Creep deformation and failure of E911/E911 and P92/P92 similar weld-joints

This paper deals with characterisation of microstructure and creep behaviour of similar weld-joints of advanced 9% Cr ferritic steels, namely E911 and P92. The microstructures of the investigated weld-joints exhibit significant variability in different weld-joint regions such as weld metal (WM), heat-affected zone (HAZ), and base metal (BM). The cross-weld creep tests were carried out at 625 °C with initial applied stresses of 100 and 120 MPa. Both weld-joints ruptured by the “type IV cracking failure mode” in their fine-grained heat-affected zones (FG-HAZ). The creep fracture location with the smallest precipitation density corresponds well with its smallest measured cross-weld hardness. The welds of P92 steel exhibit better creep resistance than those of E911 steel. Whereas the microstructure of P92 weld after creep still contains laths, the microstructure of E911 weld is clearly recrystallized. The creep stress exponents are 14.5 and 8 for E911 and P92 weld-joints, respectively. These n-values indicate the “power-law creep” with dislocation-controlled deformation mechanism for both investigated weld-joints.     

Correlation between microstructure and creep performance of martensitic/austenitic transition weldment in dependence of its post-weld heat treatment

This paper deals with the influence of post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) of T92/TP316H martensitic/austenitic transition weldment on the resulting microstructure and creep characteristics. Experimental weldments were fabricated by gas tungsten arc welding using a nickel-based weld metal (Ni WM). After the welding, two individual series of produced weldments were heat-treated according to two different PWHT procedures. The first “conventional PWHT” was carried out via subcritical tempering (i.e. bellow Ac₁ temperature of T92 steel), whereas the other one, the so-called “full PWHT” consisted of a complete reaustenitization of the weldments followed by water-quenching and final tempering. The use of “conventional PWHT” preserved microstructural gradient of T92 steel heat-affected zone (HAZ), consisting of its typical coarse-grained and fine-grained subregions with tempered martensitic and recrystallized ferritic–carbidic microstructures respectively. In contrast, the “full PWHT” led to the complete elimination of the original HAZ via transformation processes involved, i.e. the reaustenitization and back on-cooling martensite formation. The observed microstructural changes depending on the initial PWHT conditions were further manifested by corresponding differences in the weldments’ creep performance and their failure mode. The weldments in “conventional PWHT” state ruptured after long-term creep tests by premature “type IV failure” within their recrystallized intercritical HAZs. On the contrary, the long-term creep behavior of the weldments processed by “full PWHT” was characterized by their remarkable creep life extension but also by the occurrence of unfavorable “decohesion failure” along T92/Ni WM interface.     

Effect of heat treatment on creep and fracture behaviour of 1·25Cr–O·5Mo steel

Abstract

The effect of tempering treatments on the microstructure and creep behaviour of multipass 1·25Cr–0·5Mo steel weldments has been evaluated. While tempering invariably reduced the hardness, significant changes in microstructure were only found after heat treatment at 750°C. In this case ferrite bands developed adjacent to the fusion boundary. Tempering increased creep deformation and reduced failure lifetime for base metal specimens. For crossweld testpieces, the susceptibility to low ductility failures in the heat affected zone was found to be linked to the development of creep cavities and cracks. Thus, brittle failure modes were a function of stress, temperature, microstructure, post weld heat treatment, and to a lesser extent, specimen geometry.

MST/3069     

A comparison of three weld consumables for P92 under creep

Abstract

To encourage realistic power plant weld heat-affected zone failures within reasonable test times in laboratory creep testing, a welding consumable for P92 steel with the best creep performance was sought, to avoid failures in the weld metal itself. Therefore, a short term creep test programme was undertaken to evaluate weld pads manufactured using three commercially available consumables for P92, the results of which are presented in this paper. The effects of weld consumable composition are discussed both in general and with specific reference to the behaviour observed. The best overall and the poorest performing weld consumables were identified by composition. Microstructural investigations revealed the presence of precipitate free zones, that more readily formed using the poorest performing consumable as the result of retained δ–ferrite, since its deposited chemical composition led to the lowest value of δ–ferrite formation temperature. A consumable not based on P92 but on the stronger steel alloy FB2 did not perform as well as expected, confirming previous suggestions that the compositional factors which make a parent material creep-strong do not apply on a one-to-one basis to weld metals.     

