ISIJ lnternational, Vol. 35 (1995), No. 10, pp.

1239-1 247

ToughnessCharacteristi cs and Its Improvementof Electroslag Weld

Metal ot Structural Steel Plate

Shoichiro FUJIHIRA. Akira Yasushi KIKUCH11)and Fukuhisa MATSUDA1)

HATANAKA.
Production Engineering & Development Department. Head Works, Katayama Stratech Ltd. , Minami-Okajima, Taisho-ku,
Osaka. Osaka-fu. 551 Japan. )
1 Welding Research Institute, Osaka University, Mihogaoka, lbaraki. Osaka-fu, 567 Japan.
(Received on June 13. 1995. accepted in final form on July 24. l995)

High heat input electroslag welding (ESW) is widely used for the four side welding of 490 N/mm'class
steel between thick flange or web plate and diaphragm without Post Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT).The
notch toughness of ESW weld metal is generally lower in the centra] part (C zone) than in the peripheral
part (R zone) of the weld metal, This report has treated from metallurgical investigation the reason whythe
notch toughness of Czone is inferior to Rzone. Moreover the improvement of the notch toughness in C
zone has been investigated with the change of chemical element in the weid metal. As a result the reduction
of Si content in weid metal is beneficial to improve the notch toughness of Czone and equalizes the ductility
of both zones.

KEYWORDS:
ESW;toughness; weld metal; microstructure.

in the invisibie conditlons during the welding work.6)

