AS/NZS 1554.

3:2008
AS/NZS 1554.3:2008

Australian/New Zealand Standard™

Structural steel welding

Part 3: Welding of reinforcing steel

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 AS/NZS 1554.3:2008
This Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard was prepared by Joint Technical
Committee WD-003, Welding of Structures. It was approved on behalf of the
Council of Standards Australia on 26 February 2008 and on behalf of the Council of
Standards New Zealand on 11 April 2008.
This Standard was published on 19 May 2008.

The following are represented on Committee WD-003:

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Australian Industry Group
AUSTROADS
Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia
Electricity Supply Association of Australia
Institution of Engineers Australia
New Zealand Heavy Engineering Research Association
New Zealand Non-destructive Testing Association
Steel Reinforcement Institute of Australia
University of Sydney
Welding Technology Institute of Australia

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This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 07365.

 AS/NZS 1554.3:2008

Australian/New Zealand Standard™

Structural steel welding

Part 3: Welding of reinforcing steel

Originated as AS CA8.3—1970.
Previous edition AS 1554.3—1983.
Jointly revised and designated AS/NZS 1554.3:2002.
Second edition 2008.
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COPYRIGHT
© Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand
All rights are reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without the written
permission of the publisher.
Jointly published by Standards Australia, GPO Box 476, Sydney, NSW 2001 and Standards
New Zealand, Private Bag 2439, Wellington 6020

ISBN 0 7337 8645 6

 AS/NZS 1554.3:2008 2

PREFACE
This Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand
Committee WD-003, Welding of Structures, to supersede AS/NZS 1554.3—2002,
Structural steel welding, Part 3: Welding of reinforcing steel.
The objective of this Standard is to provide a code for the welding of reinforcing steel.
This edition takes cognizance of the ISO Standards for the welding of reinforcing steels,
ISO 17660-1, Welding—Welding of reinforcing steel, Part 1: Load-bearing welded joints
and ISO 17660-2, Welding—Welding of reinforcing steel, Part 2: Non load-bearing welded
joints and, where deemed relevant by the Committee, appropriate requirements have been
incorporated or adopted with modification. Changes associated with Australia and New
Zealand adopting the ISO welding consumable Standards have also been included in this
edition, as have changes to maintain consistency with other parts of the AS/NZS 1554
series of Standards.
The differences with the 2002 edition of AS/NZS 1554.3 are as follow:
(a) Clarification of general requirements: Clause 1.7 and 1.9.3.
(b) New Zealand specific requests: Clauses 2.1, 8.3 and Table 8.3.
(c) Provision for the welding of stainless reinforcing steels: Clause 2.1.
(d) Changes to welding consumable classification Standards: Clauses 2.3.1, 2.3.3, and
Tables 3.2, 4.5(A), 4.5(B), 4.9(A), 4.9(C).
(e) Clarification of requirements for the welding of non-loadbearing welding joints
including provision for Cross-joints: Clause 3.3, 4.10.2.1, 7.3.4, and Table 7.2(B).
(f) Changes associated with ISO 17660 1 and ISO 17660 2: Clauses 1.4.15.1, 3.3, 4.4.3,
4.10.1, 4.11.6, 7 (all), 8.5 and Tables 4.5(A), 4.10.2, 4.11.6, 7.2(A), 7.2(B) and 9.2
and Table F3, Appendix F.
(g) Clarification of test acceptance requirements: Clauses 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5.
(h) Inspection requirements: Clauses 10.2 and 10.3.2.
(i) Correction of errors and other amendments: Clause 9.5, Tables 4.10.2 and Table F4,
Appendix F.
The terms ‘normative’ and ‘informative’ have been used in this Standard to define the
application of the appendix to which they apply. A ‘normative’ appendix is an integral part
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of a Standard, whereas an ‘informative’ appendix is only for information and guidance.

Statements expressed in mandatory terms in notes to Tables are deemed to be requirements
of this Standard.
 3 AS/NZS 1554.3:2008

CONTENTS

Page

SECTION 1 SCOPE AND GENERAL

1.1 SCOPE ........................................................................................................................ 5
1.2 INNOVATION ............................................................................................................ 5
1.3 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS .................................................................................. 5
1.4 DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................................ 5
1.5 WELD CATEGORY ................................................................................................... 7
1.6 WELDING OF REINFORCING STEEL..................................................................... 7
1.7 BASIC WELDING REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................... 8
1.8 JOINING REINFORCING STEEL TO STRUCTURES.............................................. 8
1.9 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS .......................................................................................... 8

SECTION 2 MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION

2.1 PARENT MATERIAL ................................................................................................ 9
2.2 BACKING MATERIAL.............................................................................................. 9
2.3 WELDING CONSUMABLES..................................................................................... 9

SECTION 3 DETAILS OF FUSION-WELDED CONNECTIONS

3.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 11
3.2 LOADBEARING WELDED JOINTS ....................................................................... 13
3.3 NON-LOADBEARING WELDED JOINTS.............................................................. 14

SECTION 4 QUALIFICATION OF WELDING PROCEDURES AND WELDING

PERSONNEL FOR FUSION WELDING
4.1 QUALIFICATION OF WELDING PROCEDURE ................................................... 17
4.2 METHODS FOR QUALIFICATION OF WELDING PROCEDURE ....................... 17
4.3 PREQUALIFIED WELDING PROCEDURES ......................................................... 17
4.4 PREQUALIFIED JOINT PREPARATIONS ............................................................. 18
4.5 QUALIFICATION OF WELDING CONSUMABLES ............................................. 18
4.6 EXTENSION OF QUALIFICATION........................................................................ 19
4.7 COMBINATION OF PROCESSES........................................................................... 20
4.8 RECORDS OF TESTS .............................................................................................. 20
4.9 REQUALIFICATION OF FUSION WELDING PROCEDURES ............................. 20
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4.10 QUALIFICATION OF WELDING PERSONNEL .................................................... 22

