Recent developments in repair welding technologies in Japan

Abstract

Developments in some difficult repair welding technologies in Japan during the past decade are reviewed. The topics covered include the repair welding of bridges in service, the temper bead method which makes it possible to omit post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) of repaired pressure vessels, the seal welding of a reactor vessel in which stress corrosion cracks were detected, low heat input repair welding of neutron irradiated stainless steel and nickel based alloys, the prevention of solidification cracking in repair welding of aged heat resistant cast steels, the development of welding materials for the mending of single crystal nickel based superalloy turbine blades, underwater repair welding of nuclear reactors, the reduction of residual stresses in repair welding, and an ultrasonic testing method for nickel based weld metals. The local PWHT of creep resistant ferritic steel tubes is also reviewed.     

Modifying residual stress levels in rail flash-butt welds using localised rapid post-weld heat treatment and accelerated cooling

Abstract

Flash-butt welding is used in the manufacture of continuously-welded rails. Finished welds typically exhibit high tensile residual stresses in the rail web and at the upper surface of the rail foot, which may increase the risk of fatigue failure in service. An understanding of the influence of the welding process, including post-weld cooling, on the residual stress distribution is necessary to improve the performance of flash-butt welds by post-weld heat treatment (PWHT), since incorrect treatment may have adverse effects on both residual stress and weld material characteristics. A finite element model has been developed to simulate post-weld cooling in flash-butt welded AS60 kg m^–1 rail. Computed thermal histories for normal (air) cooling, rapid PWHT, and accelerated cooling (water spray) were used as inputs to calculate sequentially coupled stress–time histories, including phase transformations. In addition, the localised influence of the initiation time for rapid PWHT, after final upset, on the reduction of tensile residual stresses was investigated. Heating the rail foot immediately after final upset reduced tensile residual stresses in the web region of the weld. Preliminary numerical predictions showed that water quenching the entire weld region too soon after the austenite–pearlite transformation is completed can induce further tensile residual stresses without affecting the microstructure. The results of the numerical analysis can be used to modify the flash-butt welding procedure to lower residual stress levels, and hence improve weld performance.     

Influence of pre- and post-weld heating on weldability of modified 9Cr–1Mo(V–Nb) steel pipe under shielded metal arc and tungsten inert gas welding processes

Abstract

Welding of modified 9Cr–1Mo(V–Nb) steel pipes has been carried out via shielded metal arc (SMA) and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding processes. The weld joints have been produced using different preheating temperatures, followed by post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) at various temperatures. The microstructures of the weld and of the heat affected zone (HAZ) of the weld joints have been studied under the optical microscope and correlated with the preheating and PWHT. The average hardness of the weld and different regions of the HAZ, and tensile properties of the weld joints have also been studied and correlated with the preheating and PWHT. The tensile properties of the SMA and TIG weld joints produced using preheating and PWHT at various temperatures are compared and correlated with their microstructures. It is noted that a comparatively high preheating temperature of the order of 573 K is beneficial, and PWHT is necessary to reduce the susceptibility to cold cracking of weld joints of the present steel. The PWHT at 1123 K enhances ductility to fracture, but decreases the tensile strength of the base material, causing fracture of both the SMA and TIG weld joints from this region close to the HAZ. The tensile properties of SMA welds are found to be superior to those of the TIG welds, especially for PWHT at temperatures up to 1023 K.     

Microstructure,hardness and residual stress distribution in maraging steel gas tungsten arc weldments

Abstract

The distribution of residual stresses due to welding has been studied in maraging steel welds. Gas tungsten arc welding process was used and the effect of filler metal composition on the nature of residual stress distribution has been investigated using X-ray diffraction technique with Cr K_α radiation. Three types of filler materials were used, they include: maraging filler, austenitic stainless steel and medium alloy medium carbon steel filler metal. In the case of maraging steel weld, medium alloy medium carbon filler, the residual stress at the centre of the weld zone was more compressive while, less compressive stresses have been identified in the heat affected zone of the parent metal adjacent to the weld metal. But, in the case of austenitic stainless steel filler the residual stresses at the centre of the weld and heat affected zone were tensile. Post-weld aging treatment reduced the magnitude of stresses. The observed residual stress distribution across the weldments has been correlated with microstructure and hardness distribution across the weld.     