1. Introduction
Therefore, can be said that
it is actually
an ESW
Recently the demandfor the building steelwork of Important welding method (an automatic and vertical
four side steel plate box column construction is increasing welding method) indlspensable to the above welding in
due to a rush to install a super high-rise building, etc. in assembly of box columns.
the field of building steel work to which thick steel plate This test has been carried out as to the electroslag
construction applies. For the sake of the stabilization of welding of non-consumablenozzle type and hereafter the
quality as well as labor saving during the production of electroslag welding of this type is simply called ESW.
the four side steel plate box column, manyautomatic The purpose of this study is to clarify the notch
manufacturing lines to which someautomatic welding toughness of ESW
weld metal of structural steel and to
increase it at the Especially, paying attention
sametime.
processes of high heat input and high efficiency apply
have already been introduced.1 - 5) to the significantdifference of characteristic of notch
In the welding processes above, the heavy current toughness between the central part or core zone (hereafter
submergedarc welding method (hereafter called SAW) simply called C
zone) and the periopheral part or rim
applies to the corner welding of four thick steel plate zone (hereafter simply called zone) of weld R ESW
box column and the electroslag welding method (here-
after called ESW)applies to the four side welding be-
tween thick flange or web plate (which is also called ESWWelder
skin plate) and diaphragm. o
o
ESWwelding method is of the vertical and high o Skin .pla te
efficient welding process to use a molten slag bath
l
which was invented by Paton Research Institute around Corner joint llj
+-
1951 in Russia and improved as the research & de- l ll
r~~~.
++
II
uil 1
l
o I
ll
lhll~)'+ l
velopment results of electroslag welding of consumable o 25~ 1 + l
~
11
cr' 11

~~~_ ~
nozzle type (CES) around 1965 in Japan and has widely II

I
Illl
I Il
lll

;~~
o
o 258~O
-~ ul

I
Illll
- _~ I Il lj~:::~1-
++. II 111111__:~::~.
1111
~;~;;:} t~~
been applied to the actual production of pressure vessel, q)
~- -
Il il
+*
shipbuilding, building steel work, etc, both outside and ~:ILl-~
_~r~
_
~00~9000
inside Japan. ~ Diaphragm
1 it
hi ckness 25~60
)
mm
Furthermore, the main reason why ESW applies to
Steel backing plate
the manufacture of box columns is that the Ttype but
weld diaphragm, the reinforcement plate inside the box tunit : mm}
column as shown in Fig. l. Application of ESW
to Fig, l. Application of ESW to diaphragm in four side plate

diaphragm four
in side plate box column must be welded box column,

1239 C 1995 ISIJ

 ISIJ International, Vol. 35 (1995), No. 10

metal,7 - 8)
the minute and careful study of metallurgical with 2mmV notch is used in this test.
structure as well as notch toughness of both zones has The sampling location of the test specimen as well as
been carried out and the improvement of the notch its notch position in the ESW
weld metal of standard
C
toughness at the zone of weld metal has been intended welding heat input is shownin Fig. 2. zone the C means
at the sametime. The type of steel used for the test is central part of weld metal and zone R
meansthe periphery
of general 490 N/mm2 class and has been tested for the rim part of 3mm
inside from the boundary between
sake of finding the conditions to irnprove weld metal to fusion zone and base metal.
the varlous values of lO.1 to 1'_6.7 kJ/mm(ESWof
Q=
15 to 80mm
thick diaphragm steel plates with one 3. Impact Characteristics of ESW
Weld Metal in Thick
electrode). Plates

2. Test Specimenand Test Method An exampleof the macrostructure of ESW weld metal
produced in the standard welding heat input conditions
2.1. Test SpecimenMaterial in 40mmthick plates is shownin Fig. 3. This is an ex-
The chemical compositions of the test specimens all ample of one pass and a sing]e layer sound weld metal
(490 N/mm2)tensile strength class (40 thickness) and in 40
