D1.1 Figure 8.2 RT Acceptance Criteria
For D1.1 RT in cyclically loaded nontubular tension welds, read Figure 8.2 in two moves: project weld size S to B for maximum discontinuity size, then project the actual B dimension to C for required edge-to-edge clearance and case spacing.
Figure 8.2 is a graph-plus-geometry rule. Size, spacing, and free-edge cases are separate gates; passing the B limit does not automatically pass the RT acceptance decision.
— CWI Part C code-navigation note
Where Figure 8.2 Applies
§8.11 says welds subject to NDT must first be acceptable by visual inspection under §8.9. RT acceptance is then handled in §8.12. For cyclically loaded nontubular connections, §8.12.2 says RT-revealed cracks are unacceptable and that the weld is also unacceptable if discontinuities meet the rejection descriptions in §8.12.2.1, §8.12.2.2, or §8.12.2.3.
Figure 8.2 belongs to §8.12.2.1: cyclically loaded nontubular connections in tension. That is the CWI exam trap. If the problem statement changes the loading to static or cyclic compression, you move to a different figure. Static nontubular RT is Figure 8.1. Cyclic nontubular compression is Figure 8.3.
The Three Symbols: S, B, and C
Figure 8.2 uses three working dimensions. S is the weld size. B is the greatest dimension of the discontinuity being evaluated and is also the graph line for maximum allowed discontinuity size. C is the minimum clearance between discontinuity edges after the actual discontinuity size is known.
| Symbol | What it means | How it is used |
|---|---|---|
S | Weld size | Project horizontally to the diagonal B line. |
B | Maximum allowed discontinuity size, or the actual size being checked | Use the graph to decide whether the discontinuity is too large. |
C | Minimum clearance allowance | Project the actual B dimension vertically to the C axis. |
C1 | Shortest distance parallel to the weld axis between nearest discontinuity edges | Used in the Figure 8.2 cases for weld intersections and free edges. |
Do not read C from the weld size. Read B from the weld size, then read C from the discontinuity size. That two-step movement is what makes similar-looking answer choices split into accept and reject decisions.
Step-by-Step Figure 8.2 Workflow
- Confirm the question is RT on a cyclically loaded nontubular connection in tension. If not, stop and choose the correct clause or figure first.
- Check for cracks.
§8.12.2rejects cracks before the porosity or fusion-discontinuity graph matters. - Find weld size
Son the vertical axis ofFigure 8.2. For weld sizes greater than 1-1/2 in [38 mm], the 1-1/2 in [38 mm] limits apply. - Project
Shorizontally to the diagonalBline. That gives the maximum allowed greatest dimension for the discontinuity. - Measure or read the actual discontinuity greatest dimension. If it exceeds
B, reject under§8.12.2.1(1). - Project the actual
Bdimension vertically to theCaxis. Compare that clearance with the nearest discontinuity edge, weld intersection, or free edge as applicable. - Apply the special case sketches.
Figure 8.2Cases I through IV control discontinuities at weld intersections and free edges. - Finish with the accumulation rules in
§8.12.2.1(4)through(6)and the small-discontinuity rule in§8.12.2.3.
Example: 3/4 in Weld Size
On the inch graph in Figure 8.2, a weld size of S = 3/4 in projects horizontally to a maximum discontinuity size of about B = 1/4 in. That answers only the first question: is the discontinuity too large?
The second question is spacing. A 1/4 in discontinuity projects vertically down to roughly C = 2 in on the clearance axis. If the answer choice shows a 1/4 in discontinuity that is too close to another discontinuity or to the relevant free edge condition, it can still be rejectable. If another option looks similar but satisfies the required clearance, it can be acceptable.
For weld sizes 1-1/2 in or greater, the graph caps the maximum discontinuity size at 1/2 in [12 mm]. That cap is not a universal allowance for every RT indication; the spacing and case rules still have to pass.
Cases I Through IV
The continuation pages of Figure 8.2 define the edge and intersection cases. Cases I and III address discontinuities at weld intersections. Cases II and IV address discontinuities at a free edge of a CJP groove weld. In each case, the table points back to the same Figure 8.2 graph: use the B dimension for size and the C dimension for clearance.
