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Die Erkenntnis, dass die Phasenumwandlung bei der Schweißeigenspannungsentstehung hochfester Stähle eine bedeutende Rolle spielt, gibt es bereits seit langer Zeit. Bisher existierten jedoch keine Ansätze, diesen Effekt praktisch zur Schweißeigen- spannungskontrolle zu nutzen. Neuartige Low Transformation Temperature (LTT) Legierungen bieten aufgrund ihrer charakteristischen chemischen Zusammensetzung die Möglichkeit, hochfeste Stähle auf deren Festigkeitsniveau zu fügen. Die martensitische Phasenumwandlung soll zudem eine gezielte Einstellung der Schweißeigenspannungen erlauben. Die im Schrifttum vorliegenden Untersuchungen zu diesem Thema sind zwar zahlreich, bieten jedoch nur wenige Erkenntnisse zur Wechselwirkung zwischen der Phasenumwandlung und den resultierenden Schweißeigenspannungen. Zur Klärung dieser Fragestellung wurde basierend auf Literaturauswertungen eine Matrix von LTT-Legierungen verwirklicht, welche hinsichtlich des Gefüges, der mechanischen Eigenschaften und der Umwandlungstemperaturen charakterisiert wurden. Weiterhin konnten im Rahmen dieser Arbeit erstmals In-situ-Beugungsexperimente während des Schweißens unter Anwendung energiedispersiver Methoden realisiert werden. Die Neukonzeption und Verwirklichung einer Schweißvorrichtung speziell für den Einsatz an Synchrotronstrahllinien ermöglichte die bislang einzigartige In-situ-Analyse der Umwandlungsvorgänge während des Schweißens mit LTT-Legierungen. Im Zuge dieser Experimente konnte neben den im Schweißgut vorherrschenden Umwandlungstemperaturen zusätzlich die Umwandlungskinetik dieser Legierungen ermittelt werden. Die Auswirkungen des Umwandlungsverhaltens wurden anhand der Eigenspannungsverteilungen in der Oberfläche variierender Probengeometrien analysiert. Die Ergebnisse verdeutlichen einerseits, dass die mittels der LTT-Legierungen angestrebte Eigenspannungskontrolle tatsächlich möglich ist. Dies zeigt sich insbesondere dann, wenn eine weitgehend freie Schrumpfung der Naht vorliegt. Mit zunehmender Schrumpfbehinderung ergibt sich jedoch eine Verschiebung des Eigenspannungsniveaus in den Zugbereich. Dies ist bei den hier betrachteten Legierungen vornehmlich in Nahtquerrichtung ausgeprägt. Dagegen ist das Eigenspannungsniveau in Nahtlängsrichtung nahezu unabhängig von den Schrumpfbedingungen. Anhand von Eigenspannungstiefengradienten ließ sich feststellen, dass sich die zusätzliche Schrumpfbehinderung in einer Parallelverschiebung des Eigenspannungsniveaus im Schweißgut äußert. Die Anwendung energiedispersiver Beugungsmethoden erlaubte zudem erstmals die Eigenspannungsermittlung in der parallel zum Martensit vorliegenden austenitischen Phase der LTT-Legierungen. Ergebnisse, die unter Laborbedingungen gewonnen werden, bedürfen zumeist der Überprüfung unter realen Fertigungsbedingungen. Zu diesem Zweck wurde ein Bauteilschweißversuch in einer speziellen Großprüfanalage durchgeführt. Unter konstruktiver Schrumpfbehinderung gelang es, die lastabbauende Wirkung eines spezifischen LTT-Schweißzusatzes anhand einer ausgeprägten Spannungsreduktion während des Schweißens zu belegen. Insgesamt wurde der Nachweis erbracht, dass das Konzept der Low Transformation Temperature (LTT) Legierungen zielführend ist und die nachgewiesene Austenit-Martensitumwandlung einen signifikanten Effekt auf das Eigenspannungsniveau ausübt.
Solid-state phase transformations and the evolution of thermal and elastic strains in novel low temperature transformation (LTT) weld filler materials in the near surface region are monitored in real time by means of an innovative experimental set-up at the PDIFF (powder diffraction) beamline at the synchrotron light source ANKA (Angströmquelle Karlsruhe) at the KIT (Karlsruhe Institute for Technology). The key components of the diffraction set-up are two fast microstrip line detectors, which enables the strain evolution to be followed as a function of time and temperature for a 0.5?s counting time. During controlled heating and cooling cycles, as well as during near welding cycles, the martensite–austenite–martensite phase transitions are analysed. The transformation kinetics are monitored during resistance heating of small chips of the pure LTT alloys and during gas tungsten arc welding of simplified LTT welds using a specially designed welding rig for in-situ studies on the diffraction instruments. Under the mechanically unconstrained condition allowing free thermal expansion and shrinkage, the LTT alloys are found to exhibit decreasing transformation temperatures Ac and MS and increasing phase fraction of retained austenite for increasing Ni content. The strain evolution during welding reveals increased compressive stresses upon welding, which is attributed to the martensite formation upon cooling, which counteracts the thermal contraction strains. Comparison of the transformation temperatures reveals higher values than in the pure LTT alloys, but no variation between the different alloys. On the one hand, this is attributed to preferred grain orientation affecting the diffraction measurements and the determination of the transformation temperatures. On the other hand, it is possible that with the different chemical compositions of the LTT alloys and the mechanical constraints during welding, the evolution of the residual strain and stress may vary and result in counteracting affects with respect to lowered martensite start temperatures.
