Strength of Partial-Joint-Penetration Groove Welds as Affected by Root Opening, Reinforcing, and Loading Direction

Abstract

Testing of 21 single-sided partial-joint-penetration (PJP) groove weld specimens was performed to evaluate the effects of three parameters: (1) root opening, (2) weld reinforcing profiles, and (3) directionality of loading. The specimens consisted of either 25-mm (1-in.) or 51-mm (2-in.) thick ASTM A572 Gr. 50 (345 MPa) steel plates welded in the shop with E70T-1C/9C electrodes using gas shielded flux-core arc welding (FCAW-G). Most of the specimens (18) were cruciform in shape and loaded the PJP groove weld in the transverse orientation. Three remaining specimens were orientated such that the PJP weld was loaded longitudinally. Most of the specimens (16 out of 21) failed through the PJP weld. The five remaining specimens failed in the plates or fillet welds outside of the tested PJP welds. The resulting failure load is then compared to the design equations of AISC 360. The observation that the reinforcing fillet did not enhance the strength of the PJP-welded joint is explained by the transition of the tensile fracture surface to shear fracture surface.