Question on all-around weld symbol involving different weld positions

[MoyC]

Our contractors are welding anchor frames to pile caps based on the IFC drawings from the engineering company. There is a confusion regarding the highlighted weld symbol in the attached picture. I have heard mixed interpretations on this.

First interpretation - the all-around weld symbol with the arrow pointing to the top of the pile cap implies only top portion (3 sides) should be welded. The 4th side is an overhead weld between bottom flange of the anchor frame beam and the pile cap. The underside weld is not called out separately, so weld top 3 sides only.

Second interpretation - the all-around weld symbol with the arrow pointing to the top of the pile implies all 4 sides of to be welded. Does not matter if there is change in position of the weld or if the underside weld is not called out separately. So weld all 4 sides (3 on the top, 1 on the underside).

Which one is correct?

 

[jdonville]

This is what RFIs are for. Ask the designer and don't guess. Unfortunately, we are human and oftentimes too close to the design to realize that the design intent may not be sufficiently clear in these situations.

 

[phamENG]

What did the engineer say who is responsible for the drawings? They'll be able to tell you their intent, and at this point the intent is the important thing. If they used the wrong symbol, hopefully they'll learn from the experience.

 

[JAE]

Neither is correct but the first is more correct.

First interpretation - it is correct in that you should not have a continuous weld cross over a change in fillet weld orientation, which would be required going from the two sides to the fourth, overhead side. This is explicitly prohibited by AWS. So by default it would be 3 sides - but the all-around weld symbol should NOT have been used here - rather, a note on the tail saying "THREE SIDES" would be more appropriate.

Second interpretation - As per above - the all around weld symbol is mis-applied here.

 

[AaronMcD]

I'm pretty bad with technical details of welding.

Normally I would assume the second, because engineers are pretty lax with weld symbols and a closed little circle implies a weld "all around" and in normal english all around means all sides even if it is not technically the same weld. (Kinda like a double sided weld on an HSS, and the intent is weld on both sides of the HSS, not both sides of the particular web.)

But that overhead weld seems silly so... Idk. Gotta ask I guess.

http://www.hellodwell.design

 

[r13]

I'll take jdonville's approach. The designer either obviously overlooked something (that is not very obvious), or has other intention/concern (less likely), but neither is up to our guess.