Does AWS D1.1 require a separate WPS for repair welds?

Yes in most cases. AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.11 requires that repair welds be performed using a qualified WPS. If the repair involves a different process, joint geometry, position, or base metal condition than the original production WPS covers, a separate repair WPS is needed.

Can you repair a weld without a PQR under AWS D1.1?

Repairs using the same prequalified WPS parameters as the original weld may proceed without an additional PQR. However, if the repair method changes an essential variable from the qualified WPS — such as adding a backing bar where none was used, changing positions, or changing preheat — requalification applies.

How many times can a structural weld be repaired under AWS D1.1:2025?

AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.11 does not set a maximum number of repairs, but requires engineer approval for the repair plan. The inspector (CWI) must re-examine repaired areas, and repeated repair attempts on the same area typically trigger an engineering review.

What NDE is required after a repair weld under AWS D1.1?

All repaired areas must be re-inspected by the same method used to identify the original discontinuity. If the original weld was UT-inspected, the repaired weld must pass UT. Visual inspection is required for all repaired welds per Clause 9.23.

Sep 23, 20267 min read

AWS D1.1 Repair Weld Procedures: What Triggers Requalification

Repair welds under AWS D1.1:2025 aren't covered by your production WPS automatically. Learn which repair scenarios require a separate WPS, when requalification is needed, and how to document repair procedures correctly.

WPS AWS D1.1 Repair Welding Requalification CWI Quality Control

New to procedures? Start with WPS welding: what a welding procedure specification is, with a filled-in example.

Repair welds are the part of structural fabrication that most QC programs treat as an afterthought — until an audit or a failed NDE re-inspection surfaces the fact that there's no qualified WPS covering the repair. AWS D1.1:2025 is explicit: a repair weld is still a weld, and it must be performed under a qualified procedure. The production WPS covers the production weld; it doesn't automatically extend to repairs.

This article covers the AWS D1.1:2025 requirements for repair weld procedures, which repair scenarios constitute an essential variable change that triggers requalification, and how to document repairs so they hold up under CWI inspection and third-party audit.

What AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.11 Actually Requires

Clause 6.11 of AWS D1.1:2025 addresses repairs to base metal and weld metal discontinuities. The key provisions:

Approval required before repair. The contractor must obtain approval for the repair method before proceeding. On contracts with owner-furnished inspection, this typically means the CWI or owner's inspector reviews and approves the repair plan.
Qualified WPS required. The repair must be performed using a WPS that is qualified for the repair conditions. If the production WPS covers the repair scenario, a separate document is not required — but the WPS must actually cover the conditions of the repair.
Re-inspection required. After repair, the area must be re-inspected by the method that detected the original discontinuity, plus visual inspection.
Documentation. The repair, including the extent of material removed, the repair WPS used, and the re-inspection result, must be documented.

The phrase "qualified for the repair conditions" is where most WPS programs fall short. A WPS qualified in the flat position for a shop-applied groove weld doesn't cover overhead position repairs in the field. A WPS qualified on clean base metal doesn't cover repairs on a weld that has been arc-gouged and ground, which changes the joint geometry and surface condition.

Rule library based on AWS D1.1:2025; verify against your governing edition (the AHJ or contract may specify 2020 or earlier).

Essential Variables That Repair Conditions Commonly Trigger

AWS D1.1:2025 Table 6.6 lists the essential variables for each process. Repair welds frequently involve conditions that differ from the original production weld in ways that trigger one or more of these:

Position Change

A beam flange weld made in the flat position in the shop may crack during erection and require repair in the overhead or vertical position. Position is an essential variable. The production WPS, if qualified only for flat or horizontal (1F/1G or 2F/2G), does not extend to overhead (4F/4G) or vertical (3F/3G). A repair in a position outside the qualified range requires a WPS that covers that position — either through a multi-position qualification on the original PQR or a separate repair WPS.

For position qualification ranges under AWS D1.1, see WPS position qualification range under AWS D1.1.

Joint Geometry Change

Excavating a discontinuity by air carbon arc gouging followed by grinding removes material and creates a new joint geometry — often a U-groove or irregular groove profile that doesn't match the prequalified joint detail used for the original weld. If the excavated geometry is substantially different from the production joint, the repair WPS should address the joint geometry, root opening, and effective throat to demonstrate that the repair weld will achieve full fusion.

For background on excavation and joint prep, see air carbon arc gouging and joint preparation under AWS D1.1.

Preheat Requirement for Repair

Repairs often go into smaller volumes of material than the original weld, with faster heat sink conditions and potentially more hydrogen from the surface oxides left by gouging and grinding. AWS D1.1:2025 specifies minimum preheat temperatures in Table 5.3 based on base metal type, thickness category, and process. For repairs, the heat input and preheat interact differently than in production — and in some cases, the engineer specifies a higher preheat for the repair than the original WPS required.

If the repair requires a higher minimum preheat than what's documented on the production WPS, the preheat and interpass temperatures on the WPS must be updated, and the change evaluated against Table 6.6. A change to a higher minimum preheat is a non-essential variable; a decrease in preheat is an essential variable requiring requalification.