Indentation technique for evaluation of hot hardness and creep of SS 316 end-plug welds of nuclear,fuel pins

The high-temperature mechanical properties of SS 316 end-plug welds of nuclear fuel pins were studied using a hot hardness tester. The hardness was measured as a function of temperature on the base metal, weld pool and heat-affected zone from ambient temperature to 1273 K. Hardness was also measured as a function of dwell time from 873 to 1173 K to evaluate the activation energy for creep. The activation energy of the weld pool was found to be higher than that of the base metal. The indentation technique is very suitable for the evaluation of creep properties of very small components.     

An analysis of the creep fracture characteristics of austeniticferritic steel transition welds

A detailed analysis has been made of the creep failure characteristics of crossweld testpieces taken from a transition weld between $\text{2}\text{1}\text{4}$ Cr1Mo ferritic steel and AlSl Type 316 austenitic steel plates joined using a 17Cr 8Ni 2Mo austenitic weld metal. Creep conditions were selected which led to fracture of the crossweld samples in a manner which simulated the low-ductility premature failures encountered with this type of transition weld during service in electricity generating plants, i.e. fracture occurred through the development of intergranular cracks in the heat-affected zone of the $\text{2}\text{1}\text{4}$ Cr1 Mo steel at a distance of some 75–150 ~tm from the weld interface. The numerical modelling procedure described is shown to predict this typical failure pattern, and the associated localized strain accumulation in the region where cracking occurs, by taking into account the known creep properties of the weld metal, the parent $\text{2}\text{1}\text{4}$Cr1Mo steel and the various regions of the heat-affected zone.     

Influence of postweld heat treatment on creep properties of 1CrO.5Mo and 2.25Cr1Mo weldments

The creep properties of simulated heat-affected zone, weld metal and cross-weld specimens of tCr0.5Mo and cross-weld specimens of 2.25Cr tMo have been studied with reference to the effect of postweld heat treatment (PWHT). A reduction in the creep rupture strength of up to 20% has been observed after PWHT. Contrary to what has been previously proposed, PWHT was in the present investigation found to have only a marginal influence on the creep ductility. The creep rate can increase by up to a factor of 2-4 after postweld heat treatment, probably because of-carbide coarsening during the heat treatment. Preheating at 200°C did not affect the creep properties of 2.25Cr lMo. Overheating, on the other hand, at 650°C for 1000h reduced the rupture time of tCr0.5Mo by almost an order of magnitude. The tensile strength and yield strength of tCrO.5Mo were significantly reduced after postweld heat treatment. Reductions of up to 100-200MPa were observed both at room temperature and at 550°C in some cases.     

Influence of joint thickness on Type IV cracking behaviour of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint

Effect of joint thickness on Type IV cracking behaviour of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint has been investigated. Creep tests on multi-pass double-V cross weld joint flat specimens of the steel having thicknesses in the range 1–17 mm have been carried out at 923 K (650°C) and 50 MPa stress. Creep rupture life of the weld joint was found to increase with thickness and reached a maximum value around 10 mm of thickness followed by decrease with further increase in thickness. Failure in the weld joints occurred in the soft intercritical region of the heat-affected zone (HAZ). Creep strain localisation was observed at the fractured location and was more in the thinner weld joints than in the thicker weld joint. Creep cavitation in the intercritical region of HAZ close to the unaffected base metal was more extensive at the mid-location of the weld pass, where the HAZ width was relatively larger and hardness was lowest. The type IV cavitation in intercritical HAZ was more extensive in thicker joint, whereas creep strain concentration in the intercritical HAZ was more in thinner weld joint. Creep cavitation in the joint was more pronounced at near mid-thickness locations than those beneath the specimen surface. Joints of intermediate thickness possessed higher creep rupture life because of relatively less accumulation of creep deformation coupled with lower creep cavitation in the intercritical region of HAZ.     

