Designation: E 1955 – 98

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS

100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, PA 19428
Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM

Standard Radiographic Examination for

Soundness of Welds In Steel by Comparison to Graded
ASTM E 390 Reference Radiographs1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1955; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope AWS B 3.0 Acceptance Criteria-Porosity-AWS-Welding

1.1 This radiograph covers requirements for radiographic Procedure and Performance Qualification5
examination for soundness of welds in fabricated steel by AWS D 1.1 Structural Welding Code-Steel, 19815
comparison to selected severity levels of Reference Radio- 2.5 American Petroleum Institute Standards:
graphs E 390, Vol II. The base material varies from greater than API STD-1104 Standard for Welding Pipelines and Related
0.25 to 3 in. (6.4–76 mm) inclusive in thickness. Volume II is Facilities6
applicable. This radiograph is not suitable for shipyard use. 2.6 Adjuncts:
Reference Radiographs for Steel Fusion Welds:
NOTE 1—When coordinated through the Department of Defense Volume II, Thickness Over 1⁄4 to 3 in. (6.4 to 76 mm), incl7
(DOD), this radiograph is intended as a direct replacement for Mil-Std
1264-B. 3. Terminology
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded 3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this docu-
as the standard. The SI units given in parentheses are for ment, see Terminology E 1316.
information only. 3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the 3.2.1 grades—welds shall be designated Grades I, II, III, or
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the IV as shown in Table 1. A Grade I weld would contain the least
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- or smallest discontinuities, or both, and a Grade IV weld would
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- contain the largest or most numerous discontinuities, or both.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. 3.2.2 inspection lot—an inspection lot shall consist of all
welds of a specific design and size produced at one facility by
2. Referenced Documents
the same personnel and production technique, and submitted
2.1 ASTM Standards: for inspection at one time.
E 94 Guide for Radiographic Testing2
E 390 Reference Radiographs for Steel Fusion Welds2 4. Significance and Use
E 1742 Practice for Radiographic Examination2 4.1 This radiograph can be used to establish acceptance
E 1316 Terminology for Nondestructive Examinations2 criteria for weld soundness based on the procedures and
2.2 Military Standards: reference radiographs of Reference Radiographs E 390. The
MIL-STD-410 Nondestructive Testing Personnel Qualifica- grades specified in this radiograph, while applicable for general
tion and Certification3 inspection use for the materials and thicknesses indicated, may
MIL-STD-453 Inspection, Radiographic3 not be suitable for all applications.
2.3 ASNT Standards:
SNT-TC-1A Recommended Practice for Personnel Qualifi- 5. General Practices
cation and Certification in Nondestructive Testing4 5.1 Personnel Qualification—Nondestructive testing (NDT)
ANSI/ASNT-CP-189 Standard for Qualification and Certi- personnel shall be qualified in accordance with a nationally
fication of Nondestructive Testing Personnel4 recognized NDT personnel qualification practice or standard
2.4 American Welding Society Standards: such as ANSI/ASNT-CP-189, SNT-TC-1A, MIL STD-410, or a
similar document. The practice or standard used and its
1
applicable revision shall be specified in the contractual agree-
This radiograph is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-7 on
Nondestructive Testing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E07.02 on ment between the using parties.
Reference Radiological Images.
Current edition approved May 10, 1998. Published September 1998.
2 5
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 03.03. Available from American Welding Society, 550 N.W. Lajuene Road, Miami, FL
3
Available from Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing 33135.
6
Office, Washington, DC 20402. Available from American Petroleum Institute, 1801 K Street N.W., Washington,
4
Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13th DC 20226.
7
Floor, New York, NY 10036. Available from ASTM Headquarters. Order PCN 17–503902–22.

