Overview
EN ISO 17660-1:2006 - Welding of reinforcing steel, Part 1: Load‑bearing welded joints specifies requirements for welding weldable reinforcing steel and stainless reinforcing steel used in load‑bearing welded joints, whether executed in workshops or on site. The standard covers materials, design and execution of welded joints, qualification of welding personnel, quality requirements, and the examination and testing needed to ensure structural performance. It applies only to static loaded structures and also addresses welded joints between reinforcing bars and other steel components (for example connection devices and insert anchors). Non load‑bearing joints are treated in ISO 17660‑2.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope and applicability: Focus on load‑bearing welded joints in reinforced concrete; excludes mass factory production of welded fabric/lattice girders using multiple spot or projection welding machines. Fatigue‑loaded structures require additional consideration.
- Welding processes: Permitted processes are referenced to ISO 4063 (examples include manual metal‑arc, GMAW/MAG, FCAW, resistance spot and projection welding, flash and butt welding, friction welding and oxy‑fuel welding).
- Materials and design: Requirements for weldable reinforcing steels and stainless reinforcing steels; guidance for welded joints between bars and other steel components or prefabricated assemblies.
- Personnel and qualifications: Welding personnel approval and coordinator responsibilities are specified in line with ISO 9606‑1, ISO 14731 and ISO 14732 references.
- Procedure documentation: Use of Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) and Welding Procedure Qualification Record (WPQR) as referenced in ISO 15609 and ISO 15614 series.
- Quality, testing and inspection: Production weld tests, examination and testing of specimens, production logs and acceptance criteria (including references to ISO 3834‑3 and ISO 5817) are required to demonstrate compliance.
Applications and users
EN ISO 17660-1:2006 is intended for:
- Structural and civil engineers specifying reinforced concrete construction
- Fabricators and contractors performing on‑site or workshop welding of reinforcing bars
- Welding coordinators, quality managers and QA/QC inspectors responsible for welding controls and inspection
- Manufacturers of prefabricated reinforcement assemblies and designers of connection devices and anchors
Practical uses include welding cross joints, lap and butt joints, welded connections to inserts or fittings, and qualification of welding procedures and operators for structural reinforcement work.
Related standards
Key normative references and related documents commonly cited with EN ISO 17660‑1 include:
Using EN ISO 17660‑1:2006 helps ensure safe, auditable and consistent welding practices for load‑bearing reinforcing steel in reinforced concrete structures.