The groove welds are mostly used for joining buttwelding fittings to each other like pipe to elbows, pipe to tees or other buttweld fittings to each other. In this article, we will understand how to specify groove joint for butt welds, with required details such as depth of the preparation, depth of penetration, the root opening and angle of joint preparation i.e. groove angle.

In the above figure, we have a horizontal reference line and an arrow showing arrow side of the weld. This V groove symbol on the arrow side which is always below the reference line, indicates we have to weld only on arrow side of the joint.

Letters indicated in brackets such as (S), (E) etc. are not included in actual welding drawings. Here they are indicated for your understanding only. Only numeric values are included in actual fabrication drawings.

Typical weld dimensions for 1″ plate thickness are mentioned here.

The (S) value, which is 5/8″ here, is the depth of preparation, which indicates the depth upto which joint must be prepared or bevelled in this case, for welding.

The (E) value, which is 3/4″ in his case, is the depth of penetration of the weld.

The (R) value, which is 1/8″ in this case, is the root opening, which is the gap required between two fittings on the inside or other side of the weld.

The (A) value, which is 60 degrees in this case, the the groove angle, is the included angle of the joint. It is double the angle of bevel which is 30 degrees in this case.