mmthick plates. The structure in ESW weld metal
used welding wire are shownin Table l. The wires used
mm is not uniform and it can clearly be noticed that the
for ESW
are commercially available mark type and A fine columnar structure
zone in Czone is different from
special mark S(MOalioyed). The standard test speci- the coarse columnar structure zone in R zone, rim. The
ESW 300 impact characteristics of ESW
men
length).
size for is
mm(W= width) x 600 mm(L = weld metal having un-
uniform structure such as the above will be studied.
The comparison results of vE273 values between Cand
2.2. Test Method
The welding conditions to test the effect of the various Charpy test Specimen
levels of welding heat input on the impact toughness of
(lOmm- Squared l
ESWweld metal are shownin Table 2. 2mmV
The effect on the impact toughness has been checked
by changing the heat input in ESW to Ieveis in the 6 o
~t

Q
range of = IO. I to 126.7 kJ/mm(Q = E' I/ V, E: Welding
voltage, I: Welding current, V: Vertical welding rate).
1_~
_!
~:
-Notch

t~; ~- -/L il~

The standard welding heat Input conditions in the case

'
(, l;hrt~ 'j
t~:

of one pass and a single layer welding of 40mm

plate is equivalent to EC (Q=45.6kJ/mm) shown in
thick
rl'C - ~; !

Table 2. The test temperature is 273 (O'C) as a rule K Core J

and the standard Charpy test piece of lOmmsquare F_usion
Rim- ____] Boundary
L__

Table 1. Chemical analyses ofbasemetal (490 N/mm'dass) _

t0=15-80
and welding ~ire.
[mm)
(a88 x) tD 15 20 30 40 60 80
Ua88 (;() Ab80rbed
c 8i Nln P s o N Energy ve G 15 20 25
( pp.) ( ) J
p,. It 2T$X)

~1- 1 0.14 0.85 1 90.

0.008 o.oe2 10 20 82
Fig. 2. Notched location of impact test specimens of Cand
~l- 2 0.18 0.40 l .45 0,024 0.007 lO 80 51
Rzones in ESWweld metal.
~ngoA
Base ~- 3 a.15 o s4
. 1.84 0.014 0,004 1~ 25 l B7
(40111)
~bt a ~-4
~,- 5
0.15

0.15
0.4g

0.35
1
1.40
.42 0.011 0.004

O.OQO 0.002
10

11
28

80 24f
sW Q=45, 6kJ/mm
TW) 1D~~
(490Nll"a
cla88)
TIO' 0.14 0.38 l .22 C.OOG 0.001 12 26
L-
ESW-li re A 0.08 G.42 1.28 0.00G 0.002 o.eoxtb
(YW5A
Welding ~,ec) s G.10 0,00 1 .78 0.015 0,008 Q45X,b
.

Wire SAW-Ii r.
s,u, 0,07 0.58 0.5B
(YA,8.4c

Table 2. Welding conditions used for ESW

and SAW.
WeIdi R9 AJ110U
nt Oi aDhr a9m Weld Hea
Current VoIta9e Gap C
Mark Spe8d v of Flux i
Th ckness IRput a
l (A) E (V) (em/mi n ) (N) tD (nlo,} {mm) (kJ/mm)
ES 3BO 40 9.0 O.i5 15 15 I0.l

E EA 380 42 5.5 o.ao 20 20 17.5

S EB 380 45 3.2 0.55 ao 25 32,0

W Ec 3BO 4E 2.4 o.70 40 25 45 . G

ED 380 52 1.5 O.go GO 25 79.0

EL 380 50 O.9 l.lO 80 25 12G.7

Frg. 3. Macrostructures ofESWand SAW
welds.

C 1995 ISIJ 1240

 ISIJ International, Vol. 35 (1995). No. 10

ESW-1,eld metal SM490A,40mmt, Notched location l

Q*45 . ekS/mm ~ Core or Rim , ESW-weldmetol (BM-4>

LJJ
W.M

l
>_
UJ 300 e s Core
[A:Rim
O
L)

o ~ ,~
O X
~
r()
rf)

~ 200
rl)

h
(\J
c\1
R
~ ~~]
/Rim
E:1,

Q,
c:
Q'
lOO
1:,
Cor- a-

R~m
~
o
v,
\i2re
~
o o
T v L o 50.0 1oo.o 150.0
Notch directian
weld heat input,o (kJ/mm}
Fig. 4. Effect of notched direction of specimen on vE273 value
of ESWweld metal.
Fig. 6. Efrect ofQ on vE273 value in Cand Rzones ofESW
weld metaL

Base metal ; SM490A,40mmt, Q=456kJ/mm (VT1'E) is also obviously higher (about 30K) than that
ESW-weld metal in R zone.
Notched loeatian Figure 6 shows the effect of on vE273 value in the
fonn of comparison between and Rzones in the ESW
Q
; Cofe
Rim C
Rim
\
JL;
weld metal. According to the increase of welding heat
- 200
Core
I input, vE273 value continuously decreases. Onthe other
LU
hand, vE273 in C
zone continuously decreases until
reaches about 30.0 kJ/mm, keeps the stable and low value
Q
100
\\LPre till
Q
reaches about 70.0kJ/mm and then shows a
tendency of a little increase at the maximum heat input
*
Rim
conditions of 126.7 kJ/mm.Q=The Impact values in both

Cand Rzones becomealmost the samein the maximum

heat input conditions of Q=
126.7kJ/mm. The reason
o 173 223 273 323 373 why the impact values decrease in both and zones C R
Testing temperature tK) Q
according to the increase of seemsto be by the increase