In-situ analysis of solid state phase transformation in TRIP-aided steels by synchrotron diffraction
(2011)
Energy dispersive synchrotron diffraction (EDXRD) analysis and 3 dimensional digital image correlations were conducted to investigate the stress and strain effected transformation behavior during tensile loading of low alloyed TRansformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel. This technique allowed for phase specific stress measurement during certain tensile load steps in the elastic and also plastic regime. Additionally the simultaneous determination of the load dependent phase content was realized. The results show that the martensite transformation starts only after exceeding the overall yield point and is finished before reaching the uniform elongation, whereas a large portion of the austenite remains unchanged in the structure. Furthermore, the martensite transformation related to the stress in the γ-phase and α-phase was analyzed and quantified.
Energy-dispersive x-ray diffraction offers the possibility for measurement and evaluation of diffraction spectra containing information of various diffraction lines of all contributing crystalline phases of a material. Combined strain imaging and diffraction analysis was conducted during the tensile test of a low alloyed transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel in order to investigate the transformation induced plasticity, strain hardening, and load partitioning effects. Optical strain imaging allowed for determination of localized true strains from three-dimensional deformations measured in situ. High-energy synchrotron radiation has permitted diffraction analysis in transmission mode to gather information from the material interior. Phase-specific stress evolution during loading could be observed applying the sin2ψ technique during certain load steps. The strains of the individual lattice planes were determined in different locations under varying angles between loading and perpendicular direction. Using energy-dispersive methods it was also possible to determine the transformation behaviour during elastic and plastic regime taking into account a large number of diffraction lines. The results show that the approach practised here enables one to pull together macroscopic and phase-specific microscopic material behaviour in order to improve existing models for prediction of complex load situations.
We discuss the stability of weld residual strain under static and quasi cyclic transverse tensile loading in the elastic and elastic–plastic region. The test welds were joined with low transformation temperature weld filler materials with 10 wt% Cr and varying Ni-content from 8 to 12 wt%. Using neutron diffraction the residual lattice strain in the martensitic α'- and austenitic γ-phase in the fusion zone as well as the ferritic α-phase in the heat affected zone and base metal as induced by welding, superimposed by stepwise tensile loading and after unloading was measured. The amount of retained austenite in the fusion zone increases with increasing Ni-content, but it decreases with increasing load level due to stress induced martensite formation. In the as-welded condition the transverse macroscopic residual lattice strain was found to be in low compression in the fusion zone in each weld, while the heat affected zone was in tension. Local plastic deformation of the γ-phase as a result of yielding during tensile loading in combination with the change in phase fraction resulted in increased macroscopic compression in the fusion zone. The reduced yield strength in the heat affected zone resulted in plastic deformation and a considerable shift into compression. Comparison with the cross weld distribution of the hardness and FWHM of the neutron diffraction interference lines supported the assumption of plastic deformation of the γ- and α-phase in the fusion and heat affected zone, respectively, while the α'-phase in the fusion zone was stressed within the elastic regime only. Microstructural observations as well as measurement of the local γ-phase fraction by means of laboratory X-ray diffraction in the fusion zone strengthen these observations.
Controlling the level of mostly detrimental residual stresses already during the welding process would be highly attractive as time and cost consuming post processing may be prevented. Therefore, in this study, the approach using suitable alloy concepts with reduced phase transformation temperatures has been evaluated concerning the interactions between transformation temperature, transformation kinetics and resulting residual stresses. Ideal tools for observing these phenomena in-situ are diffraction techniques. For that purpose, a special setup was developed allowing for localized observation of phase transformation kinetics during a real welding process by energy dispersive synchrotron diffraction (EDXRD). In the present work, this setup was successfully applied for the first time in order to characterize a selection of alloys especially designed for residual stress control. The results demonstrate that in-process observation is highly suitable for characterizing and discussing phase transformation sensitive phenomena like residual stress formation. Furthermore, it was proven that residual stresses can be effectively controlled by means of an adjusted alloy design.
Anwendung des neuen Controlled Tensile Weldability (CTW) Tests zur Untersuchung der Heißrissneigung
(2006)
CT-01 Formation of welding residual stresses in low transformation temperature (LTT) materials
(2008)
Crack and fatigue resistance are relevant evaluation criteria for welded joints and are decreased by tensile residual
stresses resulting from the welding and cooling process, while compressive residual stresses can have a positive
influence on the characteristics mentioned. In order to generate compressive residual stresses, a set of post weld
treatment procedures is available, like shot peening, hammering, etc. These procedures have the disadvantage that
they are time and cost extensive and have to be applied after welding. As another point, such technologies can only
produce compressive stresses at the top surface, i.e. can only contribute to the reduction of the risk of cracks initiated
at the surface, like fatigue cracks. A chance to generate compressive stresses over the complete weld joint during the
welding procedure is offered by the so-called Low Transformation Temperature (LTT -) filler wires. Compared to
conventional wires, these materials show lower phase transformation temperatures, which can work against coolingrelated
tensile stresses, resulting from respective shrinkage restraint. In consequence, distinct compressive residual
stresses can be observed within the weld and adjacent areas. The strength of these fillers makes them potentially
applicable to high-strength steel welding. Welds produced with different LTT filler wires have shown different levels
and distributions of the resulting residual stresses depending on the specific transformation temperature. The
transformation temperatures are determined by temperature measurement. Classical X-ray diffraction as well as
diffraction methods using high energy synchrotron radiation have been used for residual stress analysis. By means of
high energy synchrotron diffraction in reflection mode residual stress depth gradients can be determined nondestructively.
