Directionality Effect on Strength of Partial-Joint-Penetration Groove Weld Joints

Partial-joint-penetration (PJP) groove weld is commonly used as an alternative to fillet weld when high-strength joints are needed. The majority of previous research on the effect of loading angle on the weld strength focuses on fillet welds, but not PJP welds. Both US specifications and Japan recommendations use a directional strength increase factor to determine the strength of fillet welds. However, these factors do not apply to PJP welds; also, US specifications, Japan recommendations, and European standards give different design criteria for PJP welds loaded with 90°. This paper presents results from a study that investigated the mechanical behavior of PJP welds under different loading angles. Results obtained from both finite-element analysis and experiments indicate that current US design practice is conservative when the directionality effect is ignored in calculating the strength of PJP welds.