Joint Test Research Articles

Bio-based hybrid planar truss: Experimental testing, FE modeling and Bayesian model updating

This paper examines the cyclic behavior of a bio-based truss structure with slotted steel plate bolted connections through a comprehensive approach involving experimental testing, FE modeling, and Bayesian model updating. Experimental tests were performed on both connection and truss levels to determine the cyclic behavior. For the joint level, a total of four distinct joint configurations were tested to determine their axial hysteretic behavior. For the truss level, cyclic tests were carried out on four hybrid planar trusses composed of the four types of truss joints. To define the axial hysteretic behavior of the joints, a robust numerical model is first defined accounting for hysteretic behavior in OpenSees. The proposed model can capture sliding, contact, pinching, strength degradation, and failure behavior. A model reduction via parameter sensitivity analysis is first performed. A Bayesian parameter identification based on Sequential Monte Carlo method was performed based on cyclic truss joints tests. A model of the hybrid truss was developed in OpenSees by integrating the joints and elastic truss elements. The developed model underwent validation using various experimental parameters, including the hysteresis curve, relative displacement at joints, and strain values at each chord. To correct the errors and the bias, a Bayesian model updating framework based on the Sequential Monte Carlo method is proposed herein to deal with model uncertainty. The proposed framework enables the acquisition of highly precise predictions by incorporating global and/or local responses while appropriately accounting for model uncertainties.

Railway Signal Electronic Control System Based on BP Neural Network

Railway signal system is the core system of railway command train operation. After the installation of the system equipment is completed, a comprehensive test shall be carried out through joint debugging and joint testing, and the applicability of the system to the design requirements shall be generally evaluated according to the test results. This paper focuses on the research of railway signal electronic control system. Based on BP neural network, fault information can be quickly and accurately identified in a relatively short time, and accurate electronic signal control can be realized in a complex system environment. The final result of the study shows that the difference in delay error of railway signal transmission under BP neural network technology is small, there are some subtle differences in 5 different modes, but the impact is small, in mode 1, the target time value is 0.236s, The actual reflection time is 0.322s, it can be seen that the error is controlled within 0.2s, which is feasible. Through the analysis of delay error of railway signal electronic control system, BP neural network has certain advantages in railway signal transmission.

Evaluating the joinability of thin-walled high pressure die cast aluminium for automotive structures using self-piercing rivets

This paper is the first to report successful application of self-pierce riveting (SPR) in thin-walled high pressure die cast (HPDC) aluminium for use in automotive applications. HPDC fabricated AA356x coupons were joined to conventional rolled RC5754 material. A set of industry-relevant joint stacks were created. Priority stacks included cast material as the upper layer. More challenging joints were also fabricated with cast material as the lower layer. Automotive industry key performance indicators were used to assess joint integrity. The key results and recommendations were:•HPDC aluminium was revealed to be able to be joined to rolled aluminium according to vehicle manufacturer automotive standards.•Process boundaries were established for satisfactory SPR joints across a range of material thicknesses and stack types.•SPR joint solutions were proven in the most challenging stacks with cast material as a bottom layer.•Greater variability in the joint key performance indicators was observed in stacks where the cast alloy is the top layer.•Microstructural analysis of both AA356x and RC5754 revealed differences in grain structure and hardness and it is proposed that this accounts for the increased variability.•Strength testing of lap shear joints demonstrated the mechanical effectiveness of an SPR joint including cast material. Under normal vehicle operating conditions, the performance of joints including cast material was equivalent to that of rolled material only joints. Following yielding, joints including cast material suffered a more brittle failure mode leading to differences in performance under crash scenarios.

Experimental investigation on tensile behavior of CFRP bolted joints subjected to hydrothermal aging

Abstract With the help of bolted joints to assemble a complex structure, carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite (CFRP) is widely used in various fields. However, stress concentration around holes at the bolted joints leads to a decrease in bearing capacity. Composites often result in mechanical degradation subjected to a complex hydrothermal environment. Therefore, to study the tensile behavior of CFRP bolted joints subjected to hydrothermal aging, the tensile tests are conducted carefully. The influence of aging time and temperature on tensile strength is investigated based on the response history, strain contour, and failure morphology. The failure mechanism is revealed via digital image correlation technology. Finally, the experimental results demonstrate that the bearing capacity of the structure in hydrothermal aging decreases significantly. Compared with the unaged specimens, the peak force of the specimens aged for 6 weeks at 25°C and 65°C is reduced by 22.79% and 35.63%, respectively. Under both the unaged and aged, the same bearing failure is found in the tensile tests of CFRP single-bolt single-lap joints.

