Research Article Micro Structural Comparison of Friction Stir Weldment and Shielded Metal Arc Welding in API-X65 Pipe Line

Journal of Academic and Applied Studies
(Special Issue on Engineering & Applied Sciences)

Vol. 5(4) April 2015, pp. 1-13
Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

Micro Structural Comparison of Friction Stir Weldment By A. Shahinfar , A. Habibi
Eftekhara, A. Habibi Eftekhar, H. Eskandari
Accepted April 2015
Research Article
Micro Structural Comparison of Friction Stir
Weldment and Shielded Metal Arc Welding in
API-X65 Pipe Line
Amin Shahinfar*1, Afshin Habibi Eftekhar1, Asghar Habibi Eftekhar1, Hadi Eskandari2
1
Department of Metallurgy, Behbahan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Behbahan, Iran
2
Petroleum university of Technology, Abadan Institute of Technology, Abadan, Iran
Abstract
The study was conducted to investigate the microstructure and microhardness properties of the friction stir
welded zones and shielded metal arc welded. Microstructural analysis of the weld was carried out using
optical microscopy. Under FSW process base metal microstructure fully changed. Different heat inputs
were obtained using a fix travel (welding) speed in combination with several spindle speeds. Heat input
during welding process had a significant influence on the microstructure and mechanical proprieties in the
various weld regions.it can be concluded that with decrease in heat input the bainitic structure in the hard
zone becomes finer and so hard zone hardness increase.
Keywords: Friction stir welding, heat input, shielded metal arc welding, microhardness
I. Introduction
X65 steels have been used more frequently over the last few decades. These steels are replacing
the previous generation of steels in numerous industries because of weight and cost savings due
to improved strength, toughness, and weldability. The weldability of X65 steels is improved by
the reduced carbon content. Enhanced strength and toughness are derived primarily from a finer
grain size. A fine grain size in X65 steels is achieved through thermo-mechanically controlled
processing (TMCP) and limited alloying additions. TMCP is the deliberate use of controlled
rolling and accelerated cooling in the fabrication of HSLA steels. Controlling the extent of
deformation and the temperature of deformation during steel processing can produce a desired
microstructure with superior characteristics (Rashid 1980, Basu et al 2005).
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Vol. 5(4) April 2015, pp. 1-13