1
 E 1955
TABLE 1 Severity Level Requirements for Welds In Accordance appropriate documents.
With Reference Radiographs E 390, Vol II Reference 5.3 Extent of Inspection—Extent of radiographic inspection
RadiographsA,B
of all welds shall be accomplished as required by the drawing,
Illustration
Thickness, Grade Grade Grade Grade
order, contract or other appropriate document. If extent is not
Discontinuities in. ( mm) I II III IV provided, radiographic inspection shall be 100 % of weld
Fine Scattered Porosity ⁄ (9.5)
38 None 1 2 3 joints.
⁄ (19)
34 None 2 2 3
2 (51) 1 2 3 4 6. Application of Reference Radiographs
Coarse Scattered Porosity 3⁄8 (9.5) None 1 2 3
3⁄4 (19) None 2 2 3 6.1 Acceptance Criteria—Welds Graded I, II, III or IV shall
2 (51) 1 2 3 4 contain discontinuities no more severe than those shown in the
Clustered Porosity 3⁄8 (9.5) None 1 2 3 severity levels indicated in Table 1. The severity levels
3⁄4 (19) None 2 2 3
2 (51) 1 2 3 4 indicated refer to those illustrated in the reference radiographs
Linear Porosity or Globular 3⁄8 (9.5) None 1 2 3 of Reference Radiographs E 390.
Indications 3⁄4 (19) None 2 2 3 6.2 Applicable Thickness Ranges—The applicable thickness
2 (51) 1 2 3 4
Slag Inclusions 3⁄8 (9.5) None 1 2 3 ranges for the reference radiograph illustrations used to deter-
3⁄4 (19) None 2 2 3 mine severity levels for welds in Table 1 of this radiograph
2 (51) 1 2 3 4 document are listed below:
Tungsten Inclusions 3⁄8 (9.5) None 1 2 3
3⁄4 (19) None 2 2 3 Illustration Thickness, Base Material Thickness Range,
2 (51) - - - -No Greater Than in. (mm) in (mm)8
3⁄8 (9.5) Over 1⁄4 (6.4) to and including 1⁄2 (13)
Ungraded Radiograph- - - -
3⁄4 (19) Over 1⁄2 (13) to and icluding 11⁄2 (38)
Incomplete Penetration ⁄ (9.5)
38 None 1 2 3
⁄ (19)
34 None 2 3 4 2 (51) Over 11⁄2 (38) to and including 3 (76)
2 (51) 1 2 3 4
Lack of Fusion 3⁄8 (9.5) None 1 2 3 7. Supplementary Requirements
3⁄4 (19) None 2 2 3
2 (51) 1 2 3 4 7.1 The customer may choose additional acceptance criteria
from AWS D 1.1, Section 10.17; AWS B 3.0; and API STD
Ungraded Discontinuities (All applicable thickness ranges)
1104, Section 6. These documents will only be applicable when
All Crack Types - - - - -Not Allowed - - - - - they appear on the drawing, order, contract or other appropriate
Undercut - - - - -Not Allowed - - - - - document.
Burn Through - - - - -Not Allowed - - - - -
Icicles (Teardrops) - - - - -Not Allowed - - - - -
7.2 Unless prohibited by the drawing, specification or other
Elongated (or Wormhole) Porosity - - - - -Not Allowed - - - - - contract document, weld joints rejected because on non-
compliance to this radiograph may be repaired. All repaired
A
When two or more types of discontinuities are present, the extent of the areas shall be re-examined to the requirements of this radio-
predominant discontinuity must be less than the severity level allowed for that
discontinuity type.
graph.
B
Discontinuities allowed by this table shall be cause for rejection when closer
than twice their maximum dimension to an edge or extremity of a weldment in a 8. Keywords
highly stressed or critical area as specified on the drawing, order, contract or other
appropriate documents.
8.1 discontinuities; fusion welds; reference radiographs;
steel; x-ray
5.2 Determination of Grades—The customer shall establish
the acceptance grade for each weld design and this grade shall 8
In cases of joining two members of unequal thickness the standard applicable
be indicated on the applicable drawing, order, contract or other to the thinner member shall be used.

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