Welding Inspection & Metallurgy API ICP Self Study Notes

10.3 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
The physical properties of base metals, filler metals and alloys being joined
can have an influence on the efficiency and applicability of a welding process.
The nature and properties of gas shielding provided by the decomposition of
fluxing materials or the direct introduction of shielding gases used to protect
the weldment from atmospheric contamination can have a pronounced effect
on its ability to provide adequate shielding and on the final chemical and
mechanical properties of a weldment. The physical properties of a metal or
alloy are those, which are relatively insensitive to structure and can be
measured without the application of force.
Examples of physical properties of a metal are;
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the melting temperature,
the thermal conductivity,
the electrical conductivity,
the coefficient of thermal expansion, and
the density.