A procedure qualification record is only as good as the test it documents. The mechanical test results on the PQR report tell the story of the weld — but only if the specimens were cut from the right locations, in the right sequence, and in the right orientation. AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6 and the associated figures lay out the rules clearly; the problem is that the layout geometry is spread across several figures and footnotes that are easy to miss.

This article walks through the complete specimen layout for a standard CJP groove weld PQR: plate dimensions, discard zones, specimen sequence, and the additional considerations triggered by supplementary CVN testing.

The Fundamental Rule: One Plate, All Specimens

AWS D1.1:2025 requires all mechanical test specimens for a given PQR to be taken from a single test plate (or pipe joint). You cannot take tensile specimens from one weld and bend specimens from a separate weld run on a different day and call that a single PQR. The test plate must represent a single, continuous welding session under the variables documented in the WPS being qualified.

This matters more than it appears to. Electrode lot changes, welder substitutions, or parameter drift mid-plate technically affect the PQR's scope. In practice, most shops weld the entire test plate in a single continuous session with the same welder and the same consumable lot — which is the right approach.

Plate Dimensions: How Long Does the Test Plate Need to Be?

AWS D1.1:2025 Figure 6.4 shows the required groove weld test plate layout. The plate width is typically 5–6 in [125–150 mm] minimum to provide adequate side bends if needed. Plate length is determined by the total length of specimens required plus the discard zones at each end.

The standard specimen sequence for a CJP groove weld PQR without supplementary CVN testing is:

Specimen Approximate Length per Coupon
Discard (each end) 1 in [25 mm] minimum
Reduced-section tensile (×2) 1-1/2 in [38 mm] each minimum
Face-bend (×2) 1-1/2 in [38 mm] each minimum
Root-bend (×2) 1-1/2 in [38 mm] each minimum
Macro section (if required) 1/2 in [13 mm]

Accounting for saw-cut kerfs of approximately 1/8 in [3 mm] per cut, a plate of roughly 14–16 in [355–405 mm] length is the practical minimum for the standard test set. Most qualification labs recommend ordering 18–24 in [460–610 mm] plates to leave margin for saw error and any re-cuts if an initial specimen is damaged.

When supplementary CVN toughness testing is required (per Table 6.8): each Charpy V-notch set requires 3 specimens (minimum), each approximately 2-3/8 in [60 mm] long with saw kerfs. A full CVN set typically adds 8–10 in [200–255 mm] to the required plate length. Order accordingly.

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

Specimen Sequence and Location Along the Plate

AWS D1.1:2025 Figure 6.4 places specimens in a defined order from one end of the test plate to the other. The sequence is:

  1. Discard — minimum 1 in [25 mm] from the weld start (runoff tab end or weld start end).
  2. Reduced-section tensile #1
  3. Face-bend #1
  4. Root-bend #1
  5. CVN specimens (when required) — positioned in the middle of the plate where the weld is most representative; notch location and orientation per Figure 6.4
  6. Root-bend #2
  7. Face-bend #2
  8. Reduced-section tensile #2
  9. Macro section (if included)
  10. Discard — minimum 1 in [25 mm] from the weld stop end.

The symmetric arrangement of tensile and bend specimens on both sides of the plate center is deliberate: it confirms that mechanical properties are consistent along the full length of the weld, not just in one zone.

Orientation: Transverse vs. Longitudinal Specimens

The standard orientation for reduced-section tensile and bend specimens in groove weld PQRs under AWS D1.1:2025 is transverse — the specimen axis is perpendicular to the weld. The weld metal crosses through the middle of the specimen.

Longitudinal specimens (specimen axis parallel to the weld) are used in specific cases:

  • When the base metal or weld metal cannot be bent at the specified test radius without cracking (high-strength, limited ductility materials)
  • When the procedure calls for all-weld-metal tensile testing (not the default for AWS D1.1 structural qualification)

Most structural steel PQRs under AWS D1.1:2025 use transverse specimens. The WPS and PQR report must document which orientation was used.

