AWS D1.1:2025 Quick Reference
Single-page summary of AWS D1.1:2025 كود اللحام الإنشائي — Steel. All 11 clauses, the most-cited tables (5.7, 5.11, 7.7, 8.1), prequalified vs qualified rules, steel categories, and فحص scope. For fast lookups on the shop floor or in the inspector booth.
AWS D1.1:2025 covers welded structural steel up to 100 ksi yield المتانة and 1/8-inch الحد الأدنى السماكة. The 11 clauses are organized by lifecycle: scope, references, terms, design, prequalification, qualification, fabrication, inspection, plus three specialty clauses (tubular, strengthening/إصلاح, stud اللحام). Most projects use prequalified WPSs per البند 5; non-المعيار joints require Clause 6 PQR اختبار.
What AWS D1.1:2025 Covers
AWS D1.1:2025 Structural Welding Code — Steel applies to the design, fabrication, and inspection of welded structural steel construction. The الكود's scope per Clause 1.1 covers carbon and low-alloy steels with a minimum specified yield strength up to 100 ksi (690 MPa) and المعدن الأساسي thickness 1/8 inch (3 mm) or greater.
Materials and structures NOT covered by D1.1: sheet steel under 1/8 inch (use D1.3), stainless steel (use D1.6), aluminum (use D1.2), reinforcing bar (use D1.4), bridges with cyclic loading or fracture-critical members (use D1.5). Tubular structures are covered in Clause 9 of D1.1 with cross-references to the main body. Stud welding is covered in Clause 11.
Welding processes covered: Shielded Metal Arc (SMAW), Gas Metal Arc (GMAW), Flux-Cored Arc (FCAW gas-shielded and self-shielded), Submerged Arc (SAW), Gas Tungsten Arc (GTAW), and Electroslag/Electrogas (ESW/EGW). Each process has its own essential variables in Tables 5.5 (prequalified) and 6.6 through 6.10 (qualified).
Per AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 1.1.1: “This code contains the متطلبات for fabricating and erecting welded steel structures. When this code is stipulated in contract documents, conformance with all provisions of the code shall be required, except for those provisions that the Engineer or contract documents specifically modifies or exempts.”
— AWS D1.1/D1.1M:2025, Structural كود اللحام — SteelThe 11 Clauses of AWS D1.1:2025
| Clause | Title | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Clause 1 | General Requirements | Scope, applicability, units, base metals covered |
| Clause 2 | Normative References | Referenced standards (AWS A2.4, A3.0, A5 series, ASTM) |
| Clause 3 | Terms and Definitions | Welding terminology defined per AWS A3.0 |
| Clause 4 | Design | Allowable stresses, joint design, fillet/groove sizing, fatigue |
| Clause 5 | Prequalification of WPSs | Joint details, materials, parameters accepted by reference (no testing) |
| Clause 6 | Qualification | PQR procedure, mechanical testing, welder/operator qualification |
| Clause 7 | Fabrication | Cutting, fit-up, التسخين المسبق application, welder workmanship |
| Clause 8 | Inspection | Inspector qualifications (CWI per QC1), VT, NDT, القبول criteria |
| Clause 9 | Tubular Structures | Specific provisions for hollow section connections (HSS, pipe) |
| Clause 10 | Strengthening and Repair | Existing structure modifications, لحام repair procedures |
| Clause 11 | Stud Welding | Drawn-arc and capacitor-discharge stud welding requirements |
The lifecycle order — design (4), prequalification or qualification (5/6), fabrication (7), inspection (8) — reflects the order operations are typically performed on a project. Specialty clauses 9, 10, and 11 augment the main body for specific construction أنواع.
Most-Cited Tables in D1.1:2025
Table 5.7 — معدن الحشو Requirements (Prequalified)
Table 5.7 matches base metal categories from الجدول 5.3 to allowable filler metal classifications per AWS A5 specifications. For الفئة A and B steels, منخفض الهيدروجين E70xx series electrodes are typically required for SMAW. For Category C and D, supplementary low-hydrogen and chemistry restrictions apply. The filler metal must match or under-match the base metal per the strength compatibility rules in §5.7.1.
Table 5.11 — Minimum Preheat and درجة حرارة بين الممرات (Prequalified)
Table 5.11 is the most-referenced table in D1.1 for shop floor work. It specifies minimum preheat in degrees Fahrenheit and Celsius, organized by base metal category, عملية اللحام group, and base metal thickness range. Per §5.11, preheat is required when the values in Table 5.11 are above ambient درجة الحرارة. Failure to apply preheat is the single most common cause of underbead cracking in carbon steel welds. Use the preheat calculator for instant per-steel lookups.
Table 7.7 — Minimum لحام الزاوية Size
Table 7.7 specifies minimum fillet weld leg حجم based on base metal thickness:
| Base Metal Thickness (T) | Minimum Fillet Leg |
|---|---|
| Up to 1/4 inch (6 mm) | 1/8 inch (3 mm) |
| Over 1/4 to 1/2 inch (6 to 13 mm) | 3/16 inch (5 mm) |
| Over 1/2 to 3/4 inch (13 to 19 mm) | 1/4 inch (6 mm) |
| Over 3/4 inch (19 mm) | 5/16 inch (8 mm) |
Per Footnote A, T is the thicker part for غير منخفض الهيدروجين single-pass; T is the thinner part for low-hydrogen processes. Per Footnote C, a 3/16-inch cap applies for cyclically محمّل structures regardless of thickness.
