COMPARISON OF PWHT REQUIREMENTS OF ASME CODES

Note: This information has all been taken from a white paper intended to support revision to the
PWHT rules in several ASME Codes. It provided a comparison to the current rules and
demonstrates some of the differences between the Codes. While a couple of the Codes
referenced have limited application in the nuclear industry, the effort is targeted at providing
more consistency between the ASME Codes for the PWHT rules. It should be noted that the
B31 Standards Committee has recently authorized the development of a B31 Standard for
Preheat and PWHT.
General
The construction Codes all address PWHT with varying rules for exemptions based on materials,
thicknesses, strengths, alloy contents, and the P Numbers as assigned by ASME Section IX. The
rules are not consistent between Codes for the thicknesses that require PWHT, the definition of the
thicknesses that require PWHT, the material properties that turn on the PWHT requirements, the
holding temperatures, the holding times, the heating and cooling rates, and the terminology used to
describe the requirements. The general approach is to require PWHT unless exempted. As will be
explained in this paper, this in some cases results in degraded weldments as a result of the PWHT.
While this may be true for all of the materials being addressed (P Nos. 1, 3, 4, & 5A), further work is
needed to make major changes to the low alloy materials.
The repair oriented codes (ASME Section XI and the National Board Inspection Code (NBIC)) have
allowed the temper bead or half bead alternatives to PWHT. There are related Code proposals
which may address the use of temperbead techniques within the B31 Codes (csconnect item 04180 for B31.1) but this is not being addressed in this white paper.
The following is a brief description of the various PWHT rules for P Nos. 1, 3, 4, and 5A.

ASME B31.1- Power Piping Code 2010 Edition

ASME B31.1 currently requires PWHT for materials greater than the following thicknesses:
P No. 1 (Groups 1,2,3) - > inch*
P No. 3 (Groups 1,2) - > inch*
P No. 4 (Groups 1,2) - > inch**
P No. 5A (Group 1) - > inch**
* The thickness may be the weld thickness for some weld configurations but is the greater material
thickness otherwise. (Note: B31.1 allows an exemption for P No. 1 materials up to 1 inch in
material thickness with additional criteria of a limited CE and an increased preheat.)
** The thickness is the greater material thickness. Additional limitations exist for carbon content
and preheat. Exemptions are offered for non-load-carrying attachments, for seal welds, and for
socket welds on P Nos. 4 & 5A materials.

ASME B31.3- Process Piping Code 2010 Edition

ASME B31.3 currently requires PWHT for materials greater than the following thicknesses.
Additional criteria include the specified tensile strength of the material and a Brinell hardness after
PWHT is specified for some materials.
P No. 1 - > inch*
P No. 3 - > inch**
P No. 4 - > inch**
P No. 5A - > inch**
*The thickness may be the weld thickness for some weld configurations but is the greater material
thickness otherwise.
** The thickness may be the weld thickness (any plane through the weld) for some weld
configurations but is the greater material thickness otherwise.

ASME Section I - Power Boilers 2010 Edition with 2011 Addenda

ASME Section I currently requires PWHT for materials greater than the following thicknesses:
P No. 1 (Groups 1,2,3) - > inch*
P No. 3 (Groups 1,2) - > inch*
P No. 4 (Groups 1,2) - > inch*
P No. 5A (Group 1) - > inch*
*The thickness may be the weld thickness for some weld configurations but is the lesser material
thickness otherwise. Additional limitations exist for carbon content and preheat. Exemptions are
offered for non-load-carrying attachments. An exemption is also offered for seal welds on P No. 4 &
5A materials.
ASME Section III, Div 1 Rules for Construction of Nuclear Facility Components
Subsection NB (Class 1) 2010 Edition with 2011 Addenda
ASME Section III currently requires PWHT for materials greater than the following thicknesses:
P No. 1 - >1 inch*
P No. 3 - > inch*
P No. 4 - > inch*
P No. 5A - > inch*
*The thickness may be the weld thickness for some weld configurations but is the lesser
material thickness otherwise. Additional exemptions are allowed for fillet welds, socket welds,
and attachment welds.

ASME Section VIII, Div 1 Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels 2010 Edition with
2011 Addenda
ASME Section VIII currently requires PWHT for materials greater than the following thicknesses:
P No. 1 (Groups 1,2,3) - > 1 inch*
P No. 3 (Groups 1,2) - > inch*
P No. 4 (Groups 1,2) - > inch*
P No. 5A (Group 1) - > inch*
*The thickness may be the weld thickness for some weld configurations but is the lesser
material thickness otherwise. Additional exemptions are allowed for fillet welds, socket welds,
and attachment welds.