II - Part 3 Annex B Imperfections in Welded Joints in Aluminium Chapter 2

GL 2000 Page B–1

Annex B

Imperfections in Welded Joints in Aluminium

Limits for imperfections in welded joints in aluminium (alloys)

in accordance with the international standards EN 30042 / ISO 10042 (repoduced with the kind permission
of the Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN) e.V. Berlin [German Standards Institute ]
Amendments or additions to the standards are shaded in grey.
Ref. No. Limit for imperfections for
Description of in acc. quality levels
No. Remarks low medium high
imperfections with ISO
6520 D C B
1 Cracks 100 All types of cracks except micro cracks
not permitted
(h × 1 < 1mm2), crater cracks, see No. 2
2 End crater crack 104 h £ 0,2 s or
not permitted
0,2 a
3 Gas inclusion 201 The term "gas inclusion" encompasses per 100 mm length:
porosity, cluster of pores and pores. The entire A £ 8 s or A £ 4 s or A £ 2 s or
pore area within a cluster should be included: 8 a mm2 4 a mm2 2 a mm2
an envelope curve that encompasses all the
4 Pore 2011 pores or a circle with a diameter that matches d £ 0,5 s or d £ 0,3 s or d £ 0,25 s or
that of the width of the weld. 0,5 a mm2 0,3 a mm2 0,25 a mm2
The permitted pore area should be localized. max. max. max.
The possibility that other irregularities are 5,5 mm 4,5 mm 3,5 mm
5 Porosity 2012 concealed should be allowed for. d £ 0,5 s + d £ 0,5 s + d £ 0,5 s +
0,035 s or 0,02 s or 0,01 s or
0,035 a 0,02 a 0,01 a
max. max. max.
2 mm 1,5 mm 1 mm
6 Cluster of pores 2013 d £ 0,5 s + d £ 0,5 s + d £ 0,5 s +
0,05 s or 0,035 s or 0,02 s or
0,05 a 0,035 a 0,02 a
max. max. max.
3 mm 2 mm 1.5 mm
7 Surface pore 2017 per 100 mm length:
A £ 2 t mm2 A £ 1 t mm2 A £ 0,5 t mm2
d £ 0,5 mm + d £ 0,5 mm+ d £ 0,5 mm +
0,035 s or 0,02 s or 0,01 s or
0,035 a 0,02 a 0,01 a
max. max. max.
2 mm 1,5 mm 1 mm

8 Solid inclusions 300 Solid inclusions include oxide inclusions. Long irregularities:
(other than If several inclusions h1, h2, h3 ... are present in not permitted
copper and a section, the sum is
Sh = h1+ h2 + h3 ... Short irregularities:
tungsten)
S h £ 0,1 s or 0,1 a not
max. max. permitted
3 mm 1,5 mm

9 Tungsten 3041 h £ 0,1 s or 0,1 a h £ 0,05 s

inclusions or 0,05 a
max. max. max.
3 mm 1,5 mm 0,8 mm

10 Copper 3042
inclusions not permitted
Chapter 2 Annex B Imperfections in Welded Joints in Aluminium II - Part 3
Page B–2 GL 2000

Ref. No. Limit for imperfections for

Description of in acc. quality levels
No. with ISO Remarks low medium high
imperfections
6520 D C B
11 Lack of fusion 401 Where there are several instances of lack of Long irregularities:
fusion h1, h2, h3 ... the sum is not permitted
S h = h1 + h2 + h3 ...
Short irregularities:
S h £ 0,1 s or 0,1 a not
max. max. permitted
3 mm 1,5 mm
12 Incomplete 402 A small number
Specified penetration permitted, but not a
penetration
Actual penetration regular occurrence
h £ 0,4 s h £ 0,2 s
max. max.
3 mm 2 mm
h
s
Fig. A
h

not
s
t

permitted
Specified penetration
Actual penetration
Fig. B

Actual penetration
Specified penetration

Fig. C

12.1 Imcomplete - Long irregularities:

penetration not permitted
(fillet welds)
Short irregularities:
h £ 0,3 a h £ 0,2 a h £ 0,1 a
a

max. max. max.

h
2 mm 1,5 mm 1 mm

13 Poor fit-up, - An excessive or inadequate gap between the h £ 1mm h £ 0,5 mm h £ 0,5 mm
fillet welds components being joined. + 0,2 a, + 0,15 a, + 0,1 a,
max. max. max.
4 mm 3 mm 2 mm
h

Gaps exceeding the relevant limit may be

compensated by a correspondingly larger
throat thickness
II - Part 3 Annex B Imperfections in Welded Joints in Aluminium Chapter 2
GL 2000 Page B–3

Ref. No. Limit for imperfections for

Description of in acc. quality levels
No. Remarks low medium high
imperfections with ISO
6520 D C B

14 Undercut 5011 Smooth transition is required. Long irregularities:

h
5012
h £ 0,6 mm h £ 0,4 mm h £ 0,2 mm

Short irregularities:
h £ 1,5 mm h £ 1 mm h £ 0,5 mm
Long and short irregularities:
Not more than 10 % of the plate

h
thickness in the case of undercuts
vertical to the main direction of load
15 Excessive weld 502 Smooth transition is required. h £ 1,5 mm h £ 1,5 mm h £ 1,5 mm
reinforcement b + 0,20 b, + 0,15 b, + 0,1 b,

h
max. max. max.
10 mm 7 mm 5 mm

16 Excessive 503 h £ 1,5 mm h £ 1,5 mm h £ 1,5 mm

convexity Actual weld thickness + 0,3 b, + 0,15 b, + 0,1 b,
max. max. max.
Required weld
b

