Creep crack growth of high temperature weldments

The experimental programme of the EC supported project (SMT 2070) SOTA aimed at addressing a technical and industrial need to provide guidelines for creep crack growth (CCG) testing and data analysis of weldments. Mechanical and creep properties were determined on two pressure vessel steels of P22 (2.25Cr1Mo) and P91 (9Cr1MoVNb). The specimens were taken from pipe welds for weld metal (WM) tests, and simulated heat affected zone (HAZ) material for the HAZ tests.The CCG tests were carried out on cross-weld compact tension (CT) specimens machined out from weldment of pipes. The tests were done at 550 and 600°C on P22 and P91 materials, respectively. The CT specimens were notched using electrical discharge method, for a sharp starter crack. This method of initiating sharp starter crack was chosen to make sure that all partners will test specimens with starter crack location as specified in the work programme to study crack initiation and growth in WM and HAZ (both in the centre and type IV region). The CCG tests were carried out following the ASTM E1457-92 [ASTM E1457-92, Standard test method for measurement of creep crack growth rates in metals, ASTM, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA]. The partners assessed their data and sent both assessed and their raw data to be further assessed centrally. All the data from partners were analysed and compared with those of partners' own assessed data.The present paper reports on the analyses of CCG data obtained in the programme including six laboratories from six European countries. The programme addresses the differences and difficulties in testing and the assessment of weldments, and provides guidelines for harmonisation of testing procedures for reliable data production for remanent life assessment of plants with welded components.     

Creep behaviour of 12Cr-Mo-V steel weldments

This paper describes an investigation into the creep behaviour of weldments in 12Cr-Mo-V steel, with particular emphasis on the effect of welding conditions and type of filler metals. At 600°C, the creep lives of all the weldments fall below the DIN 17175 scatterband and are not influenced by a variation in welding regime, number of postweld heat treatments and type of filler metal. This is attributed to the premature creep damage in the ‘type IV’ zone, the outer part of the fine grained zone, which possesses the poorest creep resistance.     

Creep crack growth in service-exposed weld metal of 2.25Cr1Mo

Creep crack growth (CCG) has been studied for ex-service weld metal of 2.25Cr1Mo (P22). The testing was conducted at a temperature of 550°C and prior to testing, the material had been exposed to high temperature service for 110 000 h at 530°C. The results show a marked effect of the service exposure on the CCG properties of the material when compared to similar testing performed on a new material. The CCG rate was higher by a factor 3.1 in the service-exposed material, which should be compared to the model value of 3.2 based on the relations between the elongation values. The consumed deformation capacity was also estimated with the omega model for tertiary creep. In this case, an enhanced growth rate of 2.4 was obtained. Within a distance of about 10 mm in front of the propagating cracks, the number of creep cavities was significantly higher than in the surrounding material. The variation of the density of cavities as a function of distance from the crack tip was successfully modelled.     

Creep damage zone development in advanced 9%Cr steel weldments

Details are given of a new technique for the mapping of creep damage zone development ahead of stress concentrations in laboratory testpieces and structures which have been loaded for long times at high temperatures. The technique has been developed as part of a project concerned with the characterisation of creep damage generated under multi-axial loading conditions in advanced martensitic 9%Cr steel weldments, but is applicable to other engineering materials.The approach may be effectively used to demonstrate how the creep damage tolerances of individual microstructural constituents determine the fracture path in welded structures operating at high temperatures. Damage zone sizes determined by this technique compare favourably with the results of analytical predictions when a consistent boundary criterion is adopted.     

Creep and damage investigation of advanced martensitic chromium steel weldments for high temperature applications in thermal power plants

Abstract

With the aim to increase base material creep strength and overcome the type IV cracking problem, a new design concept was developed. This so called martensitic boron–nitrogen strengthened steel (MARBN) combines boron strengthening through solid solution with precipitation strengthening by finely dispersed nitrides. In this work, uniaxial creep tests of the MARBN base material and welded joints have been carried out. The creep strength of the welded joints was analysed, and the evolution of creep damage was investigated. The creep tests of MARBN revealed increased strength of the base material of about +20% compared to the best commercially available 9Cr steel grade. At higher stress levels, the creep strength of crosswelds is between that of the MARBN base material and the conventional 9Cr base materials. Nevertheless, long term creep tests revealed a drop in creep strength of the MARBN welded joints. The underlying phenomena of crossweld creep behaviour are discussed in detail.     