Evolution of residual stresses in dissimilar steel surfacing layers during process of post-weld heat treatment

Abstract

Residual stress relaxation during post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) is a thermodynamic process, which is affected not only by the heat treatment process, but also by the welding residual stress. In this study, the residual stresses in as welded and heat treated surfacing metal were measured using blind hole and X-ray method. The results reveal that the welding residual stresses are compressive at the surface of the weld and tensile at inner weld. However, after PWHT, the residual stresses at surface and inner weld change to the opposite state. Finite element simulations show that the differences of expansion coefficients between base metal and filler material are the main factor to the changes of stress state. The experimental results verify that the expansion coefficients of base metal and filler materials have been changed greatly after long soaking at high temperature.     

Distortion control in welding by mechanical tensioning

Abstract

This paper investigates the potential of mechanical tensioning (MT) to reduce the magnitude of residual stresses in welds and to eliminate buckling distortion. Both friction stir (FSW) and arc welds have been produced from the aluminium alloy AA2024, with different levels of tensile stress applied along the weld line either during or after welding. The resulting welds have been characterised in terms of out of plane distortion, residual stresses and microstructure. Buckling distortion was eliminated by stretching plates to between 35 and 70% of the yield stress of the material during welding. For each set of welding parameters investigated, an optimum tensioning stress has been identified, which eliminates the tensile residual stress peak across the weld zone, along with distortion. This optimum tensioning stress increases in line with the heat input of the welding process. When MT stresses are increased beyond this optimum value, then distortion arises once more and a band of compressive stress is formed across the weld zone.     

Finite Element Analysis of High Temperature Piping Creep for Considering the Effect of Inner Pressure and Welding Residual Stress

利用大型有限元分析软件Abaqus的多次顺次耦合功能,先对P91钢高温主蒸汽管道焊接接头焊态和焊后热处理状态进行残余应力分析, 然后采用Norton蠕变本构关系,根据P91耐热钢在625℃下焊缝、热影响区和母材的不同蠕变参数,对内压以及内压与热处理后残余应力共同作用下的接头蠕变进行有限元分析,分别得到了焊接残余应力和焊后热处理残余应力的分布规律,同时预测了在高温环境下服役105h后蠕变应变分布. 结果表明,由于高温管道的壁厚以及约束等影响, 焊后产生了较大的焊接残余应力,通过焊后热处理可以有效地降低焊接残余应力.但由于热处理残余应力的存在, 仍对高温管道焊接接头的蠕变有较大影响,并且在焊缝与热影响区的交界处存在着较大的蠕变应变.     

Effect of active flux addition on laser welding of austenitic stainless steel

Abstract

The use of active flux in tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding is known to increase its weld depth. The present paper involves study of active flux laser beam welding (ALBW) of austenitic stainless steel sheets with respect to its effect on plasma plume, microstructure and mechanical properties of the resultant weldments. ALBW performed with SiO₂ as the flux significantly modified shape of the fusion zone (FZ) to produce narrower and deeper welds. Plasma plume associated with the process was considerably smaller and of lower intensity than that produced during bead on plate laser beam welding (LBW). Flux addition during LBW produced thin and rough weld bead associated with humping. The development of such a weld bead is cause by reversal in the direction of Marangoni flow by oxygen induced inversion of surface tension gradient, widely fluctuating plasma plume and presence of oxides on the weld pool surface preventing free flow of the melt. Active flux laser weldments exhibited lower ductility than that of bead on plate laser weldments.     

Stress corrosion cracking of weldments of AISI Type 316 stainless steel

The weldments of AISI Type 316 stainless steel prepared by the tungsten inert gas (TIG) and manual metal arc (MMA) welding processes, were tested in a boiling solution of 5 M NaCl + 0.15 M Na₂SO₄ (pH = 1.3) at an initial stress level of 200 MPa under the open circuit potential (OCP) and the impressed potential (IP) conditions using the constant load technique. Anodic polarisation above the critical cracking potential (CCP) which was determined by the OCP test, accelerated the stress corrosion cracking of both the weldments whereas slight cathodic polarisation below the CCP prevented it. The cracks initiated through pits in both the types of weldments under open circuit as well as impressed potential conditions. The TIG weldments cracked in the heat affected zone whereas the MMA weldments failed in the fusion zone at all potentials. At open circuit potential, the MMA weldments failed by the stress assisted dissolution of delta ferrite, while the TIG weldments failed by the TGSCC of austenite. On anodic polarisation, the MMA weldment failed by the dissolution of delta ferrite and intergranular SCC of austenite, while in the TIG weldments the cracks initiated and propagated in the intergranular mode in the austenite.     