Association Between Medicare's Sepsis Reporting Policy (SEP-1) and the Documentation of a Sepsis Diagnosis in the Clinical Record.

Interrupted time series analysis of a retrospective, electronic health record cohort. To determine the association between the implementation of Medicare's sepsis reporting measure (SEP-1) and sepsis diagnosis rates as assessed in clinical documentation. The role of health policy in the effort to improve sepsis diagnosis remains unclear. Adult patients hospitalized with suspected infection and organ dysfunction within 6 hours of presentation to the emergency department, admitted to one of 11 hospitals in a multi-hospital health system from January 2013 to December 2017. Clinician-diagnosed sepsis, as reflected by the inclusion of the terms "sepsis" or "septic" in the text of clinical notes in the first two calendar days following presentation. Among 44,074 adult patients with sepsis admitted to 11 hospitals over 5 years, the proportion with sepsis documentation was 32.2% just before the implementation of SEP-1 in the third quarter of 2015 and increased to 37.3% by the fourth quarter of 2017. Of the 9 post-SEP-1 quarters, 8 had odds ratios for a sepsis diagnosis >1 (overall range: 0.98-1.26; P value for a joint test of statistical significance = 0.005). The effects were clinically modest, with a maximum effect of an absolute increase of 4.2% (95% CI: 0.9-7.8) at the end of the study period. The effect was greater in patients who did not require vasopressors compared with patients who required vasopressors ( P value for test of interaction = 0.02). SEP-1 implementation was associated with modest increases in sepsis diagnosis rates, primarily among patients who did not require vasoactive medications.

Performance of Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) in shield tunnel segmental joints: A comparative study with ordinary reinforced concrete

Shield tunnel segmental joints are traditionally vulnerable, limited by their tensile capacity and susceptibility to cracking. Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) offer a promising solution due to their superior tensile strength, exceptional crack resistance, and remarkable toughness. However, the application of ECC in tunnel segment joints remains unexplored. To address this gap, this paper conducted comprehensive full-scale tests of ECC segmental joints versus ordinary reinforced concrete (RC) segmental joints. It investigated mechanical responses including material behavior, deflection, joint action, bolt strain, crack development, and failure modes. Results revealed that: (1) ECC joints provided a 33.97 % higher stable bearing capacity and a 50 % increase in initial cracking strength compared to RC joints. (2) ECC joints excelled in crack control, maintaining crack widths below 0.2 mm, while RC joints experienced significant cracking with widths exceeding 1 mm. (3) In terms of toughness, ECC joints surpassed RC by 66 % in the elastic stage and 123 % in the normal serviceability stage, with 96 % higher ductility. (4) ECC joints significantly outperformed RC joints in bolt stress uniformity and concentration, achieving a 43.21 % reduction in average bolt stress. (5) Regarding multi-scale mechanical effects, ECC joints increased the toughness and strength advantage over RC by more than 45 % in the elastic phase. These results reveal the potential of ECC in significantly enhancing the durability and resilience of shield tunnels, particularly in harsh environments subjected to high ground stress or seismic activities.

Simplified Procedure to Determine the Cohesive Material Law of Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM)-Substrate Joints.

Fiber-reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) composites have been largely used to strengthen existing concrete and masonry structures in the last decade. To design FRCM-strengthened members, the provisions of the Italian CNR-DT 215 (2018) or the American ACI 549.4R and 6R (2020) guidelines can be adopted. According to the former, the FRCM effective strain, i.e., the composite strain associated with the loss of composite action, can be obtained by combining the results of direct shear tests on FRCM-substrate joints and of tensile tests on the bare reinforcing textile. According to the latter, the effective strain can be obtained by testing FRCM coupons in tension, using the so-called clevis-grip test set-up. However, the complex bond behavior of the FRCM cannot be fully captured by considering only the effective strain. Thus, a cohesive approach has been used to describe the stress transfer between the composite and the substrate and cohesive material laws (CMLs) with different shapes have been proposed. The determination of the CML associated with a specific FRCM-substrate joint is fundamental to capture the behavior of the FRCM-strengthened member and should be determined based on the results of experimental bond tests. In this paper, a procedure previously proposed by the authors to calibrate the CML from the load response obtained by direct shear tests of FRCM-substrate joints is applied to different FRCM composites. Namely, carbon, AR glass, and PBO FRCMs are considered. The results obtained prove that the procedure allows to estimate the CML and to associate the idealized load response of a specific type of FRCM to the corresponding CML. The estimated CML can be used to determine the onset of debonding in FRCM-substrate joints, the crack number and spacing in FRCM coupons, and the locations where debonding occurs in FRCM-strengthened members.