5 mm 4 mm 3 mm
thickness
h

17 Excessive weld - For many applications a weld thickness in h £ 1 mm h £ 1 mm h £ 1 mm

thickness (fillet excess of the specified size does not represent
+ 0,3 a, + 0,2 a, + 0,15 a,
weld) grounds for rejection. max. max. max.
Actual weld thickness 7 mm 6 mm 5 mm
Specified weld
thickness
h
a

18 Reduced weld - A fillet weld with an obviously smaller weld

Long irregularities:
thickness (fillet thickness should not be regarded as a defect
not permitted
weld) provided that the actual weld thickness is
compensated by a deeper penetration and by
Short irregularities:
so doing achieving the specified size.
Actual weld thickness h £ 0,3 a h £ 0,2 a h £ 0,1 a
Required weld max. max. max.
thickness 2 mm 1,5 mm 1 mm
a h

19 Excessive root 504 h £ 5 mm h £ 4 mm h £ 3 mm

reinforcement
t

b
h
Chapter 2 Annex B Imperfections in Welded Joints in Aluminium II - Part 3
Page B–4 GL 2000

Ref. No. Limit for imperfections for

Description of in acc quality levels
No. Remarks low medium high
imperfections with ISO
6520 D C B

20 Misalignment of 507 The deviation limits relate to the correct

edges position. Unless otherwise specified, the
correct position is when the centre lines
coincide.

t relates to the smaller thickness

h
t

t
h £ 0,5 mm h £ 0,5 mm h £ 0,5 mm
+ 0,25 t, + 0,15 t, + 0,1 t,
h

max. max. max.

4 mm 3 mm 2,5 mm

t
t

Fig. A - Plates and longitudinal welds

h h £ 0,5 t
max. max. max.
t

4 mm 3 mm 2,5 mm
t

Fig. B - Circumferential welds

21 Incompletely 511 Smooth transition is required. Long irregularities:
filled groove not permitted
b
Short irregularities:
h

h £ 0,2 t h £ 0,1 t h £ 0,05 t

t

max. max. max.

2 mm 1,5 mm 1,0 mm
22 Excessively 512 It is assumed that an asymmetric fillet weld h £ 3 mm h £ 2 mm h £ 1,5 mm
unequal leg has not been expressly prescribed. + 0,3 a + 0,25 a + 0,2 a
lengths of fillet
welds h
z2

z1
a

23 Root concavity 515 Smooth transition is required. Long irregularities:

not permitted
h

Short irregularities:
Root notch 5013 h £ 0,2 t h £ 0,1 t h £ 0,05 t
h

max. max. max.

2 mm 1,5 mm 1 mm
II - Part 3 Annex B Imperfections in Welded Joints in Aluminium Chapter 2
GL 2000 Page B–5

Ref. No. Limits for imperfections for

Description of in acc. quality levels
No. Remarks low medium high
imperfections with ISO
6520 D C B

24 Multiple - For thicknesses s £ 10 mm or a £ 10 mm, Maximum size of short

irregularities special parameters may be necessary irregularities S h
in the section
0,3 s 0,25 s 0,2 s

h4

h2
h5
or or or

h1
0,3 a, 0,25 a, 0,2 a,
max. max. max.

h3
h1 + h 2 + h 3 + h 4 + h 5 £ S h 10 mm 10 mm 10 mm

h1

h5
h4

h2
h6
h3

h 1 + h2 + h 3 + h4 + h5 + h6 £ S h

This table, taken from the international standards EN 30042 resp. ISO 10042 specifies requirements for three levels of
acceptance for imperfections in joints of aluminium and it's weldable alloys and for thicknesses of 3 mm to 63 mm. It may
be used, where applicable, for other fusion welding processes or weld thicknesses.
No. 24 shows multiple imperfections, a theoretically possible accumulation of individual imperfections. In this case, the total
of all permitted deviations for the determined figures of the several classification levels should be reduced. However, the
value of a single imperfection ³ h, e.g. for a single pore, should not be exceeded.
The requirements given in this table should not treated as absolute limits but rather as limits that should not be exceeded
with more than a defined probability. It should be noted that imperfections exceeding the size limits given are often present
in a weld without impairing it's fitness-for-purpose.
This table may be used in conjunction with the IIW-Catalogue ISO 10042 which contains realistic illustrations. They show
the size of the permissible imperfections for the various quality levels by means of photographs of the face and root side
and/or reproductions of radiographs and of photos of macrographs of the cross-section of the welds. The catalogue and it's
reference cards may be used to assess the various imperfections and may be employed when opinions differ as to permissible
size of imperfections.

Symbols
The following symbols are used in the table: Short imperfection:
A area of gas cavity One or more imperfections of total length not greater than
a nominal fillet weld throat thickness (fillet thickness) 25 mm in any 100 mm length of the weld or a maximum of
25 % of the weld length for a weld shorter than 100 mm.
b width of weld reinforcement
d diameter or pore
Long imperfection:
h size (height or weight) of imperfection
One or more imperfections of total length greater than 25 mm
l lenght of imperfection in any 100 mm length of the weld or a minimum of 25 % of
s nominal butt weld thickness or, in the case of partial the weld length for a weld shorter than 100 mm.
penetration, the precribed depth of penetration
t wall or plate thickness
z nominal leg length of fillet welds (in case of isosceles
right angle triangular section z = a × Ö 2)