Fig. 5. Comparisonofabsorbed energy curve between Cand of prior
ygrain size and Proeutectoid Ferrite (called PF),
etc.* Examples of temperature reflecting micro-
Rzones in ESwweld metal. room
C
scopic structures of both and zones in the weld metal R
R zones in the welded joint the standardprepared in prepared in the welding condltions of Q=45.6kJ/mm
heat input condltions of
test specimens having the
Q
= 45.6 kJ/mmto use respective
notches of three different
using commercial wire
from both form and interval
A
are shown in Fig. 7. Judging
of GBF(Grain Boundary
directions in regard to the welding seamare shown in Ferrite) can be confirmed that the width of
grains, it

Fig. 4. Regardless of sampling direction of test specimens, prior

y grains was finer (more minute) in C zone and
the significant difference of impact values has clearly been coarser (more rough and larger) in R zone in the weld
C
confirmed between and zones. Then in spite of that R metal produced in the welding conditions of standard
the columnar structure in Czone is clearly fine, its impact welding heat input (Q =45.6 kJ/mm). The generation of
value is found to be low. not only coarse GBFat the fine prior y grain boundary
This result seems to be contradictory to the con- but also coarse IPF (Intra-granular Polygonal Ferrite)
ventional relation existed between impact vaiue and together with a few fine IAF (Intra-granular Acicular
grain size and indicates that there must be something to Ferrite) inside the grains can be noticed in C zone of
essentially decrease the impact value in zone which is C weld metal. Onthe other hand, the generation of longer
not in Rzone. GBFonly at coarse prior y grain boundary and a lot of
fine IAF together with
The comparison of absorption energy transition curve a few IPF inside grains can be
between Cand Rzones in ESW weld metal prepared in seen in R zone of the weld metal.
the standard heat input conditions of
shown in Fig. 5. It clearly be
= 34.6 kJ/mm
noticed that the
is

VE
Q Examples of optical microscopic structures on the
impact fractured surface of the weld metal prepared in
can
value in C
zone is a]ways lower than those in zone and R the standard welding conditions are shown in Fig. 8.
the absorption energy transition temperature in zone C The generation of primary cracks on the fractured sur-

* The book weld structure photograph collection9) edited by the Japan Welding Society is referred to for the classification of ferrite in this text.

Gra;n Boundary Ferrite. GBF,Intra-granular Polygonal Ferrite, IPF and Ferrite Side Plate, FSPare generically called the Protected Ferrite, PF.
Furthermore, Intra-granular Acicular Ferrite, IAF is treated not to be included in the Proeutectoid Ferrite,

1241 C 1995 ISIJ

 ISIJ International, Vol. 35 (1995), No. 10

a=45
Core

Fig. 7. Microstructures of Cand Rzones in ESW

weld metal in Q=45.6 kJ/mmby commercially used wire (wire A).

Q=45.6 kJ/mm meta I

100 '~ m
L'-~- GBF
ll
Etched
surface

-~.
Froctured
surface

H
Brittle band
50,1 m

Fig. 9.
SEMexamination for both etched and fractured
sulfaces of c zone in Q=45 6kJ/ml weld metaL

An example of SEMexamination of both etched

and fractured surfaces of C zone in the weld metal
Fig. 8. Comparisonof fracture path in microstructure between
Cand Rzones in weld metal.
prepared in the
45.6kJ/mm is shown in
welding heat input conditions
Fig. 9. The upper part of
of Q=
the
photograph shows the etched structure surface vertical
face found along GBFand the secondary cracks are
is to the fractured surface, the bright portion is pearlite
generated along other GBFor IPF in C zone. On the and the dark portion with stripes is GBF. The genera-
other hand, the primary cracks are generated partly tion of brittle bands is closely related to the exsistence
along GBFbut most of them propagate into the prior of coarse GBFand It can be noticed that the brittle bands
their of fracture progress caused by extremely
y grainslike and thein generation of so many insecondary are traces
cracks those Czone can not be seen R zone brittle propagation. The generation of high density
