AWS D1.8: Structural Welding Code: Seismic Supplement

AWS D1.8, Structural Welding Code: Seismic Supplement, adds to the requirements of D1.1 for welded joints in seismic force resisting systems designed to AISC 341, Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings. It is applied on top of D1.1, not on its own, and like D1.1 it is a code, not a personal credential: a welder qualifies to it by passing a weld test made to a Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) and judged against the code's acceptance criteria. The current edition is D1.8/D1.8M:2025, listed at $183 for AWS members and $244 for non-members (pubs.aws.org, as of 2026-10-21).

Applies alongside D1.1 in jurisdictions and structure types where seismic design provisions govern the connection welding.

• Issuer American Welding Society (AWS)
• Scope A supplement to D1.1 with additional requirements for welded connections in seismic force-resisting systems.
• Who needs it A welder or fabricator working seismic force-resisting connections, in addition to base D1.1 qualification.
• Prerequisites A code, not a personal credential, so it has no entry requirements of its own. Same structure as D1.1: a welder qualifies to it by passing a weld test made to a Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) and judged against the code's acceptance criteria. Applied on top of D1.1, not standalone.
• Test format A weld test made to a WPS and judged against the code's acceptance criteria. Ask the employer or test facility which code and procedure a given test covers.
• Cost $183 member / $244 non-member (AWS Bookstore, retrieved 2026-08-05).
• Renewal / recertification Not applicable.
• Where employers ask for it Named in structural steel postings in seismic design regions, on top of the base D1.1 requirement.