RTgeneralcharactistics+

comparisonRTandUT
AfewnotesmainlycomparingRTandUTwithsomecomments
specifictothe3rdBosphorusBridge/YavuzSultanSelimBridge.

AbbreviationsseeRTsolutionmainpage.

Sensitivitytoflaws/defectsanddetectionof
flaws/defects
Sensitivity

RTabout2%ofthickness(provenbyIQIsensitivity)
UTtypicallyabout15%ofthicknessissmallestdefectdetected

HoweveradvantagetoUTisthatitbestdetectsthemostundesirable
defectsplanardefects

RTlimitedabilitytodetectplanardefects
UTusuallygoodabilityindetectingplanardefects

Thefull"picture"ismorecomplex,though...

tryingtobetterexplaindefectdetectionability
UTandRT
planardefects

Planardefects("cracklikedefects")havethebiggesteffectinreducing
thefitnessofthestructure.Therefore,comparativeabilitiesofUTandRT
areconsideredforplanarweldandweldzonedefects:

Defect RT UT Better? Comments

Yesbut
onlyif
UTprescanplatewith
No usea
Laminations UT "Normal"probebefore
(never!) "Normal/
angleprobetoscanweld
90degree"
probe
Yes,if
use GoodUToperator
Sometimes UT
Lackof correct applyingappropriate
(associated better,
SideWall scanwith techniquewilldetect
oxidescan butRT
Fusion probe importantloswf
reveal canbe
(loswf) with howeverRTmaydetect
loswf) effective
correct smallerloswf
angle
Lackof Often Likelyto ~ Advantageisprobably
InterRun sometimes detect withUT
Fusion directly,
(loirf) sometimes
images
associated
oxides
ForUT,becauseoflow
Yesvery platethicknessmainly
goodat 14mm,70degreeprobes
Through Often
detecting usedmaydetectthis
thickness failsto RT
thismost defect,atacostoflow
cracks detect
deleterious abilitytodetectother
defect defectsunlesstheyare
large

Theoverall"picture"isnotsimple.WherebothUTandRTareapplied,it
canbeRTwhichfindstheplanardefects.Thishasbeenobservedinthis
project.EventhelowresolutionRTwithIr192hasfoundplanardefectsat
seamintersectionswhichUThasnotdetected.

volumetricdefects
RTisverygoodatdetectingvolumetricdefects.Volumetricdefectswhich
areseenwithcompleteclarityonRTareoftentoosmalltodetectbyUT
givenUT'slimitedsensitivity.

ThatisolatedvolumetricdefectsclearlydetectedonRT,likeisolated
poresandisolatedslaginclusions,arealmostentirelyharmlessto
engineeringcapabilityoftheweldmentisnottheissuebeingconsidered
here.Thatistheengineeringfieldofengineeringcriticalassessment,
otherwiseknownasengineeringcriticalanalysis,whichisanapplied
branchoftheengineeringstudyoffracturemechanics.

Thepurposeofthissectionregardingthe3rdBosphorusBridgeis:
sampleRTcanbegoodfordiagnosingwhetherweldingconditionsare
good.Goodweldingconditionsproducegoodwelds:

weldswithonlyisolatedsmallvolumetricflaws(ifanyatall)
almostcertainlydonotcontainplanarflawsofanysize,smallor
large(*)
goodweldingconditionsproduceweldswithgoodengineering
properties(strength,toughness)

(*)Onlyplanardefectscausedbydeficientweldingtechnique.
"Metallurgical"cracksareadifferentissue.

Poorweldingconditionsand/orpoorweldingtechniquecan
systematicallyproducenumeroussmallvolumetricflaws.RTwill
sensitivelydetectandimagethese.

Therefore:RTisanadditionaltoolinensuringthatweldingconditions
appliedinmanufacturingweldmentsaregoodandremaingood.
Notethatweldingisa"specialprocess"(definition:ISO9000:20053.4.1
...NOTE3Aprocesswheretheconformity(3.6.1)oftheresulting
product(3.4.2)cannotbereadilyoreconomicallyverifiedisfrequently
referredtoasa"specialprocess".).Asnotedinthewellknownwelding
StandardsISO15607(qualificationofweldingprocedures),ISO3834
(weldqualitymanagement)andISO14731(weldingcoordination).

Henceensuringgoodweldingconditionsaremaintained,whichfrequent
sampleRTcandiagnose,isextremelydesirable.

(R.Smith,02Jun201522Jun2015)