GBF
of weld metal. in the micro structure of
C
zone of ESW
weld metal is
related to the gneration of a lot of these brittle bands
4. Observation of Impact Fractured Surface of Weld and seemsto cause the decrease of impact value.
Metal
5. Structure Formation and Toughnessof Weld Metal
The observation of impact surface with a
fracture
SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) has been carried 5.1. Form and Characteristics of Micro Structure at
out. Brittle band (brittle facets of long stripes) on the RoomTemperature
impact fractured surface in C
zone of the weld metal Examplesof both typical cross and longitudinal macro
observed. "Brittle bands" which generate in both C structures of ESW
welds with
Q
= lO, (low welding heat I
R
and zones in the form of long strips but are more sig- input), 45.6 (standard w.h.i.) and 126.7kJ/mm (high
nificant in C
zone than in R
zone. The surface of brittle w.h.i) are shown in Fig. lO. The longitudinal
macro
bands with long stripes is extremely flat and smooth and structure of ESW
weld metal with the standard welding
shows a little River Patters so that they can easily be heat input can be divided into Rzone in the rim consisting
identified from the structures around them. of coarse columnar structure and zone of the central C
C 1995 ISIJ 1242
 ISIJ International, Vol. 35 (1995), No. 10

ESW-weld metal, SM490A,40mmt

Wire A,CommerciGlly used (BM-4)
~~ 50 ;
G,

-1'~ 40

~8
g 30

~
~
8
2O

E;
IO
_
~ Core ;e
Rim ; A

Fig. lO. Cross and longitudinal macrostructures of ESW

welds o
o 5Q Ioo
with Q= l0.1, 45.6 and 126.7 kJ/mm.
Weld heat input, O(kJ/mm]
Fig. 12. Relationship between volume fraction of PF and Q
50 p*
for Cand Rzones in weld metal.

-
Q=45.6 or 126.7 kJ/mm
Rim weld meta I (BM-4)
IOO
~I IAF
3
,!::
D PF
80

60

40
2
"E
E 20
:~
> O
45.6 126.7 45.6 126.7
Weld heQt input (kJ/mm]
(a] core zone
Weld heat input fkJ/mm ,'
:~ fb] Rim zone

\E Fig. 13, volumefraction orpFandIAFforCand Rzones

r-
co
metal. Furthermore, it
can be seen that a lot of GBF
and coarse IPF are equally generated in both Cand R
Il
zones.
O Then, as for the characteristics of micro structures at
Fig. Il. Typical transrormed ferrite structures in weld metal room temperature, there is considerable difference of the

for three weld heat inputs. amount of ferrite found between and R zones. C
Figure 12 shows the relationship between volume
portion consisting of comparative small-sized columnar fraction of PF(total of two types such as GBF and IPF)
structures has not specially been found between and C and welding heat input for
Q
and zones in weld C R
R zones of ESWweld metal with both low and high metal. It can be noticed that the amountof PFin zone C
welding heat input. of weld metal is higher than those in zone for all R
Figure 11 shows the typical transformed micro struc-
tures of ESW
weld metal with low, standard and high
welding heat input (of
Q
= 126.7 kJ/mm). Furthermore,
welding heat input checked with a reflecting microscope
the difference of the amount of PF between and R C
zones is a little for both low and high welding heat inputs
at room temperature for comparison. The white acicular and especially the largest for the standard welding heat
of articular our polygonal shapes are ferrite and the input.
dark portions are bainite or pearlite structures. The The measurementresults of volume fraction of ferrite
structure of white and wide stripes is GBFgenerated In structures(both PF and IAF) in C and R zones of the
the piror
y grain boundary, the white polygonal struc- weld metal with both standard and high welding heat
ture generated inside the prior grains is IPF and the inputs are shown in Fig. 13. There is not any special
acicular fine ferrite is IAF.
y
Since a lot of fine and changeof total volumefraction of ferrite structures found
piror oc grains are formed in C
zone of weld metal with according to the variation of welding heat input Q. It
both low and standard welding heat inputs, the amount can be seen that in the case of standard welding heat
of GBFof PF (Proeutectoid Ferrite) is considerably the comparison between (a)