Effect of microstructure and low cycle fatigue deformation on tensile properties of P91 steel

Isothermal furnace heat treatments were carried out to simulate the microstructures of inter-critical, fine grain and coarse grain heat-affected zones of P91 steel weld joint at different soaking temperatures ranging from just above AC₁ (837 °C) to well above AC₃ (903 °C). Interrupted low cycle fatigue tests were performed on the specimens of P91 steel up to 5 %, 10 %, 30 %, and 50 % of the total fatigue life at the strain amplitude of ±0.6 %, strain rate of 0.003 s⁻¹ and temperatures of 550 °C and 600 °C. Subsequently, tensile tests were conducted on the interrupt tested specimens at the same strain rate and temperatures. Soaking at the inter-critical temperature region reduces / deteriorates the tensile and yield strengths of base metal compared to fine grain and coarse grain regions. The inter-critical heat-affected zone accounted higher damage contribution towards the overall tensile behavior of the actual P91 steel weld joint. Substructural coarsening during strain cycling at elevated temperatures attributes to the rapid reduction in the initial yield strength up to 10 % of fatigue life of P91 steel. A higher amount of plastic strain accumulation during low cycle fatigue deformation resulted in a decrease in fatigue life of the inter-critical heat-affected zone of P91 steel.     

Comparison of creep crack growth rate in heat affected zone of welded joint for 9%Cr ferritic heat resistant steel based on C, dδ/dt, K and Q parameters

Creep crack growth behavior is very sensitive to the materials’ micro-structures such as the heat affected zone of a weld joint. This is a main issue to be clarified for 9%Cr ferritic heat resistant steel for their application in structural components. In this paper, high temperature creep crack growth tests were conducted on CT specimens with cracks in the heat affected zone of weld joints of W added 9%Cr ferritic heat resistant steel, ASME grade P92. The creep crack growth behavior in the heat affected zone of welded joint was investigated using the Q^∗ concept following which the algorithm of predicting the life of creep crack growth has been proposed. Furthermore, three-dimensional elastic-plastic creep FEM analyses were conducted and the effect of stress multiaxiality of welded joint on creep crack growth rate was discussed as compared with that of base metal.     

Estimation of Ct for weld cracks including HAZ softening region

C_t is an important parameter in predicting creep crack growth life from the small-scale creep stage to the extensive steady state creep stage. In this paper, weld interface and non-interface creep cracks for compact tension (CT) specimens with heat-affected zone (HAZ) were studied by finite element method (FEM) to systematically research the estimation method of C_t for weld creep cracks. Simulation results showed that C_t of weld interface cracks could be estimated by Yoon’s method. For weld non-interface cracks, C_t under the small-scale and transition creep stages could be exactly estimated by a proposed method. The accuracy of the proposed method was not affected by HAZ, but Yoon’s method was slightly affected by HAZ.     

Zone-wise investigation of creep behaviour 9Cr–1Mo steel weld joints

Distinct regions such as weld metal, heat-affected zone (HAZ) and base metal of P9 steel weld joints fabricated by various welding processes were investigated using impression creep testing. Smaller prior austenitic grain size, lower density of precipitates and dislocations resulted in faster recovery and higher creep rate of HAZ in comparison to the weld and base metal. Compared to base metal, shielded metal arc weld (SMAW) and activated tungsten inert gas (A-TIG) weld of the P9 steel weld joints exhibited better resistance to creep and displayed higher activation energy due to their coarser prior austenite grain size. A-TIG HAZ exhibited superior creep properties compared to the SMAW and TIG HAZ due to the presence of higher number density of precipitates.     

Some issues on creep damage modelling of welds with heterogeneous structures

Welded components are used widely in power plants. Many of these components operate at high temperatures and under high pressures. Defects or micro cracks may be found in the vicinity of the welds. These micro cracks or voids can grow under creep cracking conditions. These cracks are often found in a narrow zone close to the interface between the parent material and the heat-affected zones (HAZ), known as the type IV region, or in some cases, in the weld metal. Welds are metallurgically complex, with heterogeneous structures within the weld metal and the HAZ. It is important to have knowledge of the initial metallurgical features and the associated material property variations so that it may be possible to accurately model the possible failure modes of welds using, for example, finite element (FE) numerical modeling techniques. This paper describes a procedure related to the determination of the high temperature creep properties for each sub-region of welds from experimental results, and it also describes the subsequent failure modeling of welds, using a creep damage mechanics approach in FE analyses. Typical examples, for P91 welds in power plant, are used to illustrate the applications.     

