Control of the development of residual stresses and heat affected zone (HAZ) microstructure during welding of low alloy steels and influence on stress relieve cracking

Creep resistant 1 Cr 0.5 Mo steels are frequently used as steam pipes at operating temperature of 450 degree C to 500 degrees C. Welded joints have been post weld heat treated (PWHT). The results show: - In fully refined microstructures close to the fusion boundary of the weldments a reduction of the grain size by a factor of 3-4 was measured. The impact transition temperature was up to 27 degree C lower for test series notched in the refined HAZ (Heat Affected Zone) than in the coarse grained HAZ of the as welded condition. The overlay heat treatments were not observed to significantly influence the hardness and the room temperature tensile properties of the weldments. - The influence of refinement on impact transition temperature (ITT) and upper shelf energy was beneficial. In the coarse grained HAZ, for which the ITT was significantly higher than for weld metal and base metal, the refinement resulted in a 30 degrees C lower value of the ITT. The influence of PWHT on impact properties was also studied. The PWHT raised the upper shelf energy greatly. The effect on the ITT was smaller than that of refinement. - For cross welds in the as-welded (AW) condition refinement improved the creep properties. After PWHT the creep ductility was significantly increased at the same as a considerable reduction of life was observed. At lower stresses the effects of refinement and especially PWHT were less pronounced. Beneficial influence of refinement in inhibiting the formation of creep cavitation was apparent regardless stress level in both AW and PWHT conditions. (K.A.E)