input, and (b) in the figure
higher than those in R
zone even in the same weld shows the large difference of the amount of PF be-

1243 C 1995 ISIJ

 ISIJ International, Vol. 35 (1 995). No. 10

0:45, 6k J/mm

Growth
!/ direction Fiite
7
zone

Fig, 14,
Typical microstructural change from coarse to fine piror
y gram In Q=45,6 kJ/mmweld metal.

tween C and R zones and in the case of high welding

heat input, there almost no significant differcnce of
is

the amount of PF noticed between

C
and R zones. Liquid
Furthermore, the characteristics of the structure can be
acknowledged that even if the amount of welding heat L/~
interface
input is increased from the standard to high value the 6~r interfoce ,l
total amount of ferrite in both
C
and R zones of the r
r
sameweld metal does not change but only the amount , S 6 l
of PF increases or decreases. rB BT
Figure 14 is the continuous photograph to show the 6
typical micro structure change from f A r
coarse to fine at r r
the transition r
r
area in the weld metal for the standard
welding heat input. It can be seen that coarse prior r r
grains grow in Rzone of the left slde weld metal but fine
y
Rim Core Rim
and slender prior y grains grow in C zone of the right
side weld metal.
(Coarse
grain ) (Fine grain)

However, it is the transformed structure. As far as Fig. 15. Longitudinal schematic illustration: of crystallization
solidification structure, it
can be seen that regardless inESWduring welding.
Qf the change of grain size, the width of solidified cel-
y
lular dendritic structure, observed in the fashion of back
stripes in the picture does not change at all and the cel-
lular dendrites
grow straight into C zone beyond the f"
transition area between Cand
Rzones. Weldlng 5peed
5.2. Discussion Formation Mechanismof Fine
Central Part
y Grains
Figure 15 is the longitudinal
schematic illustration to
show the solidification front, (L15),
the transformation
front (~/y) and the growth of oe grains during the welding
work. The fine (Ltquld )
y grains seemto be generated at points
Bof weld metal in the figure. t
t
t Gel
ll

The reason why the fine y grains generate at the point

Bhas not been cleared yet. The authors have investigated
this phenomenausing the constitutional supercooling
t
L
~
\\ R
\~e~//

~~e~'~;

f
mechanismat ~/y transformation front. Figure 16 shows
B'
Vl
e
the relation between the transformation rate of ~/y and ~P A'
..el'lb~ed~

location in ESW weld metal. ~~

B 1~
The transformation rate of ~/y which occurs im-
mediately after solidification reach the maximumat A (Solld )
the center line marked with A and the transformation
Fig. 16. Schematic illustration of connection between trans-
rate R is equal to welding speed.10) formed rate and location in ESW weld metal.

C 1995 ISIJ 1244

 ISIJ Internationa[, Vol. 35 (1995), No. 10

The transformation rate R at any location becomes heterogeneous inclusions of new grains seems to be
always slower than that at point A Iike that at point B
y
formed around the inclusions, etc. (for example, Si02
in the figure and they
can be expressed in the func- etc. seem to be pointed out judging from the later). As
tion of angle between growth and welding directions
one of the main reasons for the formation mechanism
(Rcose, O: angle between growth and welding direc- of fine columnar grains, the authors can estimate the
tions).
y
constitutional supercooling phenomenaat the interface
Taking carbon (C) whose diffusion rate is high. For of ~/y transformation during welding.
example, the concentration distribution of carbon in 5
phase in the front of 6/y interface has been estimated 6. Test Results for Increasing Toughnessof Weld Metal
using someconstants (mean carbon content: O.09mass,
Both BM-4and BM-5of SM90A (of 40 thickness)
~/y transformation start: 1768 K, equilibrium distribu- mm
tion coefficient of carbon between ~/y: 190 from the shownin Table I are
used for the test specimens in this
chapter and also used to test various welding wires and
Fe-C diagram,11) R: 0.04cm/sec from the standard