Thickness Effects on Specimen Type

AWS D1.1:2025 modifies specimen type based on plate thickness at the time of qualification testing:

  • Plates 3/8 in [10 mm] and under: Use face-bend and root-bend specimens (two each).
  • Plates over 3/8 in [10 mm] up to 1-1/2 in [38 mm]: Face-bend and root-bend still apply.
  • Plates over 1-1/2 in [38 mm]: Side-bend specimens may replace face and root bends (Clause 6.3.3). Side bends are typically 3/8 in [10 mm] thick slices cut transversely from the weld, bent with the weld cross-section fully loaded. A 2-in-thick qualification plate typically uses four side-bend specimens instead of two face and two root bends.

This substitution is important for shops qualifying procedures on heavy plate: face-bend specimens from 2-in plate require a bending fixture that exerts enormous force and often splits the specimen at the weld root simply because of the lever arm geometry. Side bends on heavy plate are structurally equivalent and mechanically easier.

CVN Specimen Placement and Notch Location

When Table 6.8 supplementary essential variables are invoked — usually because the contract specification requires CVN toughness testing or the EOR has specified notch toughness values — the Charpy specimen placement follows AWS D1.1:2025 Figure 6.4, Section C-C.

The standard notch locations are:

  1. Weld metal centerline — the notch is positioned at the weld centerline.
  2. Fusion line — the notch is at the fusion boundary.
  3. 1/16 in [2 mm] into the HAZ from the fusion line
  4. 1/8 in [3 mm] into the HAZ from the fusion line (sometimes required for additional data)

The number of specimens at each location is a minimum of 3 (for a set of three test temperatures) or as required by the contract specification. A full CVN test program with weld metal and two HAZ locations requires 9–12 Charpy specimens minimum from the same test plate — which reinforces why supplementary CVN testing requires significantly larger test plates.

What the CWI/Inspector Witnesses at the Qualification Test

Before the test plate is cut, the inspector should witness or verify:

  1. Preheat — correct temperature per Table 6.3 before arc start.
  2. Interpass temperature — maximum not exceeded between passes; logged per pass.
  3. Actual parameters — amperage, voltage, travel speed measured and recorded per pass (or sampled per pass sequence). These become the "actual" values on the PQR.
  4. Visual inspection of completed weld before cutting — identify any visual discontinuities that would make the plate unacceptable for testing.
  5. Specimen marking — before the plate goes to the test lab, mark the discard zones and specimen locations on the plate in permanent marker to confirm with the testing lab's cut plan.

AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.4.1 requires the fabricator's representative (and the authorized inspector, if required by the project) to be present for qualification welding. Some project specifications require the EOR or a third-party level III to witness the cut and coupon chain-of-custody through to the testing lab. If that is the case, coordinate the witness inspection schedule before scheduling the qualification weld.

Common PQR Layout Mistakes

  • Cutting from the start/stop crater zones: The first and last inch of weld are scrap. Any shop that reports a passing PQR based on specimens cut from runoff tabs has an invalid record.
  • Insufficient plate length: Ordering the minimum-size plate, then discovering mid-layout that CVN specimens were also required, results in either an invalid test set or a second qualification weld.
  • Wrong bend specimen type for thickness: Using face/root bends on 2-in plate instead of side bends is not a material violation but creates mechanically invalid specimens that will fail the bend test radius — generating repair scrap and a re-qualification expense.
  • Missing hardness traverse when required: Some owner specifications require a hardness survey (Vickers or Rockwell) across the weld/HAZ/base metal transect. This is typically done on the macro section specimen; if no macro was planned, a 4th coupon is needed.

Summary

PQR test plate planning is a pre-production activity, not an afterthought. Know the specimen requirements before you strike the qualification arc:

  1. Confirm whether CVN testing is required per Table 6.8.
  2. Calculate total plate length required (specimens + discards + saw kerfs).
  3. Order plate with 10–15% margin for re-cuts.
  4. Determine face/root bends vs. side bends based on qualification thickness.
  5. Coordinate lab cut plan with specimen orientation and notch locations before the plate ships.

Getting the layout right the first time means one PQR, one test report, one CWI sign-off — and a valid WPS ready to put in front of the EOR for approval.

For WPS/PQR documentation that tracks qualification thickness, specimen requirements, and test results in one audit-ready record, see /pricing.

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