Susceptibility to Hydrogen-Induced Cracking of Weld Beads on High-Strength Structural Steel

We study the hydrogen embrittlement and rupture of specimens of high-strength low-alloy steel with weld beads subjected to hydrogenation under the conditions of cathodic polarization. The specimens fail in the heat-affected zone on the boundary between the main metal and the weld bead in the zone of application of the latter and, especially, near its end. This explained by a higher hardness of the metal in this zone caused by the specific features of the temperature field formed in the process of welding. __________ Published in Fizyko-Khimichna Mekhanika Materialiv, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 101–104, March–April, 2005.     

Influence of precipitation on dislocation substructure and creep properties of P91 steel weld joints

Abstract

Two trial weld joints were prepared using the GTAW and SMAW methods and they underwent creep testing at temperatures between 525 and 625°C. The longest time to rupture was 45,811 h. Two main processes occurred during creep exposures: recovery and precipitation of secondary phases. Slight coarsenings of the M₂₃C₆ carbide, precipitation of Laves phase and Z-phase were observed after long tests at high temperatures. Some differences in microstructure and creep failure were found in the individual zones of weldments. After long exposure at temperatures up to 600°C, fractures occurred in the fine-grain heat-affected zone as a result of a low density of fine vanadium nitride and a high density of coarse particles at grain and subgrain boundaries. At 625°C, growth of Laves phase caused a softening of the ferritic matrix and crack propagation in the weld metal.     

A572 Gr.50厚板对接焊缝断裂性能研究

A572 Gr.50厚板常用于锅炉钢结构大板梁的加工制作,其对接焊缝易存在焊接裂纹缺陷。为评定含缺陷的锅炉钢结构大板梁的安全性,通过焊接接头模拟制作实际大板梁下翼缘的A572 Gr.50厚板对接焊缝,分别对其母材、焊缝金属及热影响区材料进行了系列单轴静力拉伸试验、冲击韧性试验和直三点弯曲断裂韧度试验,并结合有限元分析对A572 Gr.50厚板对接焊缝存在裂纹缺陷时的断裂性能进行了研究。研究结果表明:厚板对接焊缝母材、焊缝和热影响区材料基本力学性能均能满足规范要求,均具有良好的塑性变形能力;随温度的降低,母材、热影响区及焊缝处的夏比冲击功减少,但均具有良好的冲击韧性;比较而言,母材的抗低温冷脆性能最好,焊缝最差;母材、焊缝和热影响区3个区域中焊缝的断裂韧度最差;厚板对接焊缝接头的焊缝区是大板梁焊接缺陷安全性评估的重点控制区域;基于断裂力学,可以运用有限元软件方便的对带裂缝的工作状态下工作的钢结构构件的断裂性能进行分析,保证其安全性。     

Failure of a furnace outlet pipe in a benzene plant by internal oxidation due to improper welding practice

A furnace outlet pipe made of INCOLOY^® alloy 800H to handle gaseous hydrocarbon in a benzene plant developed cracks in the weld heat-affected zone during operation at 595 °C. Microstructural characterization revealed that the cracks were of the ductile intergranular mode, which could be related to localized plastic deformation alongside the grain boundaries. The microstructure of the heat-affected zone was distinguished from the base metal by a coarser grain structure and intergranular oxidation in addition to higher hardness indicating the presence of residual stresses from the welding process. Intergranular oxidation was found to result in a mixture of Cr and Fe oxides enveloping a Ni-rich solid-solution adjacent to the grain boundary. Therefore, the observed ductile intergranular cracking could be related to localized plastic deformation in the relatively “soft” zone of Ni-rich solid-solution. Most evidence indicated that the failure occurred because of improper welding atmosphere leading to internal oxidation under relatively low oxygen potential, which is oxidizing to Cr and to a lesser extent Fe, and reducing to Ni.     

