Defines the stress concentration factor for the bottom plate at the toe of the inside shell-to-bottom fillet weld.
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K = 4.0 for shell-to-bottom fillet welds and lap-welded bottom plates.
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K = 2.0 for butt-welded annular plates where the shell-to-bottom fillet welds have been inspected by 100% magnetic particle examination.
The magnetic particle examination is performed on the root pass at every 1/2 inch
/ 13mm of deposited weld metal while the weld is being made and on the completed weld.
The examination is performed before hydrostatic testing.