The key term in those cases is C1: the shortest distance parallel to the weld axis between the nearest discontinuity edges. The figure is not asking for center-to-center spacing. It is not asking for distance to the discontinuity center. It is asking for the nearest edge-to-edge clearance in the direction shown by the case sketch.
Small Discontinuities and Clusters
§8.12.2.1(4) treats isolated clusters of rounded indications as a sum-of-greatest-dimensions problem. If that sum exceeds the maximum single-discontinuity size allowed by Figure 8.2, the cluster is rejectable. The clearance to another cluster, another discontinuity, an edge, or the end of an intersecting weld must be three times the greatest dimension of the larger discontinuity being considered.
§8.12.2.1(5) and §8.12.2.3 prevent small indications from being ignored just because each one is below a threshold. Individual discontinuities below 3/32 in [2.5 mm] have a sum limit in any linear inch of weld, and discontinuities below 1/16 in [2 mm] are also unacceptable if their summed greatest dimensions exceed 3/8 in [10 mm] in any linear inch.
Common CWI Part C Mistakes
The most common mistake is treating the graph as a maximum-size-only chart. The second mistake is reading C from S instead of reading C from the actual discontinuity size. The third mistake is using Figure 8.2 for a compression question or static loading question because all three RT figures sit near each other in Clause 8.
On an exam question, write the workflow in the margin: loading category, weld size, actual discontinuity size, clearance, special case, accumulation rule. If any one of those gates fails, the indication is rejectable even if another gate passes.
Frequently Asked Questions
AWS D1.1:2025 Figure 8.2 controls RT acceptance limits for porosity and fusion-type discontinuities in cyclically loaded nontubular connections in tension. It is tied to §8.12.2.1, not to visual inspection Table 8.1 and not to UT Tables 8.2 or 8.3. Use it after RT has revealed a rounded or elongated discontinuity and the weld falls under the cyclic-tension RT category. The figure gives two things: the maximum allowed discontinuity size, called B, and the minimum edge-to-edge clearance, called C. Both must pass.
Start with S, the weld size. On Figure 8.2, project S horizontally until it meets the diagonal B line. That gives the maximum permitted size of a discontinuity for that weld size. Then take the actual discontinuity size being evaluated, B, and project vertically down to the C axis. C is the minimum edge-to-edge clearance to the next discontinuity, free edge, or intersecting weld condition when the applicable case requires clearance. The common mistake is checking only the maximum size and skipping the spacing check.
Because Figure 8.2 is not a single maximum-size rule. A discontinuity can be small enough under the B limit and still be rejectable if it is too close to another discontinuity, a weld intersection, or a free edge. The reverse can also confuse candidates: a larger-looking option may be acceptable if it stays within B for the stated weld size and satisfies the required C clearance. On CWI Part C questions, read the loading category, weld size, discontinuity size, and edge-to-edge spacing before choosing the answer.
No. Figure 8.2 is for cyclically loaded nontubular connections in tension under §8.12.2.1. Statically loaded nontubular RT acceptance uses Figure 8.1 under §8.12.1. Cyclically loaded nontubular connections in compression use Figure 8.3 under §8.12.2.2. That distinction matters on the CWI code-book exam because the figures look similar, but they are not interchangeable. If the question says cyclic tension, go to Figure 8.2. If it says cyclic compression, go to Figure 8.3.
In addition to the Figure 8.2 and Figure 8.3 checks, AWS D1.1:2025 §8.12.2.3 adds a rule for very small discontinuities. Discontinuities with a greatest dimension less than 1/16 in [2 mm] are unacceptable if the sum of their greatest dimensions exceeds 3/8 in [10 mm] in any linear inch of weld. That means small indications are not automatically ignored. For cyclic RT acceptance, first apply the relevant figure and case, then remember the separate accumulation rule for discontinuities smaller than 1/16 in.
CWI Exam Tip: Tab Figure 8.2, Figure 8.3, and §8.12.2.3 together. A cyclic RT question may test the graph, the edge case, and the small-discontinuity sum rule in the same answer set.