IS 1182 covers radiographic testing (RT) of butt welds — the gold standard NDT method for volumetric weld inspection. Detects internal defects (porosity, slag, lack of fusion, cracks) invisible to surface methods. Required for all critical pressure vessel and pipeline welds per IS 2825.
Recommended practice for radiographic testing (RT) of butt welds in steel plates covering techniques, image quality, film selection, and acceptance criteria.
Key Values
X-ray rangeUp to ~50mm steel
Ir-192 range10-75mm steel
Co-60 range40-200mm steel
Practical Notes
! RT is mandatory for all butt welds in pressure vessels per IS 2825 — 100% RT for joint efficiency 1.0.
! Radiographer must be BARC/AERB licensed and ASNT Level II certified minimum.
! Radiation safety zone (barricade) is mandatory — serious health hazard from X-ray/gamma exposure.
! Digital radiography (DR) is increasingly replacing film RT — faster, no chemicals, instant images.
! Film density must be >1.8 for valid interpretation — underexposed films are rejected.