Reinforcement Plates

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Figure 3. Surface Beads in Fillet Welds

3.1.7 Reinforcement Plates. When using reinforcement plates in the repair of damaged structures, heed the

following guidelines.

a. Crack Preparation and Weld. Fill weld the crack following the preheat, heat input, and welding technique

guidelines from previous sections. Grind the new weld joint so that the reinforcing plate will fit flush on top of the

welded member segments.

b. Material and Thickness. Fabricate the reinforcement plate of the same material as the damaged frame

member. In most cases, if multiple frame members of differing material are being joined, the reinforcement

plate material should be that of the lowest strength member. The reinforcement plates shall have a thickness

range of 1 to 1 1/4 times that of the component to be reinforced.

c. Damaged Reinforcement Plates. Remove and replace cracked or broken reinforcement plates with new plates

of the same design and material. Do not weld repair cracks in the reinforcement plate.

d. Reinforcement Plate Installation When installing a reinforcement plate, do not completely weld the plate all

around. Use intermittent (skip) welds to allow for proper joint cooling, to minimize concentrations of internal

stresses resulting from welding, and to avoid frame warping.

3.1.8 Weld Inspection . All T-1 steel welds must be carefully inspected to ensure good weld bead characteristics. In

general, inspection should follow the guidelines listed below. Carefully inspect all joints visually. The high strength of the

base metal and weld electrodes result in higher internal stresses than with welds in low carbon steel. Ensure that all T-1

steel welds exhibit the following characteristics:

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