For example, rolling above the austenite recrystallization temperature reduces the austenite grain
size (Yoshie et al, 1992). Subsequent rolling in the intercritical region increases austenite
deformation leading to a reduced ferrite grain size on transformation (Priestner & Ibraheem,
2000). Micro-alloying elements limit austenite recrystallization; further refining grains (Stuart,
1991, Paules, 1991, Bhattacharjee et al, 2004). Structures fabricated from HSLA steels are
typically arc welded together. Traditional arc welding introduces intense local heating and
melting (Suzuki, 1983). Thus, following arc welding the wrought TMCP microstructure is
replaced with a cast microstructure in the weld nugget. Grain coarsening and brittle regions
within the heat-affected zone (HAZ) reduce mechanical properties (Suzuki, 1983).The high peak
temperature in traditional arc welding of X65 steel coarsens the refined grain size in the HAZ.
Zrilic et al. reported diminished impact toughness in both weld nugget and HAZ metal relative to
the base metal following manual metal arc welding of HSLA-100 steel (Zrilic et al, 2007).
Following submerged arc welding (SAW), the grain structure in HSLA steel coarsens in both the
weld nugget metal and HAZ with increasing heat input (Prasad & Dwivedi, 2008). Konkol,
Warren, and Herbert reported mixed results in the performance of a variety of multi-pass and
single-pass arc welds in X65 (Konkol et al, 1998). Most of the arc welds did not meet base metal
requirements (Konkol et al, 1998). Friction stir welding is a solid-state joining process. There is
no melting in the weld zone. The lack of melting often leads to enhanced weld zone properties
compared to arc welding. To complete a friction stir weld, a non-consumable tool is plunged into
the weld seam. The tool traverses along the adjoining surfaces to join the materials at
temperatures slightly less than the solidus. Utilizing deformation and friction to create heat, FSW
produces a consolidated joint without melting. Frequently, the result is a refined microstructure
with favorable post-weld properties. FSW has been demonstrated as a feasible joining process
for steels where the post-weld mechanical properties compare well with parent material
properties (Bayley & Mantei, 2009, Thomas et al, 1999). In a study of FSW of mild steel, Lienert
et al. reported no loss in tensile properties (Lienert, 2003). Konkol et al. reported CVN toughness
above the specified minimum for the base metal in friction stir welded X65 (Konkol, 2003).
Konkol and Mruczek demonstrated increased toughness in both the weld nugget and the HAZ
over the base metal in HSLA-65 steel (Konkol & Mruczek, 2007). The increased toughness was
attributed to fine grains in the weld stir zone and an out-of-specification base metal chemistry.
Amid the research in welding of pipe line X65 steels, few studies have looked at the comparison
of FSW and SMAW mechanical and microstructural properties. The focus of this research is to
comparison of two different welding processes and welding heat input on the X65 pipe line
microstructure and microhardness changes.
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II. Experimental process
This study was performed on a commercial grade API X65 pipe line with chemical composition
(wt.%) listed in table 1.before welding , oxide and surface scale were removed from both sides of
the plate by grinding followed by degreasing with a methanol solvent. Test plate with
dimensional of 100 x 10 x 2 mm3 were friction stir welded and shielded metal arc welded for a
butt joint. Schematic illustration of the FSW process can be seen in fig.1. A carbide tungsten tool
with convex scroll shoulder step spiral (CS4) design was used for FSW welds.an argon gas
atmosphere, at a flow rate of 1.1 m3/h , was used to prevent surface oxidation of the weld during
weld cycle. The X65 steel was welded via SMAW using a single set of parameters, while FSW
type was welded with 2 sets. The SMAW and FSW welding parameters with corresponding heat
input (HI) used in this investigation are listed in table 2 and 3 respectively. A 0.5-deg Head tilt
was applied during plunge and welding of friction stir welding. All process parameters and
torques were recorded during welding. Samples were removed transverse to the weld using a
water-jet cutter from each weld for post-weld metallographic and micro hardness
characterization. After that, samples ground and polished successively through 1 m diamond
paste, etched with 2% Nital reagent for 30 seconds and analyzed optically using Olympus
microscope. Micro-hardness measurements were performed cope. Vickers was performed with a
500 g load, 20 s dwell time and 300 m inter-indentation spacing.
III. Results and Analysis
Fig. 2 shows the microstructural features for the base metal (BM). The microstructure consists
mainly of the dual phases of ferrite and bainite. The ferrite phase is almost equiaxed, whereas the
bainite phase is subdivided into very fine laths. The base microstructure includes some
segregation bounding due to solidification circumstance that would be lead to decrease of
mechanical property (fig. 2b). Because the BM was produced by the rolling process, therefore,
the BM has stretched grain texture.
In this section, some consideration is given to post weld microstructural changes in the friction
stir weld and shielded metal arc weld at different heat inputs. The nugget center(NC) defined in
this study is located at the vertical center of the stir zone which has equal distances between the
top surface and bottom of HAZ in the friction stir weld. Figure 3(a,b) compares the
microstructural features whiten the NC at various welding process. The symbols in these images
represent different transformation products: represents polygonal transformation ferrite; gb
represents grain boundary allotriomorphic; and w represents Widmanstatten ferrite. From these
optical images, several microstructures can be observed. Figure 3(a) shows the microstructure of
the weld metal via fusion method. There is gb, w and acicular ferrite along with a tiny phases.
Identification tiny phases require using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron
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microscope and microhardness test together with appropriate etching condition. The presence of
inclusions in the weld provides conditions for the formation of acicular ferrite instead bainite.
Fig 3(b,c) shows the microstructure of the stir zone (SZ) and hard zone (HZ) respectively in
friction stir welding. There is no evidence of the BM microstructure in the SZ and HZ regions.
The elongated grain in the BM have completely transformed to a bainite microstructure with lath
like upper bainite, consisting of thin, relatively straight and long ferrite laths in the HZ regions
during the FSW process. As mentioned above, the bainite structures of the HZs in different
regions of the weld zone vary depending on the peak temperature and the strain rate on the AS of
the weld zone during the FSW process. The SZ and the near-hard-zone (NHZ) microstructures
display coarser bainitic structures and the bainite-lath boundaries in these bainitic structures are
not as thin, straight and parallel as in the HZ regions (deformed lath bainite). Also, the SZ and
NHZ have the polygonal ferrites distributed in a random manner and some martensitic/austenite
(M/A) islands are scattered throughout the coarse bainitic matrix. This microstructure is called
granular bainite. It is formed at a slower cooling rate than the upper bainite ( Konkol, 2007, Wei
et al, 2009, Wei, 2011, Dhua & Mukerjee, 2003).
Figure 4(a,b,c) shows the heat input in samples 1, 2 and 3, respectively.it is well known that
microstructural changes in the weld are primarily affected by heating rate, peak temperature and
subsequent cooling. Cooling rate associated with heat input, i.e., lower heat input produces faster
cooling rate (Patchett, et al, 2005). At the lowest heat input in Fig 4(b), the microstructure is
mainly lath bainite. The lath boundaries are relatively straight and parallel. With increasing heat
input ,two kinds of microstructures are formed(shown in Fig.4(b)): higher heat input produces a
slower cooling rate, and equiaxed polygonal ferrite start to nucleate at the ferrite/austenite
boundaries and extend into untransformed austenite grain interiors (Konkol & Mruczek, 2007).
Fig 4(a) shows the SMAW sample with highest heat input which produces lowest cooling rate
and lead to coarse grain that would be make a low mechanical proprieties. Although in FSW
with increasing heat input, in the HZ increase but still, bainite structure due to the higher
cooling rate is dominant in this region. However with increasing heat input, the extent of heat
affected zone in SMAW increased rather than FSW and produces large grain size and decrease
grain boundaries. In the heat-affected zone of weldment, as a result of heat input, hardness
changes. With decreasing rotational speed, the stirring amount and the heat input welding in
FSW is reduced. Reduce heat input causes decreasing the mixing turbulence in the hard zone and
therefore may produces cavities in the progressive side. Reducing the rotational speed from 550
to 350 rpm and progressive tools speed to reduce the amount of heat generated and transferred to
the paste and base metal and weld adjacent areas, As a result, the HAZ becomes narrow(Fig
.5(a,b). Hardness profiles of the welds produced at rotational speeds of 350, 550 and SMAW
sample are presented in Figure6 (a,b). The hardness map of the FSWed and SMAW X65 steel
shows several features in the weld zone. Overall higher hardness of the weld compared to the
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Vol. 5(4) April 2015, pp. 1-13