Ductile tearing tests of 316 stainless steel wide plates containing weldments

Twelve wide plate tests have been performed in recent years, as part of the European Fast Reactor development programme, to examine the influence of residual stresses on the fracture behaviour of Type 316 stainless steel plates and weldments. The first ten tests consisted of a study of through-thickness cracks and the last two tests addressed the behaviour of surface cracks. Results obtained from this series of tests are summarised and the ability of the R6 fracture assessment procedure to predict the results is reviewed. Significant amounts of ductile tearing under increasing applied load was shown to have occurred in both the plain plate and weldment through-thickness crack tests, prior to instability conditions being attained. R6 calculations were shown to conservatively underpredict instability applied loads for all through-thickness cracks tested. The through-thickness crack weldment tests indicated that residual stresses should be included in predicting initiation and the earliest stages of crack growth, but that they may be excluded in predicting the later stages of crack growth leading to instability. There was some evidence to suggest however that having to include residual stresses or not may depend on whether the section containing the crack is in contained yield or not. A wide plate test of a semi-elliptical crack in parent material, loaded in tension, indicated that the global limit load, although being slightly overpredictive in terms of applied load, was significantly more accurate than the local limit load approach.     

Creep fatigue crack behavior of two power plant steels

Crack initiation and crack growth under creep fatigue conditions were experimentally determined on a bainitic turbine rotor steel (30CrMoNiV4-11) and a martensitic pipe steel (X10CrMoVNb9-1). Side grooved compact tension (CT) specimens with 25 and 50 mm thickness as well as double edge notch tensile (DENT) specimens with 15 and 60 mm thickness have been tested in order to observe possible influences of geometry and thus to check the transferability of the specimen test results to the behavior of components.The creep fatigue crack test results can be described with the usual fracture mechanics parameters. A modified two-criteria-method can be used to estimate the crack initiation under creep fatigue conditions. The creep fatigue crack growth can be calculated from the accumulation of fatigue crack growth which is described by the Forman-law and creep crack growth which is described by the C^*-parameter.     

Assessment of the allowable maximum crack size in the toe HAZ of welded low alloy steel components

A method suitable for evaluating the allowable maximum defect size at the heat affected zone region of the toe of weldments in low alloy steel components is described. The method makes use of a stress intensity factor expression for a part-through thickness crack and takes into account the fracture characteristics of the toe HAZ and the existence of triaxial welding residual stress, the result describing the geometry of the allowable maximum defect in terms of the depth and length of the defect. Practical examples of the low stress brittle fracture in the welded structures are discussed.     

The resistance to crack growth of different regions of weldments in a real structure

The growth of a crack in regions of welded joints, made from high-strength low-alloy steel, has been analysed on specimens and full-scale structures. The effect of such crack growth on the safety of welded steel pressure vessels has been considered.     

Difficulties in interpreting data from creep crack growth tests on type 316H weldments

Abstract

Experimental creep crack growth data are generally obtained by following standard methods such as ASTM E1457-07 and subsequently characterised using the C* parameter. These data are then used in assessment procedures, such as R5, together with reference stress estimates of C* in the component, to predict creep crack growth behaviour. Some modifications to the ASTM E1457 creep crack growth testing and analysis methods have already been proposed following a previous analysis of data from long term creep crack growth tests on type 316H parent material. This paper reports the results of creep crack growth tests on type 316H heat affected zone material at 550°C using compact tension (CT) specimens manufactured from non-stress relieved thick section butt welds. It is shown that interpretation of the data from these weldment tests is complicated by both the discontinuous nature of the cracking process and the presence of significant residual stresses in the CT specimens. Further modifications to creep crack growth testing and analysis methods are proposed to address difficulties arising from the discontinuous nature of the cracking process, and further work is identified to investigate the influence of the residual stresses present in the specimens on the observed crack growth behaviour.     

Creep strength of high chromium steel with ferrite matrix

Long-term creep strength of material in the low-stress regime below elastic limit is difficult to predict by an extrapolation of short-term creep strength in the high-stress regime above elastic limit. Long-term creep strength of fully annealed ferrite-pearlite microstructure of low alloy Cr–Mo steel is higher than that of martensite and bainite microstructures. It is explained by lower dislocation density of fully annealed microstructure. According to the above concept, creep strength of high chromium steel with ferrite matrix is investigated. Creep rupture life of 15Cr–Mo–W–Co steel with ferrite matrix which is longer than that of ASME Grade 92 steel is obtained at 650 °C by controlling the chemical composition and heat treatment condition.     