Full scale testing of fatigue resistant composite joints for offshore wind Jacket and Floating structures

Complex welds in the joint region reduce the fatigue resistance of structural joints of circular hollow sections with factors that results in increased wall thicknesses of the tubes and overspending of steel in the multi-membered part of the jacket and floating support structures for offshore wind turbines. The wrapped composite joint is a breakthrough technology utilising bonding and fatigue resistant composite material to connect steel tubular members instead of welding. The main technical advantage is that the superior fatigue life of wrapped composite joints. Full-scale wrapped composite joint is tested by cyclic out-of-plane bending loading in resonance-based Cronos testing rig at OCAS N.V. in Belgium. Results reveal exceptional fatigue life of wrapped joints to combined loading when compared to welded joints, showcasing a potential that can radically reduce steel use for offshore structures.

Effect of Temperature and Humidity Coupling on the Ageing Failure of Carbon Fiber Composite/Titanium Bonded Joints.

Temperature and humidity coupling has a more significant effect on the failure properties of bonded joints than a single factor, and there is not enough research on this. In this paper, joints bonded with strong toughness structural adhesives are selected for the experimental analysis of joints aged for 240 h, 480 h, and 720 h at temperatures of 40 °C and 60 °C and a humidity of 95% and 100%. The sequential double Fick's model was used to fit the water absorption of the joints, and the comparison yielded that the water absorption of the adhesive was in accordance with Fick's law. The quasi-static tensile tests revealed that the reduction in mechanical properties of the joints was positively correlated with the moisture content in the environment, while the competing mechanisms of post-temperature curing and hydroplasticization resulted in a slight increase in the failure strength and energy uptake of the aged joints, which is in agreement with the experimental results of the Fourier infrared spectroscopy. A combination of macroscopic failure sections and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images yielded that the failure mode of the joints changed from cohesive failure to interfacial failure with increasing ageing time. In addition, reliability analyses for the fatigue testing of joints are expected to provide guidance for the life design of bonding technology in the vehicle service temperature range.

Mechanical performance of a kind of bolted joint for single-layer latticed shells under pure bending

In this paper, a kind of bolted joint with separated joint-body is creatively proposed. The mechanical properties of the bolted joints in the pure bending state are studied through theoretical calculation, test and finite element simulation. Based on the component method, a simplified mechanical model is proposed. The formulas of the initial rotational stiffness and the yield moment of the joint are derived. For the bolted joints, seven groups of test specimens with different typical parameters are designed. The mechanical performance tests of joints under pure bending are carried out. The influences of the joint-body form and the joint parameters on the mechanical properties of joints are obtained. Finally, the determination methods and the recommended values of the key parameters of the joint are given, which provides a basis for the design of the single-layer latticed shell with new bolted joints.

Participatory modeling for collaborative landscape and environmental planning: From potential to realization

Participatory modeling is a collaborative approach to formalize shared representations of a problem and, through the joint modeling process, design, and test solutions. This approach is particularly well-suited to address complex socio-environmental problems like climate change and its implications on equitable and sustainable resource management and landscape planning. Despite its potential to inform landscape and environmental planning and policy, participatory modeling has yet to become a mainstream practice in our field. The reasons are several. First, it is hard to standardize the approach, as it must be heavily tailored to the characteristics and context of each planning problem, including the stakeholders engaged in the process. It is also onerous, requiring long-term commitment and a broad range of skills that can only be attained through extensive training and collaboration. These and other barriers are currently being addressed with a resurgence of knowledge co-production and ethical participation in scholarship, in practice, and in funding agendas. While most of the participatory modeling scholarship has focused on modeling tools and engagement techniques, multiple other dimensions must be recognized and articulated for impactful planning support. Grounding this perspective on a more fully integrated picture of participatory modeling, I identify some of these gaps and suggest an interdisciplinary research agenda to further evolve and scale up this practice for landscape and environmental planning and policy. The agenda highlights aspects of interface design and model biases, value elicitation and inclusion, management of diversity and innovation through facilitation, and the potential of novel computer-assisted assessment methodologies.

