AWS PRGWA

The best reference there is on welding structural steel -- the 2002 D1.1 Structural Welding Code for Steel. An industry authority since 1928, D1.1 provides the information and requirements for welding carbon and low-alloy steel structures. Welders, engineers, designers, architects, fabricators, and those who depend on the integrity of welded steel structures will find answers to questions on weld design, statically and cyclically loaded connections, tubular and nontubular connections, prequalification, testing procedures and more in D1.1.

Specific sections include:

General requirements

Design of welded connections

Specific welding requirements for connections

Development of welding procedure specifications

Nondestructive testing

Methods to strengthen and repair existing structures

Expanded Responsibilities
A new section on Responsibilities (1.4) has been added that describes the responsibilities of the engineer, contractor, and contractor's and verification inspectors. Commentary has been included to elaborate on and demonstrate the code text. A new type of contractor, the original equipment manufacturer, is defined to describe situations where a single contractor assumes the responsibilities of the engineer.

The Code has always recognized that the engineer has sole authority to add to, modify, or delete any Code provision. This authority is intended to provide flexibility when applying the generic D1.1 document to a panorama of industrial applications. Code provisions may be conservative for some applications, but not for others. There may also be situations the Code does not address, which the engineer may need to include in the contract specifications.