Designing Partial-Penetration Tee Joints for Naval Ships

Abstract

This paper reviews development of weld design equations which can be used to analyze bevel partial-penetration tee joints. The method developed herein follows closely the development of equations for the design of square-edge partial-penetration tee joints which was presented at the 1986 Ship Production Symposium. For U.S. Navy ship design, technical authority is vested in the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). The published NAVSEA design criteria for partial-penetration tee joints are so conservative that it is mathematically impossible to design a conventional, 100 percent efficient partial-penetration bevel tee joint. With a more rigorous engineering analysis, the alternative method for bevel joints outlined in this paper might be an acceptable replacement for the simple, though unduly conservative existing design criteria.