BM; a hard zone within the advancing side of the SZ. Different distribution of hardness in HAZ
was observed. By increasing heat input and more peak temperatures, full transmission of
microstructures to bainite, formed and hardness increases. Heat affected zone has lowest level of
hardness at higher temperatures due to its ferritic microstructure in friction stir welded. Increased
micro-hardness in some parts of the HAZ is due to re-austenite with increasing heat input.
SMAW microhardness data in comparison with FSW data at nugget zone similar but in the heat-
affected zone of SMAW was decreased. Hardness different regions with increased heat input are
reduced. This can be due to an increase in average grain size with increase in heat input.
IV. Conclusions
The results of this preliminary study show that FSW has the potential to successfully join steels.
Both sides were welded without any macroscopic defects. Heat input had a significant influence
on the microstructure of the HZ. With increasing the HI, the HZ width becomes larger. Grain
size in the SMAW sample coarser more than FSW samples. The hardness of the SZ is
significantly higher than that of the other FSWed regions because of the bainite ferrites that
developed as a result of a phase transformation during FSW.
Microhardness values in the FSWed because of the bainite layers further than SMAWed which
in turn this phenomena due to the lower heat input in the FSWed samples and increase cooling
rate.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Dariush Habibi Eftekhar and Ali Nikdarasl for provided both facilities
friction stir welding and composites analysis at Gachsaran Oil Corporation.
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Vol. 5(4) April 2015, pp. 1-13