Creep crack growth testing of P91 and P22 pipe bends

Laboratory component tests play an important role in the development of life assessment procedures for high temperature crack initiation and growth. Thus, the working programme of the project BE 1702 HIDA, which addressed the validation, expansion and harmonisation of existing procedures for high temperature defect assessment, included a comprehensive experimental programme with feature tests of components as its core. Because of their relevance for the high temperature industry, P91 and P22 were included in HIDA among five materials. This paper presents laboratory creep crack growth tests of P91 and P22 pipe bends, discusses the test experience and draws some conclusions for laboratory component tests in general. The components were prepared with spark-eroded notches at the outer surface. The test temperature was 625°C for P91 and 565°C for P22.     

Fatigue crack growth in multi-pass butt-welded joints of mild steel

Fatigue crack growth rate properties obtained by testing multi-pass butt-welded joints in the through-the-thickness direction are presented along with a characterization of the mild steel base material. Edge-notched four-point-bending specimens are used to investigate R-ratio, specimen geometry and post-weld heat-treatment effects on fatigue crack growth rates. The pervasive influence of residual stresses on welded joint fatigue testing using the fracture mechanics approach is also discussed. For these multi-pass joints, conservative fatigue crack growth rates are obtained with post-weld heat-treated specimens.     

Fatigue crack growth behavior of JIS SCM440 steel near fatigue threshold in 9-MPa hydrogen gas environment

In this study, stress intensity factor range (ΔK) decreasing tests were conducted and the in-situ observations were used to investigate the fatigue crack growth behavior of JIS SCM440 steel near the fatigue threshold in a 9-MPa hydrogen gas environment. The fatigue crack growth rate reflected the threshold behavior of the material, although the crack propagation knee point immediately before the threshold stress intensity factor range (ΔK_th) could not be distinctly identified. The fatigue crack was also observed to exhibit uneven propagation immediately before ΔK_th. In contrast, the knee points in a helium gas environment and air were very distinct. Fractographic analysis further revealed the existence of intergranular facets, which were observed immediately before ΔK_th in the hydrogen gas environment. Conversely, no facet was observed immediately before ΔK_th in the helium gas environment and air. The formation of the facets was considered to be one of the causes of the uneven crack propagation immediately before ΔK_th in the hydrogen gas environment.     

Effect of cyclic plastic deformation on hydrogen diffusion behavior and embrittlement susceptibility of reeling-pipeline steel weldments

The hydrogen embrittlement (HE) susceptibility and hydrogen permeation behavior of reeling-pipeline welded joint with/without cyclic plastic deformation (CPD) were studied using the electrochemical hydrogen charging technique. Results indicated that the surface of welded joint emerged hydrogen-induced damage containing cracks and blisters. The degree of hydrogen-induced damage increased with the increase of hydrogen charging time and current density. When the hydrogen charging current density and time was 50 mA/cm² and 4 h, respectively, the area ratio of hydrogen-induced damage of overall welded joint with CPD process was reduced from 6.61% to 2.28%, and the damage ratio of different sub-zones in welded joint was also decreased. The oxidized inclusions enriching Al–Mg–Ca elements acted as the initiation sites for hydrogen-induced damages. The effective diffusion coefficient of as-welded joint was 2.63 × 10⁻⁶ cm²/s, while that of welded joint with CPD showed a smaller value of 1.36 × 10⁻⁶ cm²/s. The welded joint with CPD process presented better resistance to HE, which was attributed to the increased density of hydrogen traps and the formation of dislocation cells to disperse hydrogen uniformly and reduce the possibility of local accumulation and recombination of diffusible hydrogen. Sub-zones in welded joint without CPD process were considerably more sensitive to hydrogen-induced damage, which indicated the important role of microstructure and dislocation density in HE mechanisms. The order of HE susceptibility from low to high was weld metal, base metal and heat affected zone.     