强动载荷下焊接钢板力学性能及本构模型研究

为研究强动载荷下船用焊接钢板的力学性能。开展了典型船用焊接钢板母材、焊缝和热影响区的准静态拉伸试验、高温拉伸试验及SHPB动态压缩试验,分析了焊接钢板材料在不同应力状态下的力学行为,基于力学性能试验结果拟合了焊接钢板母材、焊缝和热影响区材料的本构模型。结果表明:准静态条件下,与母材相比,焊缝和热影响区材料的屈服强度与抗拉强度偏大,延伸率偏小;高应变率下,热影响区材料抵抗塑性变形的能力明显强于其他两种材料,且随着应变率的增加抵抗塑性变形的能力呈增强趋势;焊接板母材、焊缝与热影响区材料均表现出应变率效应和温度效应;热影响区是焊接板抗冲击性能相对薄弱的区域。建立的Johnson-Cook模型可以描述强动载荷下焊接钢板的力学性能。     

High-temperature creep rupture of low alloy ferritic steel butt-welded pipes subjected to combined internal pressure and end loadings

Constitutive equations are reviewed and presented for low alloy ferritic steels which undergo creep deformation and damage at high temperatures; and, a thermodynamic framework is provided for the deformation rate potentials used in the equations. Finite element continuum damage mechanics studies have been carried out using these constitutive equations on butt-welded low alloy ferritic steel pipes subjected to combined internal pressure and axial loads at 590 and 620 degrees C. Two dominant modes of failure have been identified: firstly, fusion boundary failure at high stresses; and, secondly, Type IV failure at low stresses. The stress level at which the switch in failure mechanism takes place has been found to be associated with the relative creep resistance and lifetimes, over a wide range of uniaxial stresses, for parent, heat affected zone, Type IV and weld materials. The equi-biaxial stress loading condition (mean diameter stress equal to the axial stress) has been confirmed to be the worst loading condition. For this condition, simple design formulae are proposed for both 590 and 620 degrees C.     

Comparison of creep behaviour of 2.25Cr–1Mo/9Cr–1Mo dissimilar weld joint with its base and weld metals

Abstract

Evaluation of the creep behaviour of 2.25Cr–1Mo and 9Cr–1Mo ferritic steel base metals, 9Cr–1Mo steel weld metal, and 2.25Cr–1Mo/9Cr–1Mo ferritic–ferritic dissimilar weld joints has been carried out at 823 K in the stress range 100–260 MPa. The weld joint was fabricated by shielded metal arc welding using basic coated 9Cr–1Mo electrodes. Investigations of the microstructure and hardness variations across the joint in the as welded, post-weld heat treated (973 K/1 h), and creep tested conditions were performed. The heat affected zone (HAZ) in both the steels consisted of a coarse prior austenitic grain region, a fine prior austenitic grain region, and an intercritical structure. In the post-weld heat treated condition, a white etched soft decarburised zone in 2.25Cr–1Mo steel base metal and a black etched hard carburised zone in 9Cr–1Mo steel weld metal around the weld fusion line developed. Hardness troughs also developed in the intercritical HAZ regions of both the steels. The width of the carburised and decarburised zones and hardness differences of these zones were found to increase with creep exposure. The 9Cr–1Mo steel weld metal showed higher creep strength compared to both the base metals. The 9Cr–1Mo steel base metal exhibited better creep resistance than the 2.25Cr–1Mo steel base metal at lower applied stresses. The dissimilar joint revealed lower creep rupture strength than both the base metals and weld metal. The creep strain was found to concentrate in the decarburised zone of 2.25Cr–1Mo steel and in the intercritical HAZ regions of both the steels. Creep failure in the stress range examined occurred in the intercritical HAZ of 2.25Cr–1Mo steel even though this region showed higher hardness than the decarburised zone. Extensive creep cavitation and cracks were observed in the decarburised zone.