The phase selective nature of the diffraction measurements enables the simultaneous determination of
the phase specific residual stresses of all contributing crystalline phases within one experiment. The application of
white beam diffraction implies recording of a multitude of diffraction lines within the energy range of the provided
energy spectrum of the white beam. By this means phase specific residual stress depth distributions up to distances of
150 ìm below the surface can be analysed for steel using the energy dispersive set-up of the HMI-beamline EDDI at
the Bessy site, Berlin, providing an energy range between 20-150 keV. As a side effect quantitative phase analysis can
be carried out using white energy dispersive diffraction e.g. the determination of the content of retained austenite in the
weld.
Novel martensitic filler materials with specially adjusted martensite start temperatures (Ms) can counteract the cooling specific shrinkage due to expansion effects of the weld metal associated with phase transformations. That can be exploited to create compressive residual stresses in the weld and adjacent areas, i.e. beneficial for increasing fatigue strength. The Ms temperature is shifted via the chemical composition, mainly by the alloying elements nickel and chromium, resulting as well in different retained austenite contents. Investigations were made using different Low Transformation Temperature (LTT) alloys with varying nickel content. The resulting phase transformation temperatures were - for the first time - detected using high energy synchrotron diffraction and Single Sensor Differential Thermal Analysis (SS-DTA). Compared to angle dispersive diffraction, energy dispersive diffraction offers the possibility to measure residual stresses of the martensite and austenite phase parallel fast in one experiment up to depths of 100 µm. The residual stresses show significant distributions dependent on Ms temperature. The effect on the cold cracking behaviour of these alloys was investigated using the Tekken test. Results show that cold cracking can be avoided when appropriate contents of retained austenite are existent.
Cold cracking resistance is a relevant evaluation criterion for welded joints and affected by residual stresses which result from the welding procedure. Compressive residual stresses can thereby have a positive influence on preventing cracking. A unique possibility of generating compressive residual stresses already during the welding procedure is offered by the socalled Low Transformation Temperature (LTT) filler wires. Compared to conventional wires, these materials show decreased phase transformation temperatures which can work against the cooling-specific contraction. In consequence, distinct compressive residual stresses can be observed within the weld and adjacent areas. The strength of these fillers makes them potentially applicable to high-strength steel welding. Investigations were carried out to determine the phase transformation behaviour of different LTT-filler materials. Transformation temperatures were identified using Single Sensor Differential Thermal Analysis (SS-DTA). Additionally Synchrotron radiation was used to measure the transformation kinetics of all involved crystalline phases during heating and cooling of a simulated weld thermal cycle.
Anwendung des neuen Controlled Tensile Weldability (CTW) Tests zur Untersuchung der Heißrissneigung
(2009)
Zugeigenspannungen, wie sie beim Schweißprozess durch inhomogene Temperaturverteilungen und Schrumpfungen hervorgerufen werden, können die Lebensdauer geschweißter Verbindungen signifikant herabsetzen. Eine neue und außerordentlich attraktive Methode, um Druckeigenspannungen bereits während des Schweißens gezielt einzustellen, gelingt mit sogenannten LTT (Low Transformation Temperature)-Legierungen. LTT-Legierungen weisen eine martensitische Phasenumwandlung bei relativ niedrigen Temperaturen auf, wobei die damit verbundene Volumenexpansion zu einer Reduktion der Schrumpfeigenspannungen bzw. Erzeugung von Druckeigenspannungen führt. Zum direkten Nachweis der Phasenumwandlungen und der damit verbundenen resultierenden Schweißeigenspannungen wurden erstmals In-situ-Schweißexperimente unter Nutzung hoch energetischer, polychromatischer Synchrotronstrahlung (Weißstrahl) realisiert, um die Umwandlungskinetik während eines realen Schweißprozesses und die daraus resultierenden Schweißeigenspannungen zu analysieren. Es wird gezeigt, dass mit LTT-Legierungen signifikante Druckeigenspannungen in der Schweißnaht erreicht werden.
High-energy Synchrotron Study of the Stress-stain Behaviour of Hydrogen-charged High Strength Steel
(2012)
High-energy synchrotron study of the stress-strain behavior of hydrogen-charged high strength steel
(2012)
TRIP-steels offer a good combination between strength and ductility. Therefore TRIP-steels are widely used in the automobile industries. The aim of this work is to study the stability of involved phases during heating and to identify the kinetics of the occuring phase transformations. For that purpose, in-situ diffraction measurements, using high energy synchrotron radiation were conducted. The analysis revealed the decomposition of the metastable austenitic phase into carbide and ferrite along the heating process and the regeneration of the austenite by further heating of the sample.
Welding residual stress is of major concern for structural integrity assessment in industrial components. Shear and volume strains resulting from the austenite-martensite-transformation affect the development of residual stress during welding. Controlling the phase transformation allows adjustment of the welding residual stress. Low transformation temperature (LTT) weld filler materials exhibiting reduced MS-temperatures allow postponing the phase transformation. The associated strain arising from the delayed transformation compensates for the thermal contraction strains and as such may reduce tensile or even introduce compressive residual stress. In this article we discuss the tri-axial residual stress distribution in 15 mm S690Q steel plates joined with LTT filler materials with 10 wt% Cr and a Ni-content that varies from 8 to 12 wt%. Using complementary synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction stress analysis the macroscopic residual stress was derived from the phase specific lattice strain and phase fraction of martensite and retained austenite, respectively. The local phase specific unstrained lattice parameters were determined using stress relieved combs. The investigation revealed increasing phase fraction of retained austenite with increasing Ni-content. Further, independent of the Ni-content in each weld in the fusion zone, significant compressive residual stresses were found in the longitudinal direction, which are balanced by tensile residual stresses in the heat affected zone (HAZ). In the weld transverse and normal direction the stress distribution is qualitatively similar but less in magnitude. The increased amount of retained austenite reduces the compressive stress arising from shear and volume strains during the delayed phase transformation and therefore no significant increase in compression was observed for decreasing MS-temperatures.