Low temperature soldering technology based on superhydrophobic copper microlayer

Cu–Cu soldering is realized under certain pressure and low temperature conditions by using a surface silver film to modify the copper microlayer structure, thus solving the problems of high thermal stress and signal delay aggravation caused by high temperature in the traditional reflow soldering process. The copper microlayer modified with silver film is obtained by electrodeposition. The surface substructure of the Cu microlayer is a nano cone-shaped protrusion. The diameter of the bottom of the cone is 500 nm∼1 μm, and the height of the cone is 1∼2 μm. The thickness of the silver film is about 320 nm, and the modification of the copper layer with silver film can effectively prevent the oxidation of the copper layer. Two silver-modified copper microlayers are placed in face-to-face contact as a soldering couple. A certain pressure and low temperature are applied to the contact area to realize the soldering and interconnection.The morphology of the soldered interface and the average shear strength of the soldered joints are analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and solder joint tester. It is found that under the optimal soldering parameters of soldering temperature 220 °C, soldering pressure 20 MPa and soldering time 20 min, the nano-conical projections of the Cu micrometer layer are inserted into each other to produce a physical blocking effect. The highly surface-meltable silver film effectively connects the surrounding copper layer as an intermediate buffer layer. The average shear strength of soldering joints is significantly increased. Heat treatment experiments have shown that the average shear strength can be effectively increased by heat treatment for an appropriate period of time. Prolonged exposure to heat has little effect on the average shear strength. With the special morphology of the copper microlayer structure and the nano-size effect of the silver layer, soldering can be done at low temperatures. The quality of the soldering interface is good and small soldering dimensions can be obtained.

Analysis of acoustic emission signal in the tensile process of weld-bonding joint and its damage model

ABSTRACT This paper analysed the acoustic emission signals acquired during the tensile test of DP780 weld-bonding joints, and the Gaussian equation was used to fit the cumulative hits and the load to establish relevant damage models. The process parameters were designed based on the Box-Behnken Design method, and the wavelet packet was used to decompose the collected AE signals. The results showed that, in the elastic stage, no AE signal emitted, and the AE signal was mainly concentrated in the plastic stage, the hardening stage and the failure moment of the weld nugget or the adhesive layer. At the failure instant of the adhesive layer or the weld nugget, the signal amplitude was the largest, and the failure frequency was mainly concentrated in the middle and low-frequency bands. The failure of the adhesive layer and the weld nugget could be distinguished from the energy distribution diagrams, and the established damage model could reflect the damage state of the specimen. The results proved that the acoustic emission technique can provide support for the non-destructive testing of the weld-bonding joint.

Sensory function and somatosensorial system changes according to visual acuity and throwing techniques in goalball players: A cross-sectional study.

The somatosensory system is a complect sensory system that differentiates individual athletes. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of visual acuity level on throwing technique, proprioceptive sense of the shoulder joint, light touch and two-point discrimination sense of the upper extremity, and sensory function (postural control and reaction time) in visually impaired goalball players. Goalball players who have different visual acuities B1(unable to perceive light or recognize its shape); B2 (has a visual field of less than 5 degrees and can recognize shapes); B3 (visual field greater than 5 degrees and less than 20 degrees) participated in the study. The sensorial system was evaluated with proprioceptive sense of the shoulder joint and sensory tests (light touch and two-point discrimination sense of the dominant hand.). Sensory function (postural control and reaction time) was evaluated with the flamingo balance test, functional reach test, and pro-agility test. The goalball players' throwing technique was questioned. Seventeen male players, those aged 20-30 (20.8±3.9 years) who have been professionally engaged in goalball for at least three years (58.7-37.8 months) participated. Shoulder internal rotation joint position sense and the flamingo balance test were found to be different in the group with B1 visual acuity than in the group with B3 visual acuity (p = 0.042* and 0.028 respectively). There was no difference between groups with B1-B2 visual acuity (p = 0.394 and p = 0.065) and between groups with B2-B3 visual acuity (p = 0.792 and p = 0.931). There was no difference in the groups in terms of sensory tests and reaction time (p> 0.05). In goalball, joint position sense is related to throwing techniques. Although there is a general acceptance that other sensory systems should work harder to compensate for the sense of vision, fear of falling, athlete's branch year, sports year, muscle strength, and general physical condition of the athlete may affect the measurements made, especially in the dynamic position.