Tables
TABLE 1. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION (WT. %) OF API X65 PIPE LINE STEEL USED IN THIS
INVESTIGATION
P V Cu Cr Fe Mo Ni Si Mn C
0.022 0.055 0.26 0.15 ball 0.06 0.35 0.2 1.43 O.081
TABLE 2. SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING PARAMETERS AND AVERAGE HEAT INPUT VALUE FOR
X65 PIPE LINE
Sample Welding voltage (V) (A) current HI(KJ/mm)
speed(mm/s)
1 1.87 12 90 1.5
TABLE 3. FRICTION STIR WELDING PARAMETERS AND AVERAGE HEAT INPUT VALUE FOR EACH
PROCESS PARAMETER OF X65 PIPE LINE
sample tool Welding Tool Advanced per Rotational Spindle Pre HI(KJ/mm)
speed(rpm) tilting revolution(mm/min) speed(rpm) torque(N/m) heat(c)
(degree)
2 Carbide 350 0.5 50 350 90 100 0.065
tungsten
3 Carbide 550 0.5 50 550 98 100 0.112

tungsten
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Figures
Fig. 1 . A) Schematic illustration of FSW process and B) Geometry of carbide tungsten tool
[L. Wei,T.W,2009, L. Wei,2011 ]
Fig. 2. Grain structures of the base metal. A) Optical image B) SEM image
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Fig .3. a) Nugget zone in SMAW process and b) stir zone in friction stir welding c) hard zone
region in FSW
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Fig .4. weld zone microstructures at various heat input a) sheilded metal arc wilding (sample1) with 1.5
KJ/mm HI b) sample (2) microstructure under 350 rpm rotiotional speed with 0.065 KJ/mm HI and c)
sample (2) microstructure under 550 rpm rotational speed with 0.112 KJ/mm HI.
Fig. 5. Effect of rotational speed on the cross section of the FSW samples a) cross section of the
weld with 55o rpm rotational speed (sample 3) b) cross section of the weld with 35o rpm
rotational speed (sample 2).
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Fig .6. Microhardness profiles a) change microhardness profiles of friction stir welding under
350 and 550 rpm rotational speed (sample 2 and 3) b) shielded metal arc welding microhardness
profiles
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Research Article Micro Structural Comparison of Friction Stir Weldment and Shielded Metal Arc Welding in API-X65 Pipe Line

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Journal of Academic and Applied Studies

(Special Issue on Engineering & Applied Sciences)

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

3 Carbide 550 0.5 50 550 98 100 0.112

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

ASM International, "High-Strength Structural and High-Strength Low-Alloy Steels," ASM

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

A. Yoshie, M. Fujioka, Y. Watanabe, K. Nishioka and H. Morikawa, "Modelling of

D. Bhattacharjee, J. F. Knott and C. L. Davis, "Charpy-Impact-Toughness Prediction using

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

K. Prasad and D. K. Dwivedi, "Some investigations on microstructure and mechanical

P. J. Konkol, J. L. Warren and P. A. Hebert, "Weldability of HSLA-65 Steel for Ship

W. M. Thomas, P. L. Threadgill and E. D. Nicholas, "Feasibility of friction stir welding

T. J. Lienert, W. L. Stellwag Jr., B. B. Grimmet and R. W. Warke, "Friction Stir Welding

P. J. Konkol, J. A. Mathers, R. Johnson and J. R. Pickens, "Friction Stir Welding of HSLA-

P. J. Konkol and M. F. Mruczek, "Comparison of Friction Stir Weldments and Submerged

L. Wei,T.W. Nelson,Weld.J.90(2011) 95101.

Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X

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