4.11 WORKMANSHIP ..................................................................................................... 25

SECTION 5 FLASH BUTT WELDING

5.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 30
5.2 SIZES ........................................................................................................................ 30
5.3 BAR PREPARATION............................................................................................... 30
5.4 ALIGNMENT ........................................................................................................... 30
5.5 CLEANLINESS ........................................................................................................ 30
5.6 WORKMANSHIP ..................................................................................................... 30
5.7 EQUIPMENT ............................................................................................................ 31
5.8 QUALIFICATION OF WELDING PROCEDURE ................................................... 31
5.9 PRODUCTION CONTROL TESTS.......................................................................... 32
5.10 DEFECTIVE WELDS ............................................................................................... 32
 AS/NZS 1554.3:2008 4

Page

SECTION 6 FLAME PRESSURE WELDING

6.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 33
6.2 SIZES ........................................................................................................................ 33
6.3 BAR PREPARATION............................................................................................... 33
6.4 ALIGNMENT ........................................................................................................... 33
6.5 CLEANLINESS ........................................................................................................ 33
6.6 WORKMANSHIP ..................................................................................................... 33
6.7 QUALIFICATION OF WELDING PROCEDURE ................................................... 33
6.8 PRODUCTION CONTROL TESTS.......................................................................... 34
6.9 DEFECTIVE WELDS ............................................................................................... 34

SECTION 7 QUALIFICATION OF WELDING PROCEDURE BY TESTING

7.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 35
7.2 METHOD .................................................................................................................. 35
7.3 TESTS ....................................................................................................................... 36
7.4 RETESTS .................................................................................................................. 37

SECTION 8 TESTS
8.1 PRODUCTION CONTROL TEST ............................................................................ 38
8.2 MACRO TEST .......................................................................................................... 38
8.3 TENSILE TEST ........................................................................................................ 38
8.4 BEND TEST.............................................................................................................. 38
8.5 SHEAR TEST............................................................................................................ 38

SECTION 9 QUALITY OF WELDS

9.1 CATEGORY OF WELD QUALITY ......................................................................... 39
9.2 METHODS OF INSPECTION AND PERMISSIBLE LEVELS OF
IMPERFECTIONS .................................................................................................... 39
9.3 MAGNETIC PARTICLE EXAMINATION .............................................................. 39
9.4 LIQUID PENETRANT EXAMINATION ................................................................. 39
9.5 WELD DEFECTS...................................................................................................... 39
9.6 INSPECTION AFTER WELD REPAIR.................................................................... 39

SECTION 10 INSPECTION
10.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 41
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10.2 QUALIFICATIONS OF INSPECTORS .................................................................... 41

10.3 INSPECTION OF WORK ......................................................................................... 41

APPENDICES
A REFERENCED DOCUMENTS ................................................................................ 43
B TACK WELD SUITABLE FOR LOCATIONAL PURPOSES ................................. 46
C LOCATIONAL TACK WELDS—TEST METHODS
AND PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS.............................................................. 48
D TYPICAL WELDING PROCEDURE SHEET
SUITABLE FOR USE AS A PQR OR A WPS.......................................................... 51
E MATTERS FOR APPROVAL BETWEEN THE FABRICATOR AND THE
PRINCIPAL .............................................................................................................. 52
F WELDED JOINT AND PROCESS IDENTIFICATION ........................................... 53
G WELD PROCEDURE FOR CHANGES TO THE WELDING CONSUMABLE
CLASSIFCATION SYSTEM .................................................................................... 71
 5 AS/NZS 1554.3:2008

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA/STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND

Australian/New Zealand Standard

Structural steel welding

Part 3: Welding of reinforcing steel

SECT ION 1 SCOPE AND GENERA L

1.1 SCOPE
This Standard specifies requirements for the welding of reinforcing steel used in concrete
structures that are designed and constructed in accordance with AS 3600 or NZS 3101.1, as
well as other Standards that may be appropriate, by the following processes:
(a) Manual metal-arc welding (MMAW).
(b) Gas metal-arc welding (GMAW).
(c) Flux-cored arc welding (FCAW).
(d) Flash butt welding.
(e) Flame-pressure welding or other processes approved by the principal.
The Standard applies specifically to the welding of reinforcing steels complying with
AS/NZS 4671, but other steels may be used as provided for in Clause 2.1. It also applies to
the welding of steel connection devices, inserts, anchors and anchor details, including
prefabricated assemblies required in reinforced and precast concrete constructions.
NOTE: Further information is given in WTIA Technical Note 11.

1.2 INNOVATION
Any alternative materials, welding processes, consumables, methods of construction or
testing that give equivalent results to those specified, but do not comply with the specific
requirement of this Standard or are not mentioned in it, are not necessarily prohibited.
The Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee on welding of structures
can act in an advisory capacity concerning equivalent suitability, but specific approval
remains the prerogative of the inspecting authority.
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1.3 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

The documents referred to in this Standard are listed in Appendix A.

1.4 DEFINITIONS
For the purpose of this Standard, the symbols and definitions given in AS 1101.3, AS 2812
and those below apply.
1.4.1 Approved
Except as may be otherwise stated, approved by the principal or the designer as appropriate.
1.4.2 Designer
The person, persons or organization responsible for the design of a structure.

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 AS/NZS 1554.3:2008 Structural steel welding - Welding of
reinforcing steel
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