TY - JOUR A1 - Czeskleba, Denis A1 - Rhode, Michael A1 - Wandtke, Karsten A1 - Irfan, Muhammad Dary A1 - Kannengiesser, Thomas T1 - Hydrogen diffusion in thick-walled S690 saw joints: part 1—experimental determination of microstructure-dependent diffusion coefficients N2 - High-strength low-alloyed steel S690 is widely used in heavy-duty applications, such as structural components, mobile cranes, and industrial plant construction, owing to their high strength and weldability. However, thick-plate submerged arc welding (SAW) can introduce elevated hydrogen levels and residual stresses that promote time-delayed hydrogen-assisted cold cracking (HACC). Accurate, microstructure-specific diffusion data are scarce, limiting predictive HACC assessments. This study presents an experimental determination of hydrogen diffusion coefficients (DH) in two S690 variants: thermomechanically rolled (S690MC) and quenched and tempered (S690Q). Multi-layer SAW welds were produced from 30 mm thick plate material at three heat input levels, and diffusion membranes were extracted from weld metal (WM), heat-affected zone (HAZ), and base material (BM). Hydrogen permeation tests, conducted in accordance with DIN En ISO 17081, yielded flux curves normalized in time from which DH was derived using the inflection-point method. At room temperature, DH values ranged from 6 × 10−5 mm2/s to 9 × 10−5 mm2/s across all regions and heat inputs, with no significant difference between S690MC and S690Q. Weld metal exhibited marginally lower DH, attributed to enhanced hydrogen trapping, while base material measurements showed greater variability. These microstructure-resolved diffusion coefficients add quantitative data for modern S690 SAW welds and provide internally consistent input parameters for the numerical simulations presented in part 2. The results support improved parameterization for subsequent assessments of HACC risk through the optimization of welding parameters. KW - Hydrogen assisted cracking KW - Submerged arc welding KW - Diffusion KW - Electrochemical permeation KW - Microstructure PY - 2026 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-655711 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s40194-026-02400-7 SN - 0043-2288 SP - 1 EP - 15 PB - Springer Science and Business Media LLC AN - OPUS4-65571 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Czeskleba, Denis A1 - Rhode, Michael A1 - Wandtke, Karsten A1 - Irfan, Muhammad Dary A1 - Kannengiesser, Thomas T1 - Hydrogen diffusion in thick-walled S690 SAW joints: part 2 – predictive modeling of heat input and microstructure influence N2 - High-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steels such as S690 are widely employed in thick-walled welded structures, where hydrogen-assisted cold cracking (HACC) remains a persistent concern. While microstructure-specific hydrogen diffusion coefficients (DH) for weld metal (WM), heat-affected zone (HAZ), and base material (BM) were experimentally established in Part 1 of this study, their quantitative influence on hydrogen accumulation and effusion has not yet been fully clarified. This work presents a transient, spatially resolved numerical model for simulating hydrogen transport in multi-pass submerged arc welds. The model integrates experimentally determined DH values with realistic thermal cycles and temperature-dependent boundary conditions. Developed in Python, the simulation tool is purpose-built for hydrogen diffusion in welded joints. It offers a focused, transparent alternative. It offers a focused, transparent alternative to general-purpose finite element platforms. Parametric analyses demonstrate that, although the diffusion coefficients vary by up to 50%, their impact on overall hydrogen retention is minor. In contrast, plate thickness, bead geometry, cooling time (t₈/₅), and interpass temperature exert a dominant influence on hydrogen distribution. Despite clear microstructural differences between the thermomechanically rolled (S690MC) and quenched and tempered (S690Q) variants, including opposite HAZ hardness responses (softening in S690MC, hardening in S690Q) in the (pen)ultimate weld bead, the simulations confirm that their diffusion behavior and hydrogen solubility are closely aligned. Consequently, differences in DH and solubility exert only a minor influence on hydrogen retention compared to thermal exposure and joint geometry. These findings support the interchangeable use of both steel grades in terms of HACC risk due to hydrogen diffusion kinetics under comparable welding conditions. KW - Hydrogen assisted cracking KW - Numerical simulation KW - Diffusion KW - Submerged arc welding PY - 2026 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-655721 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s40194-026-02395-1 SN - 0043-2288 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Springer Science and Business Media LLC AN - OPUS4-65572 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Rhode, Michael T1 - Determination, Assessment and Quantification of Hydrogen in Multi-pass / Multi-layer Weld Joints by Adapted ISO 3690 Samples - DEAQuade - N2 - High-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) structural steels, such as S690 and higher grades, are used in numerous applications, enabling sustainable, lightweight structural construction. However, the welded joints of these steels can be susceptible to hydrogen-assisted cold