the theoretical end cuts does not exist, extension bars or run-off tabs shall be used at girder ends to ensure sound welds on web to flange welds. All welding shall be subject to the inspection and approval of the Engineer or his representative. During inspection of the work any workman, including welders and inspection technicians, who, in the opinion of the Engineer, produces inferior work, may under the provision of Article 108.06 be disqualified from performing Departmental work. All welding shall be in accordance with the AASHTO/AWS D1.5M/D1.5:2015, Bridge Welding Code, Seventh Edition as modified by the following:  Article 3.1. A new sentence shall be added to paragraph 3.1.3 as follows: "Shop welding, except for minor secondary members and minor repair welding, shall be done under a cover of a permanent structure and/or building capable of protecting the actual welding operation from inclement weather. Any standing water that would be dangerous to the welder or operator or to the integrity of the weld itself shall be cause for the welding to stop until such time as the situation is corrected."  Paragraph 3.2.9. The original A.W.S. subclause was deleted but shall be replaced with the following: "Paragraph 3.2.9. All corners of thermal cut or sheared edges, including edges of flanges of beams and girders along with splice material and other sharp edges deemed undesirable by the Engineer on structural members designated to be coated shall be slightly rounded. Said rounding shall be accomplished by light grinding to produce a satisfactory surface for painting (approximately 1/16 inch {1.6 mm} radius). The grinding shall be performed in such a manner as to produce a neat workmanship like product without nicks or notches in the metal."  A new paragraph to 3.5.1.9 shall be added as follows:  "Paragraph 3.5.1.9 Gaps shall not exceed 0.040 inches {1.0 mm) between the contact surfaces at the bottom flanges of beams or girders and steel bearing plates. There shall be no gap for at least 75% of this contact area."  New Paragraphs 4.9 and 4.10 shall be added as follows: "Paragraph 4.9 (SAW – single electrode), 4.10 (SAW – parallel and multiple electrodes). A properly operated heating torch shall run immediately ahead (about 12 inches {300 mm}, and on the same side, in advance of the point of welding) of the submerged arc welding head to remove moisture from the steel in the vicinity of the weld when making web to flange fillet welds of plate girders. Gases producing moisture in welding operations are discouraged unless it can be shown that the resultant temperature of the metal is sufficient to vaporize any moisture that might be present." Paragraphs 6.7.1, 6.7.1.1, and 6.7.1.2 in regard to Nondestructive Testing (NDT) of Complete Joint Penetration groove welds shall be deleted in their entirety and the following substituted in lieu thereof: "Paragraph 6.7.1 – Complete Joint Penetration (CJP) groove welds shall be tested by A.W.S. D1.5 Bridge Welding Code requirements in regard to and mandating the use of either radiographic testing (RT) or ultrasonic testing (UT) in accordance with the following: "6.7.1.1 - Shop Welds. 100% of all CJP butt weld splices in the following: all flanges (tension and compression) of beams and girders, all flanges of floorbeams, all members of floorbeam trusses which support stringer beams, all flanges of steel bent caps; and all chords, diagonals and verticals of trusses. 50% of all vertical CJP butt weld splices in webs of beams, girders, floorbeams, and steel bent caps. This requirement shall consist of 25% of the web depth beginning at the top of the web plate and 25% of the web depth beginning at the bottom of the web plate. If rejectable discontinuities are found in the vertical CJP butt welded splices, the remainder of the weld shall be tested. 15% of each longitudinal CJP butt weld splice in the webs of beams, girders, floorbeams, and steel bent caps, and in truss members. This requirement shall consist of 5% of weld length at each end of each plate and 5% of the weld length at the center of the plate (each plate is defined as that portion of web between vertical splices either welded or bolted).If rejectable discontinuities are found in a partially NDT examined longitudinal joint, additional NDT examinations using the original NDT process of that joint shall be made as required by the Engineer. 100% of all CJP welds used at the ends of longitudinal stiffeners welded to girder webs and the CJP welds used to splice sections of the longitudinal stiffeners together. 100% of all CJP groove welds in T- and corner joints (girder stiffener/connection plate to flange welds) shall be tested by UT. All welded repairs of RT or UT examined joints shall be re-examined by the original NDT process for quality and acceptability in the area of the repair. 6.7.1.2. - Field Welds. 100% of all butt welds in beams, girders, floorbeams, steel bent caps; and chords, diagonals, and verticals of trusses. All repairs of radiographed joints shall be reradiographed in the repair area."  A New Paragraph 6.7.2.1. shall be added as follows: “Paragraph 6.7.2.1. Magnetic particle examination of all fillet welds and/or reinforcement welds used in bearing assembly fabrication and a minimum of 10% of all fillet welds in expansion dams is required. If defects are found which require repair they shall be re-examined with magnetic particle testing after the repairs are made. Magnetic particle examination shall follow the procedures and requirements as outlined in AWS Subsection 6.7.  A New Paragraph 6.7.7 shall be added as follows: “Paragraph 6.7.7 Dye penetrant (PT) examination of all welded and finished plate edges of CJP butt weld splices of girder web plate or girder flange plate weld splices in main members is required. This examination shall be performed in addition to the required radiographic testing (RT) or ultrasonic testing (UT). If defects are found which require repair these areas shall be re-examined with PT after repairs are made. Written documentation of all non-destructive testing performed on all welding which requires NDT testing shall be submitted to the ALDOT representative within 48 hours of completion of the tests.