The hydrogen influenced cold cracking tendency of two high strength low alloy steels - evaluated by the implant-test

A possible way of evaluating the hydrogen influenced cold cracking tendency of constructional steels is the implant test. Using this testing method, it is possible to adjust extensively independently of one other the three influencing parameters - hydrogen content of the welding deposit and the heat-affected zone, hardness structure and stresses - and to examine their effect on the crack behaviour. Due to the same microstructure formation in the heat affected zone of the implant samples and in the non-heat affected regions from the consequent position of the heat affected zone of component seams, welding conditions can be determined with suitable changing of the sample whose application to the real component practically excludes the danger of cold cracking. The broken surfaces in cold cracking are partly ductile and poor in deformation. The deformation-poor fracturing can possibly take an intercrystalline or transcrystalline course according to the chemical composition of the steel. The investigation confirm the theories and test results of other authors: The formation of deformation-poor, typical fracture sections for cold cracking was only obtained when there was a clear delay between putting on the test load and fracture of the sample. (orig./RW)