Which characteristic is assessed in the bend test for welded joints?
Ductility of the weld metal
The bend test is a mechanical (destructive) test in which a sample cut across a welded joint is bent through a specified angle, usually around a mandrel of defined radius. As the specimen is bent, the weld and surrounding zones are forced to stretch on the outer (tension) side.
Why ductility of the weld metal is the correct answer:
- The essential quantity assessed is the ductility of the weld and heat-affected zone — that is, their ability to undergo plastic deformation without cracking.
- If the weld metal is brittle or contains defects (lack of fusion, porosity, cracks), it will open up or crack on the stretched surface at a small bend angle; a sound, ductile weld bends fully without breaking.
- Common variants — face bend, root bend and side bend — stress different regions of the joint, but all evaluate the same fundamental capacity to deform plastically.
Why the other options are incorrect:
- Magnetic properties are assessed by magnetic particle testing, which is a non-destructive method for surface/near-surface crack detection, not a bend test.
- Surface finish is judged by visual or optical inspection and roughness measurement, not by bending.
- Chemical composition is determined by spectrometric/chemical analysis of the metal, which has nothing to do with mechanical bending.
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