The developments in the field of residual stress determination during the last decades have contributed to a better understanding of the origins and sources of residual stresses in different engineering disciplines. The many investigations concerning the behavior of residual stresses under mechanical loading have also provided a solid foundation to clarify the important aspects of residual stresses and fatigue. The question that arises now is if this available body of knowledge is being used effectively in the field of welding technology to design and construct structures with better fatigue performances. In this paper the necessity of the development of the concept residual stress engineering for welds in which wanted residual stress states are tailored for specific cases by appropriate means will be discussed. The possibilities of the quantitative consideration of the benefits in the fatigue design codes will be presented in a practical example.
Innovative low transformation temperature (LTT) welding filler materials are featuring a characteristic chemical composition which favors the formation of martensite at comparatively low temperatures. This permits deliberate adjustment of welding residual stresses. Even though numerous investigations can be found in the literature on this issue, they provide only little insight into the interaction between phase transformation and resulting welding residual stresses. For this purpose, a component weld test was performed in a special large-scale testing facility. The results illustrate that the desired residual stress control by using LTT alloys is actually feasible. With increasing shrinkage restraint, however, higher tensile residual stresses are formed in transverse direction of the weld. By contrast, the residual stress level in longitudinal weld direction is nearly independent of the restraint conditions. On-line stress analysis revealed that the amount of stress reduction during cooling of the individual weld runs is dependent on the weld volume undergoing phase transformation. Overall, evidence was furnished that the approach of residual stress engineering by LTT alloys is suitable even in the case of large-scale multilayer welding.
Mikrostruktur- und Härteentwicklung in Schweißnähten mit neuartigen LTT-Schweißzusatzwerkstoffen
(2013)
The article "Influence of welding stresses on relief cracking during heat treatment of a creep-resistant 13CrMoV steel: Part I - Effect of heat control on welding stresses and stress relief cracking" was originally published in the journal "Welding in the world" Online First without Open Access. After publication in volume 64, issue 5, page 807-817 the authors decided to opt for Open Choice and to make the article an Open Access publication. Therefore, the copyright of the article has been changed to The Author(s) 2020 and the article is forthwith distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Attribution 4. 0 International License.
The article "Influence of welding stresses on relief cracking during heat treatment of a creep-resistant 13CrMoV steel: Part II - Mechanisms of stress relief cracking during post weld heat treatment" was originally published in the journal "Welding in the world" Online First without Open Access. After publication in volume 64, issue 5, page 819-829 the authors decided to opt for Open Choice and to make the article an Open Access publication. Therefore, the copyright of the article has been changed to The Author(s) 2020 and the article is forthwith distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Attribution 4. 0 International License.
High-strength fine-grained structural steels have great potential for weight-optimized, efficient structures in many modern steel applications. Further advances in efficiency can be achieved through additive manufacturing and bionic design. Commercial high-strength filler materials for wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) are already provided by the consumable producers. Today, application would be strictly limited due to absence of quantitative findings or any guidelines for the industry regarding welding-related stresses and component safety during manufacturing and service. Hence, process- and material-related influences and design-related restraint conditions associated with formation of residual stresses and cold cracking risk are investigated. The aim is the accessibility of special WAAM self-restraining cold cracking tests and easy applicable processing recommendations, enabling an economical, fit-for-purpose and crack-safe WAAM of high-strength steels. This first study focuses on determination of interactions between WAAM process parameters, resulting layer geometry, microstructure and residual stresses, analyzed via X-ray diffraction. Defined reference specimens are automated welded using a special WAAM solid wire (yield strength >820 MPa). Geometric properties can be specifically adjusted by wire feed and welding speed, but cannot be varied arbitrarily, since a high heat input causes local overheating, inadmissible changes of microstructure and mechanical properties, defects and comparable high tensile residual stresses.
The residual stress (RS) in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) IN718 alloy samples produced using a 67°-rotation scan strategy is investigated via laboratory X-ray diffraction (XRD) and neutron diffraction (ND). The location dependence of the strain-free (d₀) lattice spacing in ND is evaluated using a grid array of coupons extracted from the far-edge of the investigated specimen. No compositional spatial variation is observed in the grid array. The calculated RS fields show considerable non-uniformity, significant stress gradients in the region from 0.6 to 2 mm below the surface, as well as subsurface maxima that cannot be accounted for via XRD. It is concluded that failure to determine such maxima would hamper a quantitative determination of RS fields by means of the stress balance method.
