Radiographic Steel Weld Testing for Machinery House

AmerCom engaged BDI to evaluate the integrity of structural steel welds fabricated for the Wittpenn Bridge machinery house. Although fabricators had completed visual inspections, they applied a Firetex intumescent coating ranging from approximately 5/16 inch to 1 inch thick before performing any nondestructive weld testing. The coating made many conventional NDE methods impractical or ineffective without removal.

To assess weld quality without damaging the coating, BDI performed Radiographic Testing (RT) on a sample of fillet welds. RT uses X-rays to examine the internal condition of steel components and detect discontinuities such as voids, inclusions, and other weld defects that are not visible from the surface. This approach allowed BDI to evaluate weld integrity while leaving the protective coating intact.

BDI’s engineers and field technicians completed all field testing, data collection, film interpretation, and engineering analysis. The team documented weld conditions and identified any indications of internal flaws within the tested connections.

By providing detailed information on weld integrity, BDI helped the project team assess the condition of fabricated steel components before installation and make informed decisions regarding quality assurance, acceptance, and any required corrective actions.