STUDY OF INSPECTION METHODS AND QUALITY CONTROL FOR WELDED HIGHWAY STRUCTURES

A SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED IN 1960 OF ALL STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENTS TO DETERMINE WHICH INSPECTION METHODS WERE USED FOR THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS AND MEMBERS OF WELDED HIGHWAY STRUCTURES. THIS STUDY WAS UPDATED IN 1963 AND A SUMMARY IS PRESENTED OF THE RESULTS OF BOTH SURVEYS. THE THREE CATEGORIES OF INSPECTION METHODS ARE ' DESTRUCTIVE TESTS, PROOF TESTS, AND NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTS. THE MOST WIDELY USED TYPE OF INSPECTION METHOD IS THE NONDESTRUCTIVE TEST WHICH IS DIVIDED INTO THE FOLLOWING CLASSIFICATIONS' VISUAL, TREPANNING, RADIOGRAPHY, DYE PENENTRANT, MAGNETIC PARTICLE, AND ULTRASONIC. THESE METHODS ARE DISCUSSED AND SUGGESTIONS MADE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF WELDING INSPECTION SPECIFICATIONS.