The welding requirements of this code are applicable to any type of welded aluminum alloy structure. It is to be used in conjunction with appropriate complementary codes or specifications for materials, design and construction. It is not intended to supplant codes developed for use in specialized fabrication, such as the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, aerospace codes, or military specifications; it is appropriate for use in fabrication of supporting structures and appurtenances. Requirements that are essentially common to all types of structures are covered in sections 1 through 5, while provisions applying exclusively to nontubular statically loaded structures, nontubular dynamically loaded structures, or tubular structures are included in sections 7, 8, and 9, respectively.

The fundamental premise of the code is to provide general stipulations applicable to any situation. Acceptance criteria for production welds different from those specified in the code may be used for a particular application, provided they are suitably documented by the proposer and approved by the Engineer. These alternate acceptance criteria can be based upon evaluation of suitability for service using past experience, experimental evidence or engineering analyses considering material type, service load effects, and environmental factors.

The term building code, as used in this code, refers to the building law or specifications adopted by the legal jurisdiction in which the building is to be constructed. The term associated structural design specification refers to the rules and specifications under which the plans for the work were prepared. In the absence of a locally applicable building code or other construction regulations, it is recommended that the design and construction be made to comply with a specification adopted by a recognized engineering society, a recognized Trade Association, or a recognized governmental agency, for example, Aluminum Design Manual: Specifications for Aluminum Structures (Aluminum Association Inc.)

Abstract

This Code covers the welding requirements for any type of structure made from aluminum structural alloys, except for aluminum pressure vessels and fluid-carrying pipe lines. Sections 1 through 6 and 10 constitute a body of rules for the regulation of welding in aluminum construction. Sections 7, 8, and 9 contain additional rules applicable to specific types of structures, i.e., statically loaded structures, dynamically loaded structures, and tubular structures, respectively, and supplement the first six sections. A commentary on the code is also included with the document.