Effects of post-weld heat treatments on the residual stress and mechanical properties of electron beam welded sae 4130 steel plates

The distribution of the residual stresses of electron beam welded SAE 4130 and the effect of stress relief after various post- weld heat treatments (PWHT) were measured using X- ray diffraction. The mechanical properties and microstructure were also examined. Experimental results show that the tensile residual stress increased with the heat input of the electron beam. Most of the residual stresses were relieved by the PWHT at 530 °C for 2 h followed by furnace cooling to 50 °C. The strength of the welds decreased slightly, and the elongation of the welds increased after PWHT.     

Influence of Temperature and Time of Post-weld Heat Treatment on Stress Relief in an 800-mm-Thick Steel Weldment

Ferritic steel weldments are invariably post-weld heat treated for relieving the residual stresses. However, the long duration of post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) required for very thick weldments can adversely affect the mechanical properties and fracture toughness. Thus, there is a need to establish the relative importance of temperature and time of PWHT with respect to stress relief. Accordingly, in the present work, the phenomenon of stress relief (due to PWHT) in an 800-mm-thick steel weldment was investigated using finite element analysis and the results were validated against experimental measurements. An analytical study was also carried out to determine the relative influence of temperature and time of PWHT on stress relief. It was found that time of PWHT plays a more significant role in case of relatively lower PWHT temperatures. It was also found that, for a given value of Hollomon parameter, different combinations of PWHT temperature and time can be employed to achieve the same level of stress relief. A mathematical relationship has been established between Hollomon parameter and magnitude of residual stress after PWHT. It has been shown that residual stress is a monotonically decreasing function of the Hollomon parameter.     

焊后热处理对输送H_2S介质压力管道维修焊接接头组织性能的影响

采用手工钨极氩弧焊(TIG焊)打底,焊条电弧焊(SMAW)填充、盖面的焊接工艺对输送H_2S介质压力管道(20钢)进行维修焊接,并对其焊接接头进行720～750℃下保温1h的焊后热处理.对热处理前、后焊接接头组织和性能进行分析研究,结果表明:720～750℃×1h热处理使焊缝区与热影响区成针状分布的魏氏组织铁索体晶粒得到细化,并使其呈退化形态;焊缝区、热影响区与母材的显微硬度整体呈下降趋势;焊接接头抗拉强度大幅度提高,断裂均处在远离焊缝的母材上.焊后热处理有效地降低了焊接接头的残余应力,改变了残余应力的分布特征,使其分布趋于"均匀",拉应力大幅度降低.     

Influence of local heat treatment on residual stresses in electron beam welding

Abstract

Electron beam welding (EBW), as a high performance welding method, is also subject to requirements of high integrity welds which particularly include residual stresses affecting distortion and fatigue behaviour. In this context multiple beam technique may provide new applications of specific thermal weld treatment. The present work introduces a promising method of local post-heating in a certain distance to the current welding location applying multiple beams for the reduction in residual stresses in EB welded sheet metals. The conducted investigations include finite element analysis (FEA) and stress measurements in the weld seam area. Using a systematic approach within the FEA decisive process parameters are optimised with reference to the achievable reduction in residual stress. All simulation results are validated by experiments applying strain gauges for the stress measurement. Both simulations and experiments revealed a considerable decrease in residual stress achievable by appropriate positioning of additional heat sources combined with the right power input and beam focusing.     

Residual stresses simulation for friction stir welded joint

Abstract

As a solid state joining technique, friction stir welding (FSW) can produce high strength, low distortion joints efficiently. Compared to fusion welding, residual stresses in FSW joints are expected to be low due to a relatively low heat input. However, apart from the heat input, the force from the tool also plays an important role in the development of welding stresses. In the present paper, a semicoupled thermomechanical finite element model containing both thermal load and mechanical load was established to simulate the development of welding stresses during FSW process; an autoadapting heat source model was employed in the thermal analysis; the fixture was also included in the mechanical analysis model. The simulation results showed that due to the effect of the tool force, the longitudinal residual tensile stresses became smaller and were asymmetrically distributed at different sides of the weld centre; the peak of the tensile residual stresses at the retreating side was lower than that at the advancing side. Calculated and experimental results were compared.     