Improving mechanical behavior of adhesively bonded composite joints by incorporating reduced graphene oxide added polyamide 6,6 electrospun nanofibers

Adhesive joining of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites requires adequate interface tailoring and careful surface preparation to obtain a strong bond between components. This study aimed to improve the mechanical performance of adhesively bonded unidirectional carbon fiber-based (CFRP) composite parts by modifying joint surfaces with graphene-added electrospun Polyamide 6,6 (PA66) nanofibers. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was dispersed at 10 % wt/v PA66 solution at three different concentrations below rGO saturation limits. Bead-free nanofibers with homogenous graphene distribution were obtained on a prepreg by electrospinning. Addition of up to 2 % rGO yielded complete dispersion through the nanofiber network while the higher values created local agglomerations. Surface wetting experiments showed conversion of slightly hydrophobic surfaces to complete hydrophilic with electrospun nanofiber coating and the lowest contact angle was obtained at 2 % wt/v rGO addition (26.18°±2.03°). Composite plates were produced in a hot press keeping the modified prepregs on top. Plates with different surface treatments joined by secondary bonding using 3 plies of FM 300 K film adhesive. Mechanical properties of adhesively bonded composites were tested by Single lap joint and Charpy impact tests. We achieved an 18 % increase in shear strength and 31 % increase in impact strength by adding 2 % wt/v ratio rGO into PA66 electrospun nanofiber.

The Effect of Soft Tissue Release at the Thoracolumbar Junction in a Patient with Bilateral Leg Symptoms: A Case Report

Background: Manual therapists mostly see patients with bilateral leg symptoms. Pain, pins and needles, fatigue, heaviness, lower limb coldness, and loss of neurological conduction are the patients’ symptoms. It is hypothesized to be caused by the sympathetic nervous system. Few publications cover its pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Limited research has examined the consequences of soft tissue release at the thoracolumbar junction. This case describes STR in a patient with bilateral leg symptoms.Case Report: A 39-year-old female presented with bilateral leg symptoms, especially the left leg, with more intensity at night. The symptoms started without a clear cause almost two years ago. She had clear low back pain 2 years ago. The sacroiliac joint and neurologic tests were normal. The examiner found some stiffness in the hip joint range of motion and SLR, especially on the left side. The patient reported some stiffness during active lumbar ROM, especially in rotation to the right and flexion. Palpation revealed tenderness in the piriformis, biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius muscles and L5, especially on the left side, and hypomobility in the thoracolumbar junction. The patient has been treated for 10 sessions with a 6-week multimodal approach consisting of STR, the Garston technique, and electrical stimulation in the thoracolumbar junction. The patient was assessed four times. She had a significant decrement in the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the Global Rating of Change Scales (GRC), and the Beck Anxiety Index following the interventions. She could do her personal activities and would sleep without the sedative.Conclusion: T10 to L2 supply lower extremity sympathetic nerve fibers. This case study demonstrates that these treatments could help these clinical presentations. Interventions with STR need more research. Therapists should evaluate the thoracolumbar junction and SNS in individuals with bilateral leg symptoms without a dermatomal pattern.

Engineering design and testing of rotary joints’ driving systems for the CFETR multi-purpose overload robot

This study focuses on the engineering design and testing of the rotary joints' driving systems for the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR) Multi-Purpose Overload Robot (CMOR). CMOR is a critical component in the CFETR. The CFETR tokamak serves as an engineering test reactor in China for magnet confinement fusion research. CMOR, a 7-DOF manipulator, is specifically designed for internal maintenance within the CFETR. This poses significant challenges in the design of the joint driving systems. The joint types of CMOR are categorized into three, comprising one translation joint, two swing joints, and four rotary joints. Using rotary joint J6 of CMOR as an example, this paper provides a detailed exploration of the engineering design and testing of the rotary joints' driving systems, offering a comprehensive explanation of their design specifications and principles. Specification and strength assessments are conducted on the engineering design results, meeting all requirements. Furthermore, the paper delves into the testing methods of the driving systems, including the assessment of transmission error and backlash error, two crucial indicators for the driving system. This research contributes valuable insights for future joint designs and testing of the CMOR heavy-load manipulator.

