The paper describes the results of a pilot series of tests on incomplete penetration butt welds subjected to combined tension and bending. Nine tension tests were performed using increasing levels of eccnetricity. Two distinct failure modes were observed depending on the direction of the eccentricity. In the first, the eccentricity caused the connection to "close-up", inducing compression between the unfused parts of the abutting surrfaces. In the second, the eccentricity caused the concection to "open-up", involving a separation of the unfused parts and large bending strains in the weld. A relationship between eccentricity and strength is derived. The results are compared with the design provisions of AS4100:1998.
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