AbstractThe sustainable and resource-efficient production of wind energy plants requires the use of modern high-strength fine-grain structural steels. This applies to both foundation and erection structures, like mobile or ship cranes. During the assembly of steel structures, unacceptable defects can occasionally be found in the weld area. In most cases, the economical solution would be local thermal gouging of the affected areas and re-welding. Due to the high shrinkage restraint of the joint groove in the overall structure, the superposition of global and local welding-induced stresses may lead to crack formation and component failure, particularly in interaction with the degradation of the microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength steels during the repair process. However, manufacturers hardly have any information about these issues and there is a lack of recommendations and guidelines to take these safety-relevant aspects into account in adequate repair concepts. The aim of this research is to derive recommendations for repair concepts appropriate to the stresses and materials involved providing a basis for standards and guidelines to avoid cold cracking, damage and expensive reworking especially for high-strength steels. Part 1 of this study involves systematic investigations of influences of shrinkage restraint during repair welding of two high-strength steels S500MLO for offshore application and S960QL for mobile crane structures. The quantification of the shrinkage restraint of repair weld joints was achieved by means of experimental and numerical restraint intensity analysis. In welding experiments with self-restrained slot specimens, restraint intensity and introduction of hydrogen via the welding arc using anti spatter spray were varied systematically to analyse the effect on welding result, residual stresses and cold cracking. It could be shown that increasing restraint intensities result in significantly higher transverse residual stress levels. In the case of hydrogen introduction S500MLO showed no cold cracking independent of the restraint conditions. However, S960QL was found to be considerably cold cracking sensitive if hydrogen is introduced. With increasing restraint intensity length and number of cold cracks increases significantly. Part 2 [1] of this study is focussed on microstructure and residual stresses due to gouging and stress optimization via adequate heat control parameters in repair welding.
Influence of support configurations on the characteristics of selective laser-melted Inconel 718
(2018)
Samples fabricated using two different support configurations by following identical scan strategies during selective laser melting of superalloy Inconel 718 were characterized in this study. Characterization methods included optical microscopy, electron back-scattered diffraction and x-ray diffraction residual stress measurement. For the scan strategy considered, microstructure and residual stress development in the samples were influenced by the support structures. However, crystallographic texture intensity and the texture components formed within the core part of the samples were almost independent of the support. The formation of finer grains closer to the support as well as within the columnar grain boundaries resulted in randomization and texture intensity reduction by nearly half for the sample built on a lattice support. Heat transfer rates dictated by the support configurations in addition to the scan strategy influenced the microstructure and residual stress development in selective laser-melted Inconel 718 samples.
Die additive Fertigung (AM) mittels Selective Laser Melting (SLM) bietet großes Potential hinsichtlich der Herstellung geometrisch komplexer Bauteile im Vergleich zu herkömmlichen Fertigungsverfahren. Die sich während des Prozesses einstellenden Eigenspannungen können jedoch die Anwendung von SLM-Teilen einschränken, da sie die Tragfähigkeit reduzieren können und unerwünschten Verzug in Abhängigkeit der in der Fertigung festgelegten Randbedingungen verursachen können.
Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Charakterisierung von Eigenspannungen in SLM-Teilen unter Anwendung komplementärer Messtechniken. Das verwendete Material ist die Nickelbasis-Superlegierung 718. Die Legierung wird aufgrund ihrer überlegenen Korrosions- und Hochtemperaturbeständigkeit in vielen Anwendungen der Luft- und Raumfahrt- und der chemischen Industrie eingesetzt. Die Untersuchungen umfassen die Charakterisierung der Mikrostruktur sowie der Eigenspannungen in der Oberfläche als auch im Inneren der Bauteile. Für die Eigenspannungsanalyse wurden Röntgen-, Synchrotron- und Neutronenbeugung angewendet. Die Messungen wurden an der BAM, an der EDDI-Beamline bei BESSY II und an der E3-Beamline bei BER II des Helmholtz-Zentrums für Materialien und Energie (HZB) Berlin durchgeführt.
Die Ergebnisse zeigen unterschiedliche Eigenspannungsverteilungen auf der Grundlage der verschiedenen Techniken, d. h. eine Abhängigkeit von der Eindringtiefe der jeweiligen Strahlung in die Probe. Für die oberflächennahen Eigenspannungen ergeben sich für die Längs- und Querspannungskomponenten sowohl für Röntgen- als auch für Synchrotronbeugung hohe Werte im Bereich der Fließgrenze. Darüber hinaus offenbarte die synchrotronbasierte Messung einen Gradienten entlang der Breite und Länge der Probe für beide Spannungskomponenten. Anderseits wurden geringere Eigenspannungen im Innern des Materials gefunden. Diese können richtungsabhängig auch im Druckbereich liegen.
In the present study, samples fabricated by varying the deposition hatch length during selective laser melting of nickel based superalloy Inconel 718 were investigated. Microstructure and texture of these samples was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, combined with electron back-scattered diffraction, and residual stress assessment, using neutron diffraction method. Textured columnar grains oriented along the sample building direction were observed in the shorter hatch length processed sample. A ten-fold increase in the hatch length reduced the texture intensity by a factor of two attributed to the formation of finer grains in the longer hatch length sample. Larger gradients of transverse residual stress in the longer hatch length sample were also observed. Along the build direction, compressive stresses in the shorter hatch length and negligible stresses for the longer hatch length specimen were observed. Changes to the temperature gradient (G) in response to the hatch length variation, influenced the G to growth rate (R) ratio and the product G × R, in agreement with the microstructures and textures formed. For the residual stress development, geometry of the part also played an important role. In summary, tailored isotropy could be induced in Inconel 718 by a careful selection of parameters during selective laser melting.
