capability

descriptions
Applied Chemistry
Applied Biology
Materials
Technology
www.sintef.no
Technology for a better society
Welding Metallurgy of Low Alloy Steel
Updated
January
2006
SINTEF Materials and Chemistry
Applied Mechanics and Corrosion/
Metallurgy
HAZ regions
The heat affected zone (HAZ) transforma-
tion behaviour is affected by both the peak
temperature (i.e., the distance from the
fusion line), which determines the austenite
grain size, and the cooling time through the
austenite decomposition temperature range,
t
8/5
(cooling time between 800 and 500C).
The HAZ of stringer beads or cap layers is
usually separated into five main regions,
each zone being characterised by a specific
peak temperature (T
p
) interval:
(a) Partially molten region: T
p
close to
the melting point
(b) Grain coarsened region: 1100 < T
p
<
1450C
(c) Grain refined region: A
c3
< T
p
<
1100C
(d) Intercritical (partially transformed)
region: A
c1
< T
p
< A
c3
(e) Subcritical region: Tp below A
c1
Grain growth
Austenite grain growth can be estimated by
the following equation:
(1)
In welding of microalloyed steels, carbides
and nitrides present in the base plate may
either dissolve or coarsen because of the
high temperature experienced within HAZ.
The presence of small particles may coun-
teract grain growth through their pinning
effect. In addition, interactions between
migrating grain boundaries and solute atoms
may also retard grain growth. Such solute
drag effects are strongly dependent on the
type of solute and its diffusivity related to the
grain boundary velocity.
HAZ transformation behaviour
In general, the final HAZ microstructure
depends on complex interactions between
the two main variables: (i) the weld ther-
mal cycle and (ii) the base metal chemical
composition. For thick plates, the relation
between the heat input and t
8/5
is as fol-
lows:
(2)
The base metal hardenability index is
often expressed as carbon equivalents:
(3)

(4)
Weld simulation
Weld simulation is frequently used to char-
acterise the steels response to weld ther-
mal cycles. This is done by either resistance
heating or induction heating with subse-
quent mechanical testing of specimens to
assess the tensile properties or Charpy V
notch toughness.
HAZ strength distribution
The strength of different HAZ regions has
been characterised by weld simulation with
various peak temperatures and cooling
times. An ex ample is shown in Fig.1

Applied Mechanics and Corrosion/Metallurgy
Address: 7465 Trondheim
Location: Richard Birkelands Vei 2B
Phone: + 47 40 00 37 30
www.sintef.no
SINTEF Materials and Chemistry
Contact :
Odd M. Akselsen
Phone: + 47 93 05 94 50
Odd.M.Akselsen@sintef.no
HAZ toughness
The HAZ toughness is strongly linked to the micro-
structure formed during the weld cycle. Typically,
there are two major brittle regions within the HAZ,
namely the grain coarsened and the intercritical
regions. In the former region, coarse austenite
grains with bulk upper bainite are known to be
harmful to fracture toughness. In the latter region,
partial transformation to austenite followed by
formation of high carbon twinned martensite (Fig.2),
decorating prior austenite grain boundaries result-
ing in a remarkable toughness reduction, although
being dependent on the initial type of microstruc-
ture.

Fig.1. Distribution of yield and tensile strength in HAZ at low (left) and high (right) heat input. (a), (c) are XXX
steel, (b), (d) are high strength steel.
Fig.2. High carbon twinned martensite formed in the
intercritical HAZ region.