iron system alloy powders. The chemical compositions
we]ding speed, diffusion coefficient of carbon at 1768
of both iron system alloy powders and ESW welding
K: 1.8 x 10~4cm2/secestimated from Do and
literature,12) Upper figure
in the
17 shows distributionin Fig.
Q wires are shownin Table 3.
The impact va]ues of C zone is not improved by the
of carbon in ~
phase against dlstance from the inter-
continuous addition of various arnounts of the alloy
face during welding. Rc
meansat the center of the weld
metal RRat the location of e: 75' (in the rim zone) and powder of both Fe-Ti and systems during FeMn
welding.
RTat the location of the transition from to zone. R C
Using the Fe-C diagramll) the relation between trans- The chemical analyses of ESWweld metal produced
formation temperature and distance from the interface with 6 different
types of welding wires used for the
is shown in the lower figure test with the standard welding heat input are shownin
in the Fig. 17. From the
result of actual measuring if cooling
curve during welding
Table 4. All the chamical analyses are of zone of weld C
metal.
by the thermocouples (0.5mm cW-WRe)the cooling
rate of the standard welding condition was estimated as The content of carbon (C) In weld metal is higher than
those in various welding wires (C: 0.03-0,lOmasso/o)
about l0.0K/sec at 1768 K. Therefore the temperature
gradients (Gc, GR, GT) for the points could be Inserted and shows almost the constant value (C: 0.10-0,13
in the figure.
massolo). On the other hand, the amount of Ni in the

From the comparison of and in each location, R G

weld metal produced with wire containing 4.18 o/o Ni F
the existence of the constitutional supercooling phe- Table 3. Chemicalcompositions ormaterials used.(mass"/.)
is estimated in each location,lo)
nomena Furthermore it
can be noticed that the constitutional supercooling and (ma8s x
its
range in the Rc at the center are obviously higher o ition
c si Mn P s Cu Ni Mo
Mater ials
than those in the RRat the rim zone of weld metal.
Then, when a certain constitutional supercooling
Fe-Ti Ti =42.4
, c =0 .07 , Si=0 .02, Fe= 7.5
Poder
(for example in the of RT) is obtained, the Fe-Nh Mfl = 74.0 C=0.09, Si l9, Fo S.9
range case , = :$

Rc
A 0.06 o. 42 1.20 0.00G Q.002 0.22 0.20
oo Co /
~1 B 0.10 0.07 1 78 0.010 0.002 0.22 0.50
~~ ll
.

E
//
: c 0.05 1 80 Q004
0.0t 0.010 0.19 0.8T
ES- W
i re . .

V
RR (I .6mmc D 0.08 0.18 2.04 0.007 0.002 0.22 c 80
.
0.44
005
RT --- ll 7f
I E 0.03 0.50 l .84 o 004 0.008 1.24 0.85
I
.

/
/ ll I F o.04 0.2g 1.23 o 007 .
0.00s 4.18 0.21

l l
V o o05 OlO
l I Tab]e Chemical analyses of weld metal with various
(a)
~1'
l I 4.

l I welding wires. (mass"/*)

~l
0~Ol
x(~
l (1 X)
l (BII*5)
et~)O/~J
Rc ~ie7

I7e8
(31
/ tbrk
iti
c Si Mn Ma Ni
Av. ef
RNrk-
v E(J)
[61
B,e lbtal
x \ Gc12SO~
/ero r6+ r] (gl$eoA* 48t)
O.1 5 Q.43 1.42
RR Wire 0,00 o.42 t.28 0.2Q o 07 O~rcial ly
1720 [r] A 3o
RT EW 0.1 1 o.42 1,49 o 08 o 03 u,,d
ConsfiTutional supercooling zone B
li r- o., o o.o7 1 78 0.5Q o.o7 0.5x lo
45
E
H
lee7
~~ : Rc ,
[DIDl,RT,
I RR
li ro

u,,d
c
EW
Wir-
Ew
0.1
0.05
O,1
3
1
o.23 1.5O
O.O1 1.80
0.22 1.53
0.1 8 Q 03
0.31 o 08
0.1 3 o.02 48
eotlid

L Si Typ-
o 005 olo o_05 o.Io
0.08 O.1 O 2.Q4
D
i r-
o 44 o 80 55
a.,! Ni
Distance from 6/r interface fcm) Carbon contentt co (mass'/. ) EW 0.1 2 0.31 1.6 2 0.1 8 0.34 eatl id
(C) (b) 0,03
ir- o.50 l 84 0.35 1.24 1.e$X Ni
E
EW0.1 O o.44 1.47 0.1 3 0.48 70 cQtaill'd
Fig. 17. Explanations of constit ional supercooling in
5 F
li r- 0.04 o.20 1.23 0.2 1 4 18 4.t,X Ni
phase (5h, interface fron for Q=45.6kJ/mmweld EW G.1 O o.34 1.32 OIO 1.8 1 115 eatl ild
meta] EW: ,Id Itll of ~-

1245 C 1995 ISIJ

 ISIJ International, Vol. 35 (1 995), No. 10

ESW*1,eld metalf SM490Af 40mm$, O* 45.6 kJ/mm

SM490A
, 40mmt, Q 45.6 kJ/nm
LLJ
3 kinds of wire used twire ; A,C,F I (8M-4,BM-5) Three kinds of wire. Core weld metal 5>
Base
CQre Rim metal BM-4
o 250 e i AIcoRme'ciony u$ed l
o ' t A i BM-4 A
A i c iLOWsi typ"
x200 e, A ; BM-5
-*a-- l ; F (Nl contained ) c
rf)
h - _ _ _ _ _)~~ LU
'
~~~~1
(\, BM-5
F A
o Rlm
A- ~ ~~
o
~~