Stresses in repair welding of high-strength steels—part 2: heat control and stress optimization
(2024)
In welding of high-strength steels, e.g. for foundations and erection structures of wind energy plants, unacceptable defects can occasionally be found in the weld area, which should be removed by thermal gouging and subsequent re-welding. High shrinkage restraint of repair welds may lead to crack formation and component failure, predominantly in interaction with degraded microstructures and mechanical properties due to repair cycles. This study aims for elaboration of recommendations for repair concepts appropriate to the stresses and materials involved to avoid cold cracking, damage and expensive reworking. In part 1 [1] of this study, systematic investigations of influences of shrinkage restraint on residual stresses and cold cracking risk during repair welding of two high-strength steels S500MLO for offshore application and S960QL for mobile crane structures were focussed. In this part 2, the microstructure, particularly hardness, and residual stresses due to gouging and influences of heat control parameters in repair welding are analysed. A clear reduction in residual stress after gouging can be observed, especially for the specimens with restrained transverse shrinkage. Gouging to a depth of approx. 2/3 of the seam height does not lead to a complete relaxation of the observed reaction forces. Particularly for the higher strength steel S960QL, there are pronounced areas influenced by the gouging process in which a degradation of the microstructure and properties should be assumed. Overall, the repair welds show a significant increase in the width of the weld and HAZ compared to the original weld, especially in the case of S960QL/G89. The repair welds show higher welding-induced stresses than the original welds, especially in the areas of the HAZ and the base metal close to the weld seam. This behaviour can be attributed overall to increased restraint conditions due to the remaining root weld or shorter gouge grooves. In good agreement with earlier investigations, the residual stresses transverse to the weld can be significantly reduced by upwardly limited working or interpass temperatures, and the reaction stresses resulting from high restraint conditions can be effectively counteracted. The influence of the heat input on the stress formation is low compared to the interpass temperature for both test materials.
Additive manufacturing (AM) by selective laser melting (SLM) offers ample scope for producing geometrically complex parts as compared to the traditional subtractive manufacturing strategies. However, the residual stresses which develop during the process can limit the application of SLM parts because they can reduce the load bearing capacity as well as induce unwanted distortion depending on the boundary conditions specified in manufacturing. This study aims at the characterization of residual stresses in SLM parts by using different measurement techniques. The material used is the nickel based super Alloy 718. Microstructure as well as surface and bulk residual stresses were characterised. For residual stress analysis X-ray, synchrotron and neutron diffraction were applied. The results show different residual stress states dependent on the penetration depth in the sample offered by the different measurement techniques. Samples of Alloy 718 manufactured by SLM process can show high tensile residual stresses in the surface as high as the yield strength of the wrought alloy. Residual stresses in the bulk show considerably lower stress values.
Additive Manufacturing (AM) through the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) route offers ample scope for producing geometrically complex parts compared to the conventional subtractive manufacturing strategies. Nevertheless, the residual stresses which develop during the fabrication can limit application of the SLM components by reducing the load bearing capacity and by inducing unwanted distortion, depending on the boundary conditions specified during manufacturing. The present study aims at characterizing the residual stress states in the SLM parts using different diffraction methods. The material used is the nickel based superalloy Inconel 718. Microstructure as well as the surface and bulk residual stresses were characterized.
For the residual stress analysis, X-ray, synchrotron and neutron diffraction methods were used. The measurements were performed at BAM, at the EDDI beamline of -BESSY II synchrotronand the E3 line -BER II neutron reactor- of the Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie (HZB) Berlin. The results reveal significant differences in the residual stress states for the different characterization techniques employed, which indicates the dependence of the residual state on the penetration depth in the sample. For the surface residual stresses, longitudinal and transverse stress components from X-ray and synchrotron agree well and the obtained values were around the yield strength of the material. Furthermore, synchrotron mapping disclosed gradients along the width and length of the sample for the longitudinal and transverse stress components. On the other hand, lower residual stresses were found in the bulk of the material measured using neutron diffraction. The longitudinal component was tensile and decreased towards the boundary of the sample. In contrast, the normal component was nearly constant and compressive in nature. The transversal component was almost negligible. The results indicate that a stress re-distribution takes place during the deposition of the consecutive layers. Further investigations are planned to study the phenomenon in detail.
Next to chemical composition, metallurgy and welding parameters, the intensity of restraint is one of the variables influencing solidification cracking. Tests like the Houldcroft Test, rate the hot cracking susceptibility indirectly on the amount of restraint the welding can endure without cracking. Modern lightweight steel construction welds can be subject to a larger amount of restraint due to their high-strength nature compared to classical use cases. By varying the plate thickness of Controlled Thermal Severity (CTS) tests produced out of S1100 QL, it was possible to vary the intensity of restraint on fillet welds at a high level. Testing was conducted with four different filler wires for Metal Active Gas (MAG) welding, including three solid and one metal-cored wire. In addition, two sets of welding parameters were tested. The first set with high heat input and high welding speed was shown to be more prone to solidification cracking compared to the second set with lower heat input and welding speed. The results show an increase in solidification cracking with increasing restraint severity.
This article focuses on the selective placement of additional LTT layers to generate compressive residual stresses in fatigue-critical areas of conventional weld joints. This enables an economical solution without effecting the integrity of welded joints. For this, longitudinal stiffeners made of high-strength steel were gas metal arc welded using conventional welding consumable in the first layer. Afterwards, a chromium-nickel alloyed LTT welding consumable was deposit on front sides of the stiffeners. By varying the welding parameters, different weld geometries of the LTT filler metal could be analyzed. The effects of additional LTT layers were investigated with regards to residual stresses, microstructure and strength. X-ray residual stresses measurements show that the residual stresses at the failure critical weld toe are significantly reduced by using additional LTT layers. While the conventional weld is characterized by tensile residual stresses, compressive residual stresses can be detected at the LTT weld. The level of residual stresses is influenced by the geometry of the LTT layer. Additional LTT layers with a high offset to the conventional weld generate more compressive residual stress in the HAZ than with a low offset. Therefore, the weld geometry has a considerable impact on the residual stress profile.