Nurse-Led Strategy to Improve Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Level Among People With HIV

Despite higher atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk, people with HIV (PWH) experience unique barriers to ASCVD prevention, such as changing models of HIV primary care. To test whether a multicomponent nurse-led strategy would improve systolic blood pressure (SBP) and non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level in a diverse population of PWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). This randomized clinical trial enrolled PWH at 3 academic HIV clinics in the US from September 2019 to January 2022 and conducted follow-up for 12 months until January 2023. Included patients were 18 years or older and had a confirmed HIV diagnosis, an HIV-1 viral load less than 200 copies/mL, and both hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. Participants were stratified by trial site and randomized 1:1 to either the multicomponent EXTRA-CVD (A Nurse-Led Intervention to Extend the HIV Treatment Cascade for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention) intervention group or the control group. Primary analyses were conducted according to the intention-to-treat principle. The EXTRA-CVD group received home BP monitoring guidance and BP and cholesterol management from a dedicated prevention nurse at 4 in-person visits (baseline and 4, 8, and 12 months) and frequent telephone check-ins up to every 2 weeks as needed. The control group received general prevention education sessions from the prevention nurse at each of the 4 in-person visits. Study-measured SBP was the primary outcome, and non-HDL cholesterol level was the secondary outcome. Measurements were taken over 12 months and assessed by linear mixed models. Prespecified moderators tested were sex at birth, baseline ASCVD risk, and trial site. A total of 297 PWH were randomized to the EXTRA-CVD arm (n = 149) or control arm (n = 148). Participants had a median (IQR) age of 59.0 (53.0-65.0) years and included 234 males (78.8%). Baseline mean (SD) SBP was 135.0 (18.8) mm Hg and non-HDL cholesterol level was 139.9 (44.6) mg/dL. At 12 months, participants in the EXTRA-CVD arm had a clinically significant 4.2-mm Hg (95% CI, 0.3-8.2 mm Hg; P = .04) lower SBP and 16.9-mg/dL (95% CI, 8.6-25.2 mg/dL; P < .001) lower non-HDL cholesterol level compared with participants in the control arm. There was a clinically meaningful but not statistically significant difference in SBP effect in females compared with males (11.8-mm Hg greater difference at 4 months, 9.6 mm Hg at 8 months, and 5.9 mm Hg at 12 months; overall joint test P = .06). Results of this trial indicate that the EXTRA-CVD strategy effectively reduced BP and cholesterol level over 12 months and should inform future implementation of multifaceted ASCVD prevention programs for PWH. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03643705.

A joint test of predictability and structural break in predictive regressions

A joint test of predictability and structural break in predictive regressions

STUDY OF GEOMETRIC UNSHARPNESS PHENOMENON IN WELDED PLATES USING INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY METHOD

The purpose of this document is to elucidate the methodology employed in analyzing the impact of unsharpness resulting from an X-ray generator on the assessment of steel welded joints. The presence of unsharpness significantly affects the accuracy of welded joint inspections conducted through industrial radiographic techniques, distorting actual measurements of potential discontinuities within the weld. To address this issue, a series of welded joint testing specimens were fabricated using a Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) process. Each specimen was intentionally designed to contain simulated discontinuities whose dimensions adhered to the acceptance or rejection criteria outlined in the API 1104 standard. Subsequently, radiographic testing was conducted on each specimen, and the dimensions of the simulated discontinuities captured on the radiographic films were measured using the "ISee!" software, as recommended by the ASTM E1165 standard. Upon comparison of the actual and theoretical measurements, it was observed that the maximum unsharpness along the X-axis was recorded in specimens featuring elongated slag inclusions (ESI), with a value of 0.1948 mm. Conversely, the maximum unsharpness along the Y-axis was attributed to individual porosities (P), with a recorded value of 0.1041 mm.