Report on Phase 2.3, Investigation of Welded Highway Bridges. Project IHR-64

The object of this investigation was to study the effect of internal flaws on the fatigue behavior of butt-welded connections in mild structural steel, the initiation of fatigue cracks from these flaws and the propagation rates of these cracks in the connections. Since internal flaws occur in many welds it is essential to obtain a better understanding of the behavior of flawed connections so that adequate, yet realistic, code requirements can be established. The study is limited to two major types of defects, porosity and incomplete penetration. The porosity was further subdivided into two categories based on the severity of the defect. The specimens with incomplete penetration were made with an initial 3/16" centrally located crack the full width of the- specimen. The fatigue behavior of the connections with the defects is compared with that of sound welds to observe the effects of the defects on the fatigue strength of the connections. The data are compared with result~ of similar studies found in the literature and also with the AASHO 1970 Specification design requirements. Three of the specimens with incomplete penetration were examined radiographically during the fatigue testing to determine when initiation of the fatigue cracks occurred, and how rapidly they propagated. The results of the crack propagation tests are compared with similar relationships developed for high strength steels. A relationship that better fits the data for mild steel has been developed in a manner similar to that used for the high strength steels.State of Illinois. Department of Transportation. Division of HighwaysU.S. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administratio

Welding At Kennedy Space Center

Welding plays a major role in the design, manufacture, and construction of the ground support equipment at the Kennedy Space Center. Three applications of welding are described, i.e., an example of the structural welding of a girder in a mobile launcher (presently designated mobile launcher platform), an example of the repair welding of crawler/transporter shoes, and an example of the welding of the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen storage spheres and vacuum jacketed piping in the propel 1 ants system. This welding technology was developed during the Apollo and earlier programs. It is now being applied to the Space Shuttle

Fatigue behavior of a fusion welded Ti 8A1 1M0 1V simulated wing structure under the environment of a supersonic transport

Fatigue behavior of fusion welded structural assembly with supersonic transport applicatio

Study of tooling concepts for manufacturing operations in space Final report

Mechanical linkage device for manufacturing operations with orbital workshop

The variable polarity plasma arc welding process: Its application to the Space Shuttle external tank

The technical history of the variable polarity plasma arc (VPPA) welding process being introduced as a partial replacement for the gas shielded tungsten arc process in assembly welding of the space shuttle external tank is described. Interim results of the weld strength qualification studies, and plans for further work on the implementation of the VPPA process are included

In-Process Radiography of ARC Weld

In-process nondestructive evaluation of welds is of major importance for automated weld processing. Real-time evaluation of defect formation makes possible on-line rewelding and adjustment of process parameters. Measurements of physical parameters related to weld quality may also give information important for understanding the weld process and for improvements of weld quality. In this study we implement industrial radiography for real-time weld process monitoring and testing. X-ray penetrating radiation is used for volume observation in the welding pool and the heat-affected zone during the weld process. The advantages of such a technique are on-line testing of defect formation in the weld and the study of metal fusion and filler metal-base metal interaction, metal transfer and mass flow in the welding pool. This technique may also be used for post-service real-time remote testing of weld quality. By integrating automatic nondestructive inspection with an automatic process control system, unified manufacturing control and testing procedures can be developed. In this unit approach, the nondestructive system may be included as a part of the sensing system in the feedback loop of the process control. Research and development of such general concepts for remote weld process control using real-time radiography as a vision system was initiated in our laboratory under the sponsorship of the Edison Welding Institute

FY 1991 scientific and technical reports, articles, papers, and presentations

Formal NASA technical reports, papers published in technical journals, and presentations by MSFC personnel in FY 1991 are presented. Papers of MSFC contractors are also included. The information in this report may be of value to the scientific and engineering community in determining what information has been published and what is available

Automatic welding of stainless steel tubing

The use of automatic welding for making girth welds in stainless steel tubing was investigated as well as the reduction in fabrication costs resulting from the elimination of radiographic inspection. Test methodology, materials, and techniques are discussed, and data sheets for individual tests are included. Process variables studied include welding amperes, revolutions per minute, and shielding gas flow. Strip chart recordings, as a definitive method of insuring weld quality, are studied. Test results, determined by both radiographic and visual inspection, are presented and indicate that once optimum welding procedures for specific sizes of tubing are established, and the welding machine operations are certified, then the automatic tube welding process produces good quality welds repeatedly, with a high degree of reliability. Revised specifications for welding tubing using the automatic process and weld visual inspection requirements at the Kennedy Space Center are enumerated

Joining refractory/austenitic bimetal tubing Final technical report, Apr. 1965 - Oct. 1966

Joining of refractory-austenitic bimetal tubing of niobium and stainless steel using electron beam, gas tungsten arc, and plasma arc welding technique