Influence of machining on residual stresses in additive manufactured high-strength steel components
(2024)
This study focuses on the effect of machining on the residual stresses and distortion of WAAM specimens. Defined specimens were welded fully automatically with a special WAAM solid wire (yield strength >820 MPa) with different geometric designs. The residual stresses state before and after cutting of the AM structure from the substrate plate were analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction on the specimen surface and complementary by 3d deformation analyses using photogrammetry. The results reveal significant influences of the geometry on the relaxation and redistribution of residual stresses.
MVT testing was conducted in Transvarestraint mode in multiple welding conditions and under a range of bending speeds. The materials observed were high strength filler metals used in GTAW namely DIN EN ISO 16834-A G 69 4 M21 Mn3Ni1CrMo (G69), 16834-A G 89 6 M21 Mn4Ni2CrMo (G89 6), 16834-A G 89 5 M21 Mn4Ni2,5CrMo (G89 5) and a filler wire 18276-A T 89 4 ZMn2NiCrMo M M21 1 H5 (T89). For evaluation light optical microscope pictures were used. Pixels containing cracks were manually segmented using a self-written program. Out of the segmented images data including crack length, position and area can be calculated for every crack. The results show dependencies of solidification cracking on the test parameters.
Diese Studie konzentriert sich auf den Einfluss der Bearbeitung auf die Eigenspannungen und den Verzug von WAAM-Proben. Definierte Proben wurden vollautomatisch mit einem speziellen WAAM-Massivdraht (Streckgrenze >820 MPa) mit unterschiedlichen geometrischen Designs geschweißt. Der Eigenspannungszustand vor und nach dem Abtrennen der AM-Struktur von der Substratplatte wurde mittels Röntgenbeugung an der Probenoberfläche analysiert und durch 3D-Verformungsanalysen mittels Photogrammetrie ergänzt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen einen signifikanten Einfluss der Geometrie auf die Relaxation und Umverteilung der Eigenspannungen.
Der Vortrag befasst sich mit der gezielten Einbringung zusätzlicher LTT-Lagen zur Erzeugung von Druckeigenspannungen in ermüdungskritischen Bereichen von konventionellen Schweißverbindungen. Dies ermöglicht eine wirtschaftliche Lösung, ohne die Integrität der Schweißverbindungen zu beeinträchtigen. Dazu wurden Längssteifen aus hochfestem Stahl in der ersten Lage mit konventionellem Schweißzusatzwerkstoff mittels Metall-Lichtbogenschweißen geschweißt. Anschließend wurde ein Chrom-Nickel-legierter LTT-Schweißzusatz auf die Stirnseiten der Steifen aufgebracht. Durch Variation der Schweißparameter konnten verschiedene Schweißnahtgeometrien des LTT-Zusatzwerkstoffs analysiert werden.
The weldability of stainless steels is largely controlled by the chemical composition, and alloys with ferritic or ferritic-austenitic solidification show the highest resistance to hot cracking. As the resulting phase balance also
affects the final properties, it may be beneficial to both foresee and measure the weld metal ferrite content. The WRC ’92 constitution diagram is currently the most accurate prediction tool available, but it does not take the cooling rate into consideration and the precision may be less accurate for stainless steels with high ferrite numbers (FN). This study aims to validate the reliability of the WRC ’92 diagram for weld metals with FN > 50. The chemical composition was altered through gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) of UNS S32205 with ER347 filler wire that had been PVD-coated with either niobium (Nb), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), carbon (C), or silicon (Si). The actual ferrite content was assessed using image analysis, FERITSCOPE® and X-ray diffraction (XRD). While the WRC ’92 diagram predictions were deemed accurate to acceptable for Ni, Si, and Mn, notable deviations were observed for Nb, Cu, and C. The FeriteScope exhibited a consistent trend with image analysis, though the values were higher, and scatter was wider, and the conversion factor is open for discussion. The lowest accuracy and largest spread were obtained using non-contact XRD, rendering it unsuitable for ferrite measurements of welds.
The Varestraint test and its variant Transvarestraint are one of the most widely used techniques for evaluating a material solidification cracking sensitivity during welding. The result of such tests is a crack length which is proportional to the material’s cracking susceptibility. Nevertheless, the welding and load parameters can unintentionally influence the crack length, which in some cases can distort the material evaluation. An approach is described as to how these effects can be assessed with the aid of a digital crack analysis. The crack lengths are compared position-dependently with their possible propagation due to the weld pool movement during continuous loading. The index derived from this can be used by the operator to evaluate his test parameters. In addition, a comparison of the results of different Varestraint setups is made possible. Alongside experimental results, a numerical sensitivity analysis is presented on how individual welding and loading parameters can affect the crack lengths.