基于弹性模量变化的7A52铝合金VPPA-MIG复合焊接残余应力测试

采用虚拟仪器和NI数据采集卡搭建了一种以小孔法为核心的残余应力测试系统,分析了7A52铝合金VPPA-MIG复合焊后残余应力的分布情况. 为降低弹性模量误差对最终测量结果的影响,通过实测复合焊接接头不同区域的弹性模量,拟合弹性模量随测量点位置变化的曲线来修正弹性模量误差. 针对10 mm厚7A52铝合金板材,完成了VPPA-MIG复合焊接残余应力测试试验. 结果表明,焊缝两侧各区域上的残余应力分布基本关于焊缝对称,熔合区出现最大拉应力,最大横向残余应力σ_y与纵向残余应力σ_x分别为118和223 MPa. 从熔合区至热影响区,残余应力均为拉应力,逐渐减小且高于焊缝中心的残余应力. 与单MIG焊相比,复合焊的最大横向残余应力与纵向残余应力大于MIG焊,但高应力区比MIG焊窄.     

Numerical Investigation on Residual Stresses of the Safe-End/Nozzle Dissimilar Metal Welded Joint in CAP1400 Nuclear Power Plants

The residual stress evolution in a safe-end/nozzle dissimilar metal welded joint of CAP1400 nuclear power plants was investigated in the manufacturing process by finite element simulation. A finite element model, including cladding, buttering, post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) and dissimilar metal multi-pass welding, is developed based on SYSWELD software to investigate the evolution of residual stress in the aforementioned manufacturing process. The results reveal a large tensile axial residual stress, which exists at the weld zone on the inner surface, leads to a high sensitivity to stress corrosion cracking (SCC). PWHT process before dissimilar metal multi-pass welding process has a great influence on the magnitude and distribution of final axial residual stress. The risk of SCC on the inner surface of the pipe will increase if PWHT process is not taken into account. Therefore, such crucial thermal manufacturing process such as cladding, buttering and post-weld heat treatment, besides the multi-pass welding process, should be considered in the numerical model in order to accurately predict the distribution and the magnitude of the residual stress.     

焊接残余应力对氢扩散影响的有限元模拟

利用ABAQUS有限元软件开发的氢扩散耦合计算程序，对焊态和焊后热处理状态下残余应力对氢扩散的影响进行了数值模拟，并与无应力状态下的氢扩散进行了比较．结果表明，存在焊接残余应力梯度时，氢向高应力区富集，在热影响区附近，有一个氢浓度低谷，这是氢向高应力区长程扩散所致．经过焊后热处理，应力松弛效果明显，残余应力大幅下降，对氢扩散的影响也大大降低，氢的最高浓度降低了近40％．因此，焊后热处理可以有效降低材料在氢环境下开裂的敏感性．     

核用SA508-3钢特厚板焊后热处理有限元分析

为了得到SA508-3钢特厚板焊接残余应力分布及焊后热处理对残余应力分布的影响,利用有限元方法对焊接及焊后热处理进行了模拟计算,计算结果表明:焊后热处理对试板焊接应力分布趋势影响较小,但焊后热处理可以大大减小接头应力数值,其中,纵向应力最大减小幅度为72%,横向应力最大减小幅度为70%;焊接接头存在应力分布准稳定区,且接头内部残余应力水平最小,其次为接头上表面,接头下表面应力水平最大;通过残余应力测定试验与模拟结果比对,两者结果吻合度很高,说明计算模型及计算方法可靠,可以指导实际SA508-3钢特厚板焊后热处理生产.     

焊后热处理对特厚板20MnNiMo焊接残余应力的影响

为了研究焊后热处理对8万吨模锻压机主缸材料20MnNiMo焊接接头残余应力的影响,制定了窄间隙焊接方案和15 h×(550±10)℃焊后热处理方案,并通过盲孔法对焊接接头表面残余应力进行了测定和记录。得到了15 h×(550±10)℃焊后热处理对20MnNiMo厚板焊接接头残余应力场分布的影响。结果表明:15 h×(550±10)℃去应力退火可以很好的减小20MnNiMo厚板焊接残余应力,去应力效果显著,可以很好地改善20MnNiMo焊接残余应力的分布,该热处理方案满足实际产品需要,可以用于实际焊接生产中。