Lincoln Electric Takes Lead to Provide Training on New AWS Seismic Welding Regulations
Cleveland - In 2006, the American Welding Society (AWS) published the AWS D1.8 Seismic Welding Supplement that contains requirements for welds in structures designed to resist seismic loading. Lincoln Electric was involved in the AWS process from the beginning, and the company is now providing training for a number of unions and associations on the new requirements.
A quick history: A magnitude 6.7 earthquake hit the Los Angeles area in 1994, drastically altering the industry's understanding of how welded steel buildings behave during major earthquakes. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded studies to determine the cause of the unexpected damage, and to provide recommendations for new building construction. Even before the FEMA project was completed, AWS established a D1 sub-committee to establish appropriate seismic welding standards. AWS approved its new welding standards, known as AWS D1 Seismic Supplement, in 2005 and published it in 2006.
Lincoln Electric's Duane Miller, manager of engineering services, chaired AWS's D1 Seismic Subcommittee, which was responsible for researching and creating the new D1 standards. (AWS D1 Seismic Subcommittee is part of the AWS D1 Structural Welding Committee, which Miller serves as vice chair.)
Duane Miller and a number of other Lincoln employees, including Dennis Kligman, manager of technical training, have been involved with training a variety of individuals on the new D1.8 provisions, including members of the Ironworkers Union.
"For the Ironworkers, we participated in their annual 'train the trainer' program in San Diego. Our goal is two-fold - first, to teach their trainers about the new regulations, including all aspects of the new welder qualification test, and how to teach these items to their students, who are the apprentice ironworkers. Secondly, we wanted to explain the 'whys' behind the new provisions. When the Ironworkers know why certain engineering requirements have been imposed, and why the provisions are so critical, it is more likely that compliance will be achieved on a day-t-day basis," Miller explained.
Miller is also presenting a workshop on the AWS D1.8 standard at the American Institute of Steel Construction's (AISC) Steel Conference in April in New Orleans. There, the audience will be much different than the one in San Diego, but the goal is the same. At the AISC conference, the audience will consist of engineers, designers, detailers, steel fabricators and erectors, and the goal will be to explain the new requirements and also why these provisions have been incorporated into D1.8.
For more information on Lincoln's training, contact Dennis Klingman at dennis_klingman@lincolnelectric.com.
The Lincoln Electric Company, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, robotic arc-welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment and has a leading global position in the brazing and soldering alloys market. For more information, visit www.lincolnelectric.com.