Offshore wind turbines continuously increase in size and weight and demand adequate offshore foundations concepts like monopiles, tripods, or jackets. These components are typically constructed using submerged arc welding (SAW) with high-strength thick steel plates like the S420ML. During welding, the occurrence of delayed hydrogen-assisted cracking (HAC) must be anticipated. HAC is a critical combination of the local hydrogen concentration within a susceptible microstructure under certain mechanical load, i.e., the occurring (welding) residual stresses. The welding sequence of the thick-walled plates complicates the residual stress distribution due to the necessary repeated thermal cycling, i.e., welding seam/layer deposition to fill the joint. For that purpose, SAW with two-wire-technique was used to weld a specially designed and prototype-like mock-up of a real component with a thickness of 50 mm, filled with over 20 passes and a seam length of 1000 mm. Additional welded stiffeners simulated the effect of a high restraint, to achieve critical HAC conditions. The necessity of a minimum waiting time (MWT) before the NDT can be conducted (to exclude HAC) was critically verified by the application of ultrasonic testing of the welded joint at different time-steps of the NDT of up to 48 h after the completion welding. The residual stresses were determined by a robot XRD goniometer. Tensile residual stresses up to the yield limit are found both in the weld metal and in the heat-affected zone. Numerical modeling allowed the qualitative estimation of the hydrogen diffusion in the weld. No noticeable HAC occurrence was identified and confirms the high cracking resistance of the investigated material. Finally, the applicability of the MWT concept should be critically discussed.
Offshore-Windenergieanlagen erfordern Gründungskonzepte aus unterpulver-(UP-)geschweißten Dickblechen (bspw. der Güte S420ML). Während der Schweißfertigung kann eine zeitverzögerte wasserstoffunterstützte Kaltrissbildung auftreten, deren Bewertung aufgrund der Bauteilgröße von Offshore-Strukturen sehr komplex ist. Deswegen wurde eine bauteilähnliche Geometrie (Mock-Up) entwickelt, um reale Steifigkeitsverhältnisse auf den Labormaßstab zu übertragen. Zusätzliche Versteifungen simulieren die Wirkung einer Einspannung bzw. Schrumpfbehinderung der Schweißnaht. Über die Verwendung von Schweißpulvern mit definierter Feuchte wurden zudem ein Extremszenario der Wasserstoffaufnahme simuliert. Entsprechend der vorgegebenen Mindestwartezeit für die ZfP von bis zu 48 h wurde die Schweißnaht zerstörungsfrei mit Phased-Array-Ultraschall-Prüfung (PAUT) geprüft und die Eigenspannungen über Röntgendiffraktometrie (XRD) bestimmt. Zusätzlich wurde die Wasserstoffverteilung in der Schweißverbindung numerisch simuliert. Außer zulässigen Defekten (wie Poren), wurde keine verzögerte Kaltrissbildung in den Mock-Ups festgestellt, was auf hohe Rissbeständigkeit hindeutet.
Die Verwendung hochfester Feinkornbaustähle hat für viele Anwendungen des Stahlbaus ein großes Potenzial für gewichtsoptimierte, effiziente Strukturen mit ho-her mechanischer Beanspruchbarkeit. Weitere Zugewinne an Effizienz sind durch generative Fertigungsschritte sowie bionische Bauweisen erzielbar. Hierzu stehen bereits kommerzielle hochfeste drahtförmige Zusatzwerkstoffe für formgebendes MSG-Schweißen zur Verfügung. Dem Einsatz stehen noch fehlende quantitative Aussagen zu den fertigungsbedingten Beanspruchungen und der Bauteilsicherheit während Herstellung und Betrieb im Wege. Dies betrifft insbesondere prozess- sowie materialbedingte Einflüsse und die konstruktive Schrumpfbehinderung verbunden mit der Ausbildung hoher Zugeigenspannungen und damit zusammenhängenden Kaltrissbildung.
Hierfür wurden im Projekt detaillierte und anwenderbezogene Kenntnisse zu den komplexen Wechselwirkungen zwischen Schweißprozess und Wärmeführung während der Fertigung, der metallurgischen Vorgänge und insbesondere der vorliegenden konstruktiven Einflüsse auf die entstehenden Eigenspannungen erarbeitet, um ein frühzeitiges Bauteilversagen aufgrund eines hohen fertigungsbedingten Beanspruchungsniveaus bis hin zu einer Rissbildung während der Fertigung sicher zu vermeiden. Gleichzeitig wurden die Einflüsse auf die mechanisch-technologischen Gütewerte systematisch analysiert. Zudem wurden die Auswirkungen trennender Verfahren durch Entfernen der Substratplatte sowie durch die spanende Bearbeitung der Vorformlinge zu Endbauteilgeometrien geklärt, da diese unmittelbar den Eigenspannungszustand beeinflussen und deutlichen Verzug der Bauteile auslösen.
Für das generative Schweißen konnten Verarbeitungsempfehlungen sowie Normenvorgaben erarbeitet werden. Dies hilft insbesondere KMU eine wirtschaftliche, beanspruchungsgerechte und risssichere generative Fertigung von Bauteilen aus hochfesten Feinkornbaustählen zu ermöglichen.
The effect of two types of scanning strategies on the grain structure and build-up of Residual Stress (RS) has been investigated in an as-built IN718 alloy produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF). The RS state has been investigated by X-ray diffraction techniques. The microstructural characterization was performed principally by Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD), where the application of a post-measurement refinement technique enables small misorientations (< 2°) to be resolved. Kernel average misorientation (KAM) distributions indicate that preferably oriented columnar grains contain higher levels of misorientation, when compared to elongated grains with lower texture. The KAM distributions combined with X-ray diffraction stress maps infer that the increased misorientation is induced via plastic deformation driven by the thermal stresses, acting to self-relieve stress. The possibility of obtaining lower RS states in the build direction as a consequence of the influence of the microstructure should be considered when envisaging scanning strategies aimed at the mitigation of RS.
Beim Schweißen höherfester Stähle mit LTT-Zusatzwerkstoffen im Wurzelbereich der Schweißverbindung wird eine Erhöhung der Kaltrisssicherheit durch die Erzeugung von Druckeigenspannungen erreicht.
Es sind mechanische Gütewerte und