Process or Filler Metal Change

Some shops use SMAW for repairs because it's better suited to tight or restricted-access locations than FCAW or GMAW. If the production WPS is FCAW-G and the repair is SMAW, the process change is an essential variable. The repair WPS must be qualified for SMAW in the applicable positions and thickness ranges.

Similarly, if the repair uses a different electrode classification than the production WPS — for instance, substituting a lower-hydrogen E7018 for a previously specified E7016 — this is an essential variable change requiring requalification.

The Special Case: Repair to Base Metal

Clause 6.11 also covers repairs to base metal discontinuities found during fabrication — laminations, seams, and gouges discovered during surface preparation or fit-up inspection. These repairs require special attention:

The base metal repair must use a WPS qualified for the base metal specification and condition.
For ASTM A572 Grade 50 or similar structural steels, base metal repairs require preheat per Table 5.3 and a filler metal with a minimum specified tensile strength matching or exceeding the base metal.
The repaired area must be ground flush and inspected by MT (magnetic particle testing) or PT (liquid penetrant testing) in addition to visual examination.

Base metal repairs often occur in areas that were not originally designated as weld joints, meaning the production groove weld WPS may not apply. A separate repair procedure covering base metal gouging and repair is a worthwhile addition to any fabrication shop's WPS library.

Documenting Repairs for Audit-Readiness

Under AISC certification requirements and most owner quality programs, repair records must be traceable back to the original NDE finding. A complete repair record includes:

NDE finding record — the original test report identifying the discontinuity, its location, orientation, and indication size
Repair plan approval — written approval from the CWI or owner's inspector before repair begins
Excavation record — method used (gouging, grinding), depth and length of material removed, and visual/MT/PT confirmation that the discontinuity was fully removed
Repair WPS reference — the WPS number and revision used for the repair
Weld traveler or heat number traceability if the repair involves base metal replacement or insert plates
Re-inspection report — the post-repair NDE results showing acceptance per the applicable criteria

Shops that rely on verbal approvals and informal records for repairs consistently have problems in AISC quality audits. The repair file is one of the first things a third-party auditor reviews because it tests whether the quality system actually controls exceptions, not just routine work.

For broader guidance on WPS record retention requirements, see WPS and PQR record retention requirements.

How Many Times Can a Weld Be Repaired?

AWS D1.1:2025 does not set a numerical limit on repairs to the same location, but it does require engineer approval for the repair plan — and repeated failures in the same area are an engineering flag. In practice, most owner quality programs and AISC certification standards treat multiple repairs to the same location (typically defined as three or more) as a nonconformance that requires engineering disposition, not just CWI approval.

A weld that requires repeated repair is usually a process problem, not a random discontinuity. Root causes to investigate: inadequate preheat, joint geometry not matching the WPS, travel speed or heat input out of range, or fit-up outside the WPS tolerance. Repairing the weld without addressing the root cause typically produces the same type of discontinuity in the same location.

For a systematic look at which process changes trigger WPS requalification beyond the repair context, see WPS requalification triggers checklist for AWS D1.1.

Building a Repair WPS Before You Need One

The time to write a repair WPS is not after a failed UT test surfaces a crack during final inspection. A repair WPS should be part of the standard WPS library for any shop doing structural fabrication, covering:

SMAW in all positions (flat, horizontal, vertical, overhead)
Common repair joint geometries: U-groove, partial penetration with gouged root
Preheat requirements for the base metal specifications in the shop's typical work mix
Both in-shop and field repair scenarios if erection crews are part of the contract scope

A repair WPS tied to a qualified PQR (or a prequalified detail) gives the QC manager a ready response when a repair is needed — rather than scrambling to draft a procedure while the repair is awaiting approval. For shops that want to build and maintain a complete WPS library including repair procedures under AWS D1.1:2025, see how wpswelding.com structures WPS qualification coverage.

FAQ

Frequently asked.

Does AWS D1.1 require a separate WPS for repair welds?: Yes in most cases. AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.11 requires that repair welds be performed using a qualified WPS. If the repair involves a different process, joint geometry, position, or base metal condition than the original production WPS covers, a separate repair WPS is needed.
Can you repair a weld without a PQR under AWS D1.1?: Repairs using the same prequalified WPS parameters as the original weld may proceed without an additional PQR. However, if the repair method changes an essential variable from the qualified WPS — such as adding a backing bar where none was used, changing positions, or changing preheat — requalification applies.
How many times can a structural weld be repaired under AWS D1.1:2025?: AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.11 does not set a maximum number of repairs, but requires engineer approval for the repair plan. The inspector (CWI) must re-examine repaired areas, and repeated repair attempts on the same area typically trigger an engineering review.
What NDE is required after a repair weld under AWS D1.1?: All repaired areas must be re-inspected by the same method used to identify the original discontinuity. If the original weld was UT-inspected, the repaired weld must pass UT. Visual inspection is required for all repaired welds per Clause 9.23.