cracking (HACC), especially in the hardened weld metal (WM) or heat-affected zone (HAZ). HACC in high-strength welds basically involves a critical combination of local, mutually dependent parameters consisting of: (1) a crack-critical microstructure; (2) sufficiently high mechanical stress; and (3) a diffusible hydrogen concentration (HD). In this context, thick-walled steel weld joints typically involve multi-layer welding with several passes. This leads to an effective, empirically known reduction in the global HD in the weld seam. This reduction is due to the repeated reheating of subsequently welded beads or layers, which reduces the local HD in the individual weld beads or layers. However, this has not yet been adequately quantified or described. Bead-on-plate tests, such as ISO 3690, cannot correctly reproduce the local HD distribution in individual welding passes (and thus, the global HD in the entire seam). Therefore, these tests lead to an extremely conservative evaluation of hydrogen ingress and the potential for "self-reduction" of HD due to increased interpass temperature during multi-layer welding, which has not yet been adequately addressed in the literature. Ideally, the local HD in each pass and the global (average) HD of the multi-layer weld would be known immediately after welding. For this reason, the study proposes an approach to address the local, track-, and layer-dependent, as well as global, hardness (HD) of multi-layer welds via a modified ISO 3690 test. To this end, representative welding parameter combinations for selected practical welding processes (e.g., SAW, GMAW, or SMAW) will be carried out as conventional bead-on-plate samples. These samples will be systematically extended by an increasing number of welding passes. Several sample series with an increasing number of beads or layers will be examined. Additionally, the initial HD is varied by methods such as targeted shielding gas variation (e.g., addition of hydrogen in GMAW) or moistened flux/coating (e.g., SAW/SMAW). Based on experimental data (temperature field measurements during welding and determination of temperature-dependent HD coefficients), a numerical hydrogen diffusion model is created. This model calculates the local HD (in the beads) and the HD across the weld cross-section. Additional variation calculations represent heat transfer conditions that were not recorded experimentally and their influence on HD distribution. Finally, we investigate the potential use of the modified ISO 3690 multi-layer geometry for application cases such as (1) predicting the effectiveness and necessity of hydrogen removal heat treatment procedures for given welding parameter sets and (2) extending the HD classification definition (e.g., allowing HD10 use for HSLA steels with RP0.2 > 690 MPa instead of HD5). Finally, an international round robin should be initiated once the concept has been successfully confirmed and verified. T2 - IIW Intermediate Meeting, Com. II-A CY - Bangkok, Thailand DA - 17.03.2026 KW - Hydrogen assisted cracking KW - Multi-pass welding KW - Diffusion KW - Cold cracking test PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65716 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Rhode, Michael T1 - Praktikable Prüfung der Wasserstoffverteilung in Mehrlagenschweißungen in Anlehnung an die DIN EN ISO 3690 N2 - Das Forschungsvorhaben adressiert eine zentrale Lücke und damit einhergehende Einschränkung für geschweißte hochfeste Werkstoffe in der aktuellen Normung: Die DIN EN ISO 3690 erlaubt ausschließlich die Bestimmung des diffusiblen Wasserstoffs in einlagigen Prüfraupen und bildet damit die realen Bedingungen in mehrlagigen Schweißnähten hochfester Stähle nicht ab. Durch das mehrfache wiederholte Aufwärmen wird die eingebrachte Wasserstoffkonzentration deutlich unter die konservativen, einlagigen Prüfraupen bereits während des Schweißens abgesenkt. Hierzu fehlt jedoch eine einfache, experimentelle Methoden, um die tatsächliche lokale lagenabhängige bzw. globale Wasserstoffverteilung quantifizieren zu können. Das Vorhaben entwickelt daher erstmals eine Versuchsmethodik, der reale Diffusions- und Entgasungsbedingungen von Mehrlagenschweißungen experimentell reproduziert. Dadurch werden die Nachteile der ISO 3690 (einlagige Prüfraupe, konservative Bewertung) aufgehoben und mit dem Hauptvorteil (robuste, einfache Handhabung) kombiniert. Durch gezielte Variation von Wärmeführung, Zwischenlagentemperaturen und Wasserstoffangebot werden lokale und globale Wasserstoffverteilungen quantifiziert. Ergänzt durch ein numerisches Diffusionsmodell entsteht ein skalierbares Bewertungswerkzeug, das die experimentellen Daten generalisiert und auf reale Schweißnähte überträgt. Die Ergebnisse ermöglichen: (1) eine realitätsnahe Bewertung verbleibender Wasserstoffgehalte, Kaltrisssicherheit, damit die (2) die mögliche Ausweitung der HD Klassifizierung hochfester Schweißzusätze, und (3) die Beurteilung der Effektivität und Notwendigkeit von Wärmenachbehandlungs-maßnahmen (wie „Wasserstoffarmglühen“). T2 - Sitzung des NA 092-00-05 GA Gemeinschaftsarbeitsausschuss NAS/NMP: Zerstörende Prüfung von Schweißverbindungen (DVS AG Q 4/Q 4.1) CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 24.03.2026 KW - Schweißen KW - Wasserstoff KW - ISO 3690 KW - Prüfung KW - Mehrlagennaht PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65784 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -