Introduction
Test material from a 30mm Aluminium plate was supplied for weld procedure qualification testing for the application of hull construction. The material grade is Al 5083-H111 and the filler wire material is Al 5183. The testing was conducted according to the ABS Rules for Materials and Welding which states the following:
- Two specimens are required for tensile testing
- Four specimens are required for bend testing
- No further testing is required
A qualified inspector was present during the testing.
Results
Tensile Testing
Results of the tensile testing are shown in Table 1, along with the minimum requirements for each property.
Table 1: Results of Tensile Testing
| Property |
Requirement |
Specimen 1 |
Specimen 2 |
| UTS (MPa) |
269 |
305.171 |
300.877 |
| Yield Strength (MPa) |
145 |
165.089 |
163.823 |
| % Elongation |
12 |
22.150 |
21.175 |
| Outcome |
|
Pass |
Pass |
The yield, ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and percentage elongation values are all within the required range for both specimens. Both of the tensile specimens failed in the weld metal. Specimen 1 had no clear indication of inclusions in the weld metal, while Specimen 2 had a small inclusion in the weld metal (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Inclusions in Tensile Specimen 2
Bend Testing
Results of the side bend testing are shown in Table 2. The ABS rule requires that, after bending, the specimen is not to show any cracking or other open defects exceeding 3.2mm on the convex side, except for the corners.
Table 2: Results of Side Bend Testing
| Specimen 1 | Specimen 2 | Specimen 3 | Specimen 4 | |
| Outcome |
Failed |
Passed |
Passed |
Failed |
Specimen 1 showed a crack in the weld metal which was longer than 3.2mm in length (Figure 2). Specimen 4 cracked open within the weld metal showing evidence of inclusions (Figure 3). Thus two of the four side bend specimens tested did not meet specification.
Figure 2: Side Bend Specimen 1
Figure 3: Side Bend Specimen 4
One Eighty acted as the testing facility for the weld procedure qualification and as such the involvement is limited to conducting the required testing and commenting on the results. This information is referred to the inspector present during the testing to make the final call on whether the procedure can be qualified, or whether further specimens have to be submitted for testing.
