Saudi : PEB

Guidelines about Tack Welding of

Bottom Nut to Straight Anchor Bolt

PRD REF : PE-1743-21-00

Date
: 16 Apr 2013

GETS-PRD

Introduction:
As specified in updated Standard Specification for Straight Anchor Bolts, the bottom nut should be tack
welded to securely lock it with the anchor bolt. On the case of current stock of Anchor Bolts (which are not
having tack welding), the required tack welding of the bottom nut will be implemented.
The said bottom nut should be securely locked to the anchor bolt due to the risk of becoming loose or misplaced
as a result of the following;

Movement / vibration during handling / delivery,

Movement / vibration during pouring of concrete,
During tightening of the upper nuts (nuts at the projected/ top end)

GETS-PRD Saudi found out (based on actual recent testing) that single Tack Welding under the bottom nut of
Straight Anchor Bolt is good enough to securely lock the bottom nut.

Recommended Guidelines about Tack Welding of Bottom Nut to Straight Anchor Bolt:
With some samples of Straight Anchor Bolts from current stocks in Buy-out Store, tack welding trials were
conducted at Bay-5 Production line. Below are some of the relevant points considered during the trial tack
welding of the bottom nut (Refer to Photo 1 on Pages 2).
1. Bottom nut shall be tightened up to the shank.
2. Portion to be tack welded should be suitably / properly cleaned.
3. Provide a single tack weld on the threaded bolt under the bottom nut. Fusion of the tack weld should be
more on the threaded bolt and very minimal on the bottom nut (which is quenched / tempered).
Notes: To ensure quality of tack welding and to ensure that the anchor bolts performance/ properties will
not be affected during the tack welding processes, following should be considered;
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

It is a must that tack welding be performed only according to qualified welding procedures by fully
certified welders.
Tack welds should be in acceptable/ good quality, free from pinhole, crater, undercut, crack, lack of
fusion (open seam), etc.
Tack welding should be at the unstressed end of the bolt under the bottom Nut.
Ensure at all times that no welding, arc, or other potential notch-producing effects occur in the
stressed portion of the bolt (or above the bottom nut).
Excess heating and/ or longer / prolonged welding can possibly cause a stress raiser, notch effect,
crack starter across the quenched / tempered and highly stressed nut, hence should be avoided.

4. With the tack welding completed, Zinc Rich Spray Paint shall be applied on the tack welded area. It is
important that the tack weld and adjacent area must be thoroughly cleaned prior to application of the
Zinc Rich spray Paint.
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Saudi : PEB

Guidelines about Tack Welding of

Bottom Nut to Straight Anchor Bolt

PRD REF : PE-1743-21-00

Date
: 16 Apr 2013

GETS-PRD

Photo 1: Single Tack Weld of M16 Straight Anchor Bolt on the thread under the bottom nut. Fusion
of the tack weld should be more on the threaded bolt and very minimal on the bottom nut.

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