r~'i A l
J,
______ - 15
I.~t
c; 100
ll :l
Q. r~~~h~~l~~rtco:~I')~i'e
IO

l e l
Core o 50 ll A
O YM55A
IAI
LQWSi type

IC)
Ni contGined

IF]
://
223
:,/
A
, / 273 323 373
ESWwire used
Testlng temperature tK]
Fig. 18. ComparisonofvE273 value on weld metal welded with Fig, 19. Comparison of absorbed energy curve
commercially used, Iow Si type and Ni contained welded with three different wires.
in
C zone
wires.

I
decreases to .81 o/o. From this, the melting rate of base
results of ESWweld joints
produced with base metal
BM-5 and wire C (for the
reduction of Si content in
metal into the weld metal can be said about 50 to 60 o/o .
weld metal) meet the specified values like the cases of
As for the impact characteristics of weld metal
according to the change of chemical compositions in
wire A
and F and are satisfactory for applying them to
the actual manufacturing work. The comparison of
various welding wires (A to F
wires), it is found that
absorbed energy (VTrE) curves of
their improvement by the addition of Ni element is zones of the weld C
metal produced with three different wires and base metal
significant. However, the element of Ni is so expensive
that the addition of Ni to wires is economically im- BM-5 is shown in Fig. 19. The test results of
C zones
of the weld metals prepared with wire
possible. Then, it has been found that the reduction
satisfactory
C and F show
of Si content in wires is useful for the improvement of impact values in the temperature range of
about 243 to 323 K (-30 to +50'C) as comparedwith
toughness in C
zone of weld metal. The comparison of
vE273 value in weld metal prepared with commercially
the conventional wire
A and it has been found that the
reduction of Si content in weld metal
used wire (A), Iow Si wire (C) containing O.OI olo Si causes the disap-
and Ni contained wire (F) is shown in Fig. 18. The pearance of fine prior y grain area from C zone and
is extremely useful for the improvement of impact
C
comparison of vE273 in (solid line) and (broken line) R characteristics of Czone.
zones of ESW weld metal (for standard welding heat
input) by using B4 and B5 base metals welded with three As for the actual application, for example, the re-
different types of wires has been carried out. The impact
striction of Si content in both base metal and welding
value of the weld metal prepared with wire wire to O.35 and O.OI masso/o, respectively to decrease
A and F is Si content in weld metal to and within the
not affected so muchby the difference of types of base range to be
metals. However, it is found that the impact value of able to maintain the specified strength of weld metal
(Si content: about O.180/0) is extremely useful for
C zone in the weld metal produced with wire is
C improvement of toughness of ESW
the
significantly improved by the reduction of Si content in weld metal in the
actual welding heat input level (of Q=32.0 to
base metal (BM-5).
126.7kJ/mm and thickness: t=30 to 80mm). The
Sllicon content in wire is
C
muchless as compared
proposal of the above newand effective procedures
with that in wire A and F and content in the weld will
S be made.
metal of BM-4and BM-5has been reduced to 0.22 and
0.18 masso/o respectively. The reduction of Si content in
weld metal causes the disappearance of fine columnar 7. Conclusions
grains and seems to contribute to the improvement of The unique characteristics of the weld metal produced
toughness of weld metal in its turn. by the electroslag welding (ESW)method which is of
As the countermeasures for the decrease of impact high welding heat input, single pass, vertical and high
value of Czone of ESW weld metal in the case that fine efficient
process together with the sufficient possibility to
prior grains are generated in it, it has been clarified
y improve the toughness of the central zone (C zone) of
that the addition of Ni element into weld metal weld metal have been clarified in this investigation. The
or the
reduction of Si content from it is useful to that fine
y summaryof the results obtained is as in the following.
grains disappears and the impact value
can be improved. (1) Generally the impact values (vE273 (J)) of
C
The actual joints prepared with low Si type welding wire zone in the weld metal produced in 40 steel plate by
(wire C) is tested by bending. After the bend tests, the the standard ESW welding heat input conditions (of
mm
generation of any defect, etc. are not specially found in
both ESW weld metals.
Q = 45.6 kJ/mm)are considerably lower than those in rim
zone (R zone). The existence of fine columnar grains
It has been confirmed that both tensile
and bend test consisting of fine austenite (y) grains in
zone and the C
C 1995 ISIJ 1246
 ISIJ International, Vol. 35 (1995). No. 10

sameof coarse columnar grains consisting of coarse y actual manufacturing work that the reduction of ~i
grains in R zone can be seen. content in weld metal (to about 0.18 "/o) to and within
(2) Theeffect ofvarious ESW performing parameters the range to be able to maintain the specified strength
(such as welding heat input, voltage, etc.) on the impact of weld metal is more effective for the improvement of
characteristics of weld metal has been clarified so that toughness of ESW wled metal (the allowable range of
it has also been
madeclear that the impact values in C welding heat input: 32.0 to 126.7 kJ/mm).
zone are always lower than those in R zone.
Acknowledgements
(3) As the results of the observation of impact frac-
tured surfaces of Czone in the weld metal with a SEM The authors wish to thank to Mr. Qian Zhong-dong
(Scanning Electron Microscope), it has been able to and Mr. Yin Hong-1i, graduate students, for their ex-
confirm that the fracture propagates straight through perimental supports.
the coarse Proeutectoid Ferrite-PF (especially through
Grain Boundary Ferrite-GBF) and it has been clarified REFERENCES
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2) S. Tamai: Tech. Report YokogawaB,'idge, (1944), No. 23, 165.

(4) The reason why Czone of weld metal showslow 3) Nittetsu Yousetsu Kogyo Co.: Report on Welding Processes
toughness is related to that C zone consists of fine Comm..JWS. No. 125, (1989).
prior
y grains in which boundaries lots of PF are 4) K, Nagatani: Kobe Stee/ Tech, Rep., 40 (1990), No, 2.
A. Hatanaka, S. Fujihira and Y. Kitayama: Tech. Rep. Katayama
generated. 5)

(5) the examination of constitutional supercooling Struratech Co., 10 (1990), 124.

6) K. Suda: Tech. Rep. Nittetsu Yousetsu Kogyo Co., (1993), No. 7,
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the analysis of the formation mechanismof fine
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been shown by removing fine y grains from Czone as
Special Alloy Steel and
Non-ferrous Metal Welds, ed. by Japan Weld. Soc., (1988),
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148.
has also been confirmed that there is no special problem
~O) F. Matsuda: Welding Metallurgy, Nikkan Kogyo, Tokyo,
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1247 C 1995 ISIJ