Table 8.1 — الفحص البصري Acceptance Criteria
Table 8.1 specifies بصري acceptance criteria for fillet, CJP, and PJP welds, separated by static vs cyclic loading. الشقوق of any size are unacceptable in both load conditions. التقويض حدود are 1/32 inch الحد الأقصى for static, 1/100 inch for cyclic per direction-of-stress rules. المسامية individual pore diameter limit is 1/32 inch with frequency limits per the table footnotes. Per §8.9, all visual inspection shall be performed by a qualified inspector per Clause 8.1.4 — typically a CWI per AWS QC1.
Base Metal Categories (Table 5.3)
AWS D1.1:2025 Table 5.3 groups prequalified base metals into four categories based on chemistry and yield strength.
| Category | Yield Range | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Category A | Up to 50 ksi | A36, A53 Gr B, A106 Gr B, A500 Gr B, A572 Gr 50 |
| Category B | Up to 60 ksi | A572 Gr 60, A588, A992 |
| Category C | Up to 70 ksi | A572 Gr 65, A709 Gr 50W, A709 Gr 70W |
| Category D | Over 70 ksi | A514, A709 Gr HPS 70W, A913 Gr 65/70/80 |
Each category has its own preheat requirements in Table 5.11, filler metal restrictions in Table 5.7, and essential variable ranges in Table 5.5. Higher categories require higher preheat and stricter low-hydrogen practice. Knowing the category is the first step in selecting a prequalified WPS — wrong category means wrong preheat and risk of cracking.
Prequalified vs Qualified WPS — Decision Logic
Per Clause 5, a prequalified WPS uses a joint, base metal, filler metal, and parameters that the code accepts as qualified by reference. To use a prequalified WPS, ALL of the following must hold:
- Joint matches Figures 5.1 through 5.10 (over 100 prequalified joint details)
- Base metal is in Table 5.3 (one of the four categories above)
- Filler metal matches Table 5.7 for the base metal category
- Preheat meets Table 5.11 minimum for category, process group, and thickness
- All essential variables stay within Table 5.5 ranges per
§5.5
If any prequalified condition cannot be met, a qualified WPS per Clause 6 is required. The contractor performs a سجل تأهيل الإجراء (PQR) — weld a test coupon to the proposed parameters, then perform mechanical testing per Table 6.4 (tension, bend, optional CVN). The PQR validates the specific parameter combination, and the resulting WPS is qualified for production use within the essential variable ranges of Tables 6.6 through 6.10.
Field tip: Always check prequalification first. PQR testing typically costs $2,000-$5,000 per procedure. If your joint is in Figure 5.1 to 5.10 and your steel is in Table 5.3, prequalification is the cheaper, faster path. Custom joints and high-strength steels (Category D) almost always require Clause 6 qualification.
— CWI shop floor observation, structural fabricator, 2026Inspection Scope (Clause 8)
Per Clause 8, AWS D1.1:2025 inspection requirements cover three layers: visual inspection (VT), nondestructive testing (NDT), and inspector qualification.
Per §8.9, all welds shall be visually inspected. Visual inspection is performed by personnel meeting the qualification requirements of §8.1.4 — typically a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) per AWS QC1, or an equivalent inspector qualification. VT is performed before any volumetric NDT per §8.13.
Per §8.13 and §8.14, NDT methods include إشعاعي testing (RT), فوق صوتي testing (UT), الجسيمات المغناطيسية testing (MT), and سائل مخترق testing (PT). The contract documents specify which welds require NDT and which method. CJP welds in tension typically require either RT or UT per §8.14.5. Statically loaded structures may require less NDT than cyclically loaded.
Acceptance criteria per Table 8.1 for VT, Table 8.2 for tension-loaded welds (RT/UT), and Table 8.3 for compression-loaded welds. The CWI's authority and responsibilities are defined in §8.1 through §8.4 — the inspector verifies WPS, monitors fit-up and welding, performs VT, witnesses or reviews NDT, and signs off on weld acceptance.
How to Cite AWS D1.1 in Procedures and Reports
Formal references: AWS D1.1/D1.1M:2025 Structural Welding Code — Steel, American Welding Society, Miami, FL. The /D1.1M suffix indicates the metric companion document — for SI unit projects use D1.1M:2025.
Within procedures, WPS forms, and inspection reports, the short form AWS D1.1:2025 is acceptable along with the specific clause, table, or figure being referenced. Examples of acceptable inline citations:
per AWS D1.1:2025 Table 5.11— preheat referenceper AWS D1.1:2025 §8.9— inspection scope referenceper AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.2.1— PQR testing referenceper AWS D1.1:2025 Figure 5.4— prequalified joint reference
The 2025 edition is the current edition as of April 2026 and supersedes D1.1:2020. Drawings and contracts that reference “AWS D1.1” without an edition default to the latest edition unless explicitly fixed (uncommon and requires explicit owner agreement). When a project transitions from one edition to the next, all related WPSs, PQRs, and inspector qualifications should be reviewed for any code changes that affect the work — see the dedicated AWS D1.1:2025 changes guide for the most-impactful 2025 updates.