Creep crack growth in welds: a damage mechanics approach to predicting initiation and growth of circumferential cracks

The results of damage mechanics finite element analyses have been used to estimate the initiation and growth of type IV cracks in a series of internally pressurised circumferential pipe welds, in main steam pipelines made of 1/2CrMoV steel. The material properties used, for the various zones of new, service-aged and repaired welds, were produced from creep test data at 640°C. Damage distributions and accumulation with time within the HAZ are presented, from which the crack initiation times and positions for these welds, under a closed-end condition, and with additional axial (system) loading, were identified. By investigating the propagation of damage through the wall thickness, the remaining lives of the various weld types were estimated. The method provides a means for predicting the initiation and growth of type IV cracks in these CrMoV weldments, and for estimating the length of time a weld can safely be left in service, after damage, or type IV cracking, is identified during inspection.     

BN type inclusions formed in high Cr ferritic heat resistant steel

Abstract

Scanning electron microscopy observations of fractured steel rod samples were made to clarify the formation and dissolution behaviour of boron nitrides in high Cr ferritic heat resistant steels during heat treatment at high temperature. A large number of coarse size BN type inclusions of 2 to 5 μm were distributed at the bottom of the dimples. They did not dissolve during annealing at 1150°C. However, they had a tendency to begin dissolving and reducing its particle size with time at 1200°C and dissolved completely in a short time at 1250°C. From the chemical analyses of boron and nitrogen in many high Cr heat resistant steels and SEM observations of their fractured samples, critical boron and nitrogen concentrations for the formation of coarse size BN type inclusions of 0·001%B and 0·015%N were found, and the solubility limit of BN was represented as log [%B]=?2·45log [%N]?6·81 at 1150°C.     

1Cr10Mo1W1NiVNbN钢的蠕变及蠕变-疲劳裂纹扩展行为研究

采用直流电位法,对国内试制的某超超临界汽轮机高中压转子用1Cr10Mo1W1NiVNbN钢在600℃下的蠕变裂纹、蠕变-疲劳裂纹萌生与扩展行为进行了研究,得到了该钢在不同初始应力强度因子条件下的蠕变裂纹扩展孕育时间关系式和蠕变裂纹扩展速率关系式.研究了不同保持时间对蠕变-疲劳裂纹扩展行为的影响,同时还分析了在不同条件下裂纹扩展行为与时间和循环的相关性.结果表明:疲劳缩短了蠕变-疲劳裂纹的扩展孕育期,加快了裂纹的扩展速度;在栽荷保持时间较短的情况下,蠕变-疲劳裂纹扩展行为与循环相关;而在栽荷保持时间较长的情况下,裂纹扩展行为与时间相关.     

Creep test of type 304 stainless steel tube containing a notch subjected to internal pressure

This paper summarises the results of experimental creep tests of type 304 stainless steel tube subjected to internal pressure at 650°C. The equipment used was especially developed for these tests.

The tubes without notches were tested at pressures of 9·32 and 7·36 MPa. Test results indicate that the rupture time of the tubes without notches is in good agreement with that of uniaxial specimens when the maximum stress is taken as the rupture criterion. The tubes containing axial and circumferential surface notches were tested at a pressure of 7·36 MPa. Test results indicate that the ductile fracture theory is applicable to the life prediction in the case of axial notches.

An electric potential method was very useful for monitoring the creep crack growth from the notch root. The relationship between the creep crack growth rate and the fracture mechanics parameter, σ_net or K₁, was investigated.     

Strain rate and hydrogen effects on crack growth from a notch in a Fe-high-Mn steel containing 1.1 wt% solute carbon

Effects of strain rate and hydrogen on crack propagation from a notch were investigated using a Fe-33Mn-1.1C steel by tension tests conducted at a cross head displacement speeds of 10⁻² and 10⁻⁴ mm/s. Decreasing cross head displacement speed reduced the elongation by promoting intergranular crack initiation at the notch tip, whereas the crack propagation path was unaffected by the strain rate. Intergranular cracking in the studied steel was mainly caused by plasticity-driven mechanism of dynamic strain aging (DSA) and plasticity-driven damage along grain boundaries. With the introduction of hydrogen, decrease in yield strength due to cracking at the notch tip before yielding as well as reduction in elongation were observed. Coexistence of several hydrogen embrittlement mechanisms, such as hydrogen enhanced decohesion (HEDE) and hydrogen enhanced localized plasticity (HELP) were observed at and further away from the notch tip resulting in hydrogen assisted intergranular fracture and cracking which was the key reason behind the ductility reduction.