Structural welds on residential property

[Bornfree]

an old engine driven set is always handy to have , but boys they have gotten to be dear ,,,, not sure about the new battery power sets ,, be nice if you had a use for one I guess

I've got a diesel 10kva generator that cost £500 and it will run my 250amp inverter stick and my 250amp mig. The only downside is that it weighs 250kgs

 

[finyuk2005]

I've got a diesel 10kva generator that cost £500 and it will run my 250amp inverter stick and my 250amp mig. The only downside is that it weighs 250kgs

and you have it to run your house when there is a power cut! more versatile!

 

[ash1356]

Thanks for all the comments everyone.

attached are the the re-worked welds

 

[angellonewolf]

who got the welder in builder ?

not that im any good welding but they look better in most places others will confim

 

[Memmeddu]

Hi all,

I’m new here and would really appreciate some urgent advice regarding a residential weld on my project.

Our builder, who has been good up to now - brought in a welder today to join two steel beams (one supporting the inner leaf and one supporting the outer leaf) onto another steel using a welded plate. I’ve attached some photos along with the structural engineer’s details for reference.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t home when the welder arrived; otherwise, I would have asked questions on the spot. Now that I’ve seen it, I’m concerned about the quality of the work and its structural integrity - although I’m not a welding expert, something doesn’t look right to me. The Acrow props are still in place.

My main concerns are:

• The welder hasn’t ground the primer at all. I’m worried about how well a fillet weld can bond through primer, and whether porosity could be an issue now that the paint has been burnt off instead of properly cleaned.
• Some welds appear to be “sitting on top” of the steel rather than blending into it, which makes me question the fusion.
• There’s a huge amount of spatter. It almost looks like someone practising, which doesn’t fill me with confidence about the welder’s competence.
• The structural engineer specified 6mm fillet welds, but what’s been done looks very inconsistent.

I’ve sent the photos to both Building Control and the structural engineer, but Building Control have been pretty unhelpful so far in the project and seem reluctant to take responsibility for anything.

Before I push this further, I’d really value the opinion of people who actually know what they’re looking at. Do I have legitimate cause for concern here?

Thanks in advance - any guidance would be hugely appreciated

I've not read the entire thread really so I can say something already said.
But it looks like stick welding using E7018 and till here you're fine cause it's actually a good process and the right welding electrode for the task.
Problem is that it looks it has the slag on still ...
Take a chipping hammer and remove it .
If it looks like a welded joint it will probably withstand a lot more than you think.
But again it's not a great job, I'd be concerned myself if in your position.
I weld structural things everyday at work but it's not just the paint, welds look cold in some spots.
We don't do a lot of cleaning but we champher everything, we run as hot as possible avoiding undercut if we go through to the other side the better, then we back grind and weld the other side.
In this specific scenario I would have mechanically detent the beams to the parts on wall prior welding

 

[8ob]

It would be fair to say that the first and the second welder have little to no experience in positional welding, that said there is probably enough of it to stop the whole lot landing on somebodies swede.

Bob

 

[Brad93]

Still all wrong.

But it's probably not going to fall down.

Shocking really.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

In the last pic it looks like the flat end plate is welded to the edge of the I beam flange?

I should state I know nothing about structural steel welding!

 

[reb78]

In the last pic it looks like the flat end plate is welded to the edge of the I beam flange?

I should state I know nothing about structural steel welding!

This is what I find really weird about this design. Why not key the beams together?! Then there is also passive support that doesn't rely totally on welds!

 

[Brad93]

What was the name of the welding company? Just so that we can all avoid them in the future?

 

[finyuk2005]

Lovely paint job this time at least!

 

[ash1356]

This is what I find really weird about this design. Why not key the beams together?! Then there is also passive support that doesn't rely totally on welds!

The steels have to be apart as it’s a cavity wall. One steel is supporting the outer leaf and the other is supporting the inner leaf with a gap in between the two for cavity insulation

 

[Mark 2]

Lovely paint job this time at least!

Get the boy to paint it before the slag removal.

 

[tom2207]

grinder and paint , ... etc

I guess its better than the first go , still wasnt done by someone who can actually weld ,,, will it do ,,,, probably ............................ would I be happy , nope not really.
on b1 it looks like the weld has totally missed where it should be ,,, Ill get a closer look later on my computer ,,, it just looks odd / off . and few of the welds look equal .

is there no one local who can actually weld who would sort it ?

 

[reb78]

The steels have to be apart as it’s a cavity wall. One steel is supporting the outer leaf and the other is supporting the inner leaf with a gap in between the two for cavity insulation

I don't mean the two beams that run parallel to each other. What doesn't make sense to me is why they don't key in to the beam at 90° to them - the one the flat plate is welded to, so that they rest on that.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

What doesn't make sense to me is why they don't key in to the beam at 90° to them

I had the same thought ...if it's not connected to the vertical spine of the main beam then the flange is being used to transmit the loads which seems very odd.

Is there a stiffener plate connecting the double steel flat back plate into the spine of the main beam maybe but just not shown in the pics?

Looking at diagram con01... there's an "8mm stiffener" (seems to be an arrow pointing to something in the diagram) which transmits the main load to the vertical of the main beam?

 

[reb78]

I had the same thought ...if it's not connected to the vertical spine of the main beam then the flange is being used to transmit the loads which seems very odd.

Is there a stiffener plate connecting the double steel flat back plate into the spine of the main beam maybe but just not shown in the pics?

Looking at diagram con01....isn't there an "8mm stiffener" missing (seems to be an arrow pointing to something in the diagram) which transmits the main load to the vertical of the main beam?

Exactly that.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I reckon the stiffener is probably hidden behind that main plate...it then all makes sense.