MDMT & IMPACT

TESTING EXCEPTIONS
AS per UG 22(F)
UG 66(a)
UG 66(b)
UG 68 (c)
 UG 22(f)
Impact testing per UG-84 is not mandatory for pressure vessel materials that
satisfy all of the following:
• The material shall be limited to P‐No. 1, Gr. No. 1 or 2, and the thickness, as defined in
UCS-66(a) shall not exceed that given in (-a) or (-b) below:
a. 1/2 in. (13 mm) for materials listed in Curve A of Figure UCS-66;
b. 1 in. (25 mm) for materials listed in Curve B, C, or D of Figure UCS-66.
• The completed vessel shall be hydrostatically tested per UG-99(b) or UG-99(c) or 27-4.
Alternatively, the completed vessel may be pneumatically tested in accordance with 35-6.
• Design temperature is no warmer than 650°F (345°C) nor colder than −20°F (−29°C).
Occasional operating temperatures colder than −20°F (−29°C) are acceptable when due to
lower seasonal atmospheric temperature.
• The thermal or mechanical shock loadings are not a controlling design requirement. (See
UG-22.)
• Cyclical loading is not a controlling design requirement (See UG-22.).
• If a minimum design metal temperature and governing thickness combination is on or
above the curve, impact testing is not required by the rules of this Division, except as
required by (j) below and UCS-67(a)(3) for weld metal.

• If the governing thickness at any welded joint exceeds 4 in. and the minimum design
metal temperature is colder than 120°F (50°C), impact tested material shall be used.
 Steps if exceptions are not allowed
• UG-20(f)
 We will start with UG-20(f) for the ASME impact test requirement. If your MOC (Material of Construction) is
categorized in P-No. 1 or 2 (Refer to ASME Code Section IX for P-No Definition) and your MOC thickness
has the limited value defined in this clause, then you might be exempted from impact testing.

 But you need to refer to Fig UCS-66 in ASME Code Section VIII Div 1 and see in which A, B, C or D curves
your MOC is listed. All ASME carbon steel and low alloy steel material is distributed in these 4 groups
(Curves) of materials.

 You need to know that the materials listed in curve D have the best toughness property, better than the materials
listed in curve C. Similarly materials listed in curve C have better toughness properties compared to materials
listed in curve B and materials listed in Curve B have better toughness than materials listed in Curve A.

 Check for other exceptions too be satisfied as per in UG 22(f). For example, if your MOC is a normalized SA
516 Gr.70 with 0.75 inch thickness you will be exempted from ASME impact test requirement.
 UCS-66(a)
So assume that in the above example, your MOC thickness is 1.125 inch instead
of 1 inch, you will not be exempted by UG-20(f) and you have to refer to UCS-
66(a);
But for assessment, based on this clause, you need to know your pressure
vessel MDMT (Minimum Design Metal Temperature). Assume that is -20
degree F, so you should now go to Fig. UCS-66 and locate 1.125 inch in the
horizontal axis and draw a vertical line.
In a similar way, locate -20 degree F in the vertical axes and draw a horizontal
line. These two lines will cross each other. See above Figure, the lines are
identified in red.
If the cross point falls above the curve D (because your MOC is listed in curve
D) you are exempted. Otherwise you are not, but for the current example, you
are above the curve D so you are exempted from impact testing.
To simplify your assessment for the ASME impact test requirement, the Fig-66 has been
converted to the table(table UCS-66). For any MOC with specific thickness you can go to this
table and see what is the minimum permissible temperature without impact testing.
• In the above example (normalized SA 516 Gr.70, Curve D, 1.125 inch thickness), the minimum
permissible temperature without impact test is -26 degree F. This means that, if in the above example
your MDMT changes from -20 degree F to -27 degree F, then you cannot be exempted from the
ASME impact test requirement by UCS-66(a), and you have to proceed to UCS-66(b).
UCS-66(b)
Let us explain this clause with the above example. Your MDMT from above is -27 degree F, nominal
thickness is 1.125 inch, normalized SA 516 Gr.70 listed in curve D and you are not exempted by UCS-
66(a).
So you are here to continue your assessment to find a chance for exemption. You have to refer to Fig
UCS-66.1 and calculate the following formula:
Ratio= tr E / (tn –c)
where, tr is the required design thickness for all applicable loading. We assume for the above example
that is 0.95 inch.
E is your joint efficiency, and we assume for this vessel it is 1.
This means your vessel is RT2, tn is your nominal thinness, which in the example from above it is 1.125
inches, and C is corrosion allowance, and we assume it is 0.125 inches;
so let calculate:
Ratio = 0.95x1/(1.125 – 0.125) Ratio= 0.95
• Then go to the Figure UCS-66(b) and in the vertical axes locate Ratio and draw a horizontal
line. Then locate the cross point with the graph and draw a vertical line to cross the
horizontal axis.
• You will be able to reach a value of 8 in the horizontal axes. This 8, is your 8 degree F bonus
from table UCS-66, which you can reduce by 8 degrees F minimum permissible temperature
in table without impact testing.
• In the above example, your MDMT is -27 degree F, and in the UCS 66 table, the minimum
permissible temperature without impact testing designated -26 degree F. So with this clause
you can reduce it to -36 degree F(-26 -8 = -34). Your MDMT is -27 degree F, so you are
exempted from impact testing with this clause.
 UCS-68(c)
• Let us change one variable in the above example. Let's assume you need to have -45 degree
F for your MDMT. Other variable are the same; it means normalized SA 516 Gr.70 listed in
curve D, thickness 1.125, so you can see you are not exempted by UCS-66(b);

• This is because the minimum permissible temperature is -36 degree F, but your MDMT is -
45 degree F, so UCS-68(c) might be helpful.

• It says that if post weld heat treatment is not a code requirement and your P-No is 1 and
you carry out post weld heat treatment, a 30 degree F bonus will be granted to you to
reduce the minimum permissible temperature in table UCS-66.
So when post weld heat treatment is code
requirement?
• It is code requirement when your service is lethal and when your thickness
for P-No. 1 is greater than 1.5 inch;
• So, for our example, our service is not lethal and our P-No. is 1 and
thickness is 1.125 and it is less than 1.5 inch: therefore, post weld heat
treatment is not code requirement.
• It means if you carry out post heat treatment, a 30 degree F bonus will be
granted by this clause. For this example our minimum permissible
temperature would be -36-30=-66 degree F, and your MDMT is -45 degree
F, so you are exempted from impact testing
• Now the worst case: in the above, assume you need to have -70 degree F for
your MDMT; you can see with this new condition you cannot be exempted
even by UCS-68(c) and you have to carry out impact testing.