U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations
| Project Information | ||
| Project ID: | FHWA-PROJ-11-0002 | |
| Project Name: | Efficacy of Solid-State Welding for Bridge Fabrication | |
| Project Status: | Completed | |
| Start Date: | January 1, 2011 | |
| End Date: | August 1, 2013 | |
| Contact Information | ||
| Last Name: | Ocel | |
| First Name: | Justin | |
| Telephone: | 202-493-3080 | |
| E-mail: | justin.ocel@dot.gov | |
| Office: | Office of Infrastructure Research and Development | |
| Team: | Bridge and Foundation Engineering Team [HRDI-40] | |
| Program: | High-Performing Steel Bridge | |
| Project detail | ||
| Roadmap/Focus area(s): | Infrastructure Research and Technology Strategic Plan and Roadmap | |
| Project Description: | This project will consider the efficacy of using the following welding processes: (1) High frequency.(2) Friction stir.(3) Thermal stir.(4) Hybrid high frequency/friction stir, between ferric steels commonly used in steel bridge fabrication. The project will specifically focus on solid-state welding of the three grades of high-performing steels. Depending on the results attained, the project may expand in scope. | |
| Goals: | Determine if solid-state welding practices are feasible for use with typical ferric materials used in steel bridge fabrication. | |
| Background Information: | Partial or full-penetration submerged arc welding (SAW) in T-joints have been the workhorse fusion weld used in steel bridge fabrication for decades. Additionally, shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), and flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) are also used. Emerging high productivity technologies, such as hybrid laser/GMAW welding, were also introduced to improve weld quality, productivity, and weld properties, and to reduce residual stresses. However, all these are fusion welding processes, where consumables are melted and resolidified as a weld deposit. These processes inherently have a potential for creating weld discontinuities, such as solidification cracking or gas/slag entrapment. On the other hand, the solid-state welding processes are the direct fusion between two different base metals. Some solid-state welding processes have become standard in the oil/gas, aerospace, and automotive industries, although they typically have employed metals other than ferric steels. | |
| Test Methodology: | Experimental | |
| Expected Benefits: | Higher productivity and reliable steel bridge fabrication. | |
| FHWA Topics: | Roads and Bridges--Structures | |
| TRT Terms: | Welding Steel Bridges Submerged Arc Welding Infrastructure Research Bridges Gas Metal Arc Welding Fabrication |
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| FHWA Disciplines: | Structures |
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| Subject Areas: | Bridges and other structures Construction Research |
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