DESTRUCTIVE TESTING

Destructive tests on welded joints are usually made as part of the approval of a
welding procedure or a welder.
Commonly used destructive tests are:
Bend
Tensile
Charpy
Fracture tests
Macro section
The test pieces are cut from the test weld and their location is often specified
in the standard. The British standard for the testing of welds is BS 709: 1983
Methods of testing fusion welded joints and weld metal in steel. The areas for t
est are shown below.
test weld along centre of plate

discard
bend
macro section
tensile
bend
longitudinal

short transverse

bend
tensile
bend
discard

transverse
BEND TESTS
Object:
To determine the soundness of weld metal, heat affected zone and
weld zone.
These tests may also be used to give some measure of the ductility of the weld z
one. It is not usual to use transverse and longitudinal bend tests for the same
application.
Method: All specimens to be removed and prepared without causing significant dis
tortion or heating. The cap and root are ground flush. The specimen is bent by t
he movement of a former of prescribed diameter, the relevant side of the specime
n to be placed in tension. Angle of bend and diameter of former should be as spe
cified in the appropriate standard.
Reporting Results:
1.
Thickness of specimen
2.
Direction of bend (root or face)
3.
Angle of bend
4.
Diameter of former

5.

Appearance of joint after bending e.g. type and location of flaws

root bend

face bend
force
force
this side in tension for face bend
F
F
this side in tension for root bend
R
R

Surface in contact with former ground flat. . R = roller support

er of specified radius

F = form

SIDE BEND TEST

Object: To determine the soundness of the weld metal and HAZ in a cross section.
This may be preferred to the transverse bend test on thick materials. It is als
o used on processes or procedures expecting lack of fusion (e.g. thick plate usi
ng MIG).
Method: The testing method is the same as that used for transverse bends except
the cap and root are not ground flush, to allow testing across the complete weld
.
Report Results:
1.
Width and thickness of specimen.
2.
Angle of bend.
3.
Diameter of former.
4.
Appearance of joint after bending e.g. type and location of flaws.
force
10mm
F
thickness
of plate
R
R
this side in tension for

R = roller suppo

side bend

F = former of sp

rt
ecified radius
TRANSVERSE TENSILE TEST
Object: Used to measure the transverse tensile strength under static loading of
a butt joint employing butt welds.
The reduced section tensile test normally fails in the parent metal and so it is
not designed to give the tensile strength of the weld.
The radius reduced tensile test is a test of the as deposited diluted weld metal
.
The all weld tensile test, using a longitudinal section from the weld only, is u
sed to check the as deposited undiluted weld metal. (Usually used by consumable

manufacturers.)
M