AWS D1.5M - D1.5-2020 errata 2021 PDF

Full title and description

St AWS D1.5M - D1.5-2020 errata 2021 — AASHTO/AWS D1.5M/D1.5:2020 Bridge Welding Code (8th edition) together with the published errata issued in 2021. This product package represents the 2020 bridge welding code text used for qualification, fabrication, inspection, and acceptance of welded highway bridges and companion structures, with the 2021 errata clarifications and corrections incorporated where applicable.

Abstract

The AASHTO/AWS D1.5M/D1.5:2020 Bridge Welding Code establishes mandatory requirements and recommended practices for welding of carbon and low-alloy steel highway bridges and related dynamically loaded structures. The 2021 errata provides editorial corrections and limited technical clarifications to the 2020 edition to ensure consistent interpretation and application in fabrication and inspection.

General information

• Status: Active (2020 edition; later editions published after 2020 — see FAQ).
• Publication date: 2020 (AASHTO/AWS D1.5M/D1.5:2020; approval April 24, 2020); errata published 2021.
• Publisher: Joint publication — American Welding Society (AWS) in collaboration with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
• ICS / categories: 25.160 — Welding, brazing and soldering (incl. subcategories such as 25.160.01 general welding and 25.160.40 welded joints and welds).
• Edition / version: 8th edition (2020) with Errata (2021).
• Number of pages: 508 pages (2020 edition, printed/paginated).

Scope

This code provides requirements for welding practice, qualification, inspection, procedures and performance testing, nondestructive examination, fabrication of fracture‑critical members, acceptance criteria, and records for welded highway bridges and related dynamically loaded structures made from carbon and low‑alloy steels. It applies to designers, fabricators, and inspectors working on AASHTO- or AREMA-designed bridge projects where D1.5 is specified.

Key topics and requirements

• Welding procedure specification (WPS) and procedure qualification record (PQR) requirements.
• Welder and welding operator qualification and testing.
• Design and acceptance criteria for groove and fillet welds in bridge components.
• Workmanship, tolerances, and treatment of common discontinuities (e.g., undercut, overlap, lack of fusion).
• Fracture‑critical member fabrication and enhanced inspection requirements.
• Nondestructive examination (radiographic, ultrasonic, magnetic particle, dye penetrant) requirements and reporting forms.
• Stud welding, mechanical attachment, and special processes provisions.
• Inspection, certification, reports and records (forms and data recording recommendations).

Typical use and users

Primary users include bridge fabricators, structural steel contractors, welding supervisors, Certified Welding Inspectors (CWIs) and Senior CWIs (SCWIs), design engineers, quality managers, state DOTs and municipal bridge authorities, and consultants involved in bridge design, fabrication, inspection and QA/QC. The code is used to prepare WPS/PQR documentation, qualify personnel, set inspection plans, and define acceptance criteria on bridge projects.

Related standards

Commonly referenced companion and related standards include: AWS D1.1 (Structural Welding Code — Steel), AWS A2.4 (Symbols for Welding/Brazing/NDE), AWS QC1 (Specification for AWS Certification of Welding Inspectors), AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, and applicable ASTM material specifications (for example ASTM standards for structural steels). Practitioners frequently use these documents together with D1.5 for comprehensive contract and inspection requirements.

Keywords

Bridge welding, AASHTO, AWS, D1.5, D1.5M, fillet weld, groove weld, WPS, PQR, welder qualification, fracture‑critical, nondestructive examination, CWI, inspection, acceptance criteria, stud welding.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: It is the AASHTO/AWS D1.5M/D1.5:2020 Bridge Welding Code (8th edition) — the joint AASHTO/AWS document specifying welding requirements for highway bridges and similar dynamically loaded steel structures; the package referenced here includes the Errata issued in 2021.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers procedural and performance qualification, welding procedure specifications (WPS/PQR), welder qualification, fabrication and workmanship criteria, inspection and nondestructive testing requirements, special provisions for fracture‑critical members, stud welding, and documentation/records for welded bridge components.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Bridge fabricators, welding supervisors, CWIs/SCWIs, state DOT bridge inspection and QA staff, structural engineers, contractors, and consultants involved in bridge fabrication, inspection, and acceptance.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The document described is the 2020 edition with its 2021 errata. Subsequent editions of the D1.5 code have been released after 2020 (for example a 2025 edition is available), so users should confirm the contract‑specified edition before use; where authorities require the latest edition, adopt the newer edition and any interim revisions issued by AASHTO/AWS. If you are specifying or complying with code requirements, check project documents or the issuing organizations for the edition required.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — D1.5 is part of the AWS/AASHTO family of structural and bridge welding codes and is commonly used alongside other AWS codes and AASHTO publications (for example AWS D1.1, AWS A2.4, AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design/Construction specifications). The D1.x series covers structural welding topics across different materials and applications.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Bridge welding, D1.5, AASHTO, AWS, WPS, PQR, welder qualification, CWI, fracture‑critical, nondestructive examination, fillet/groove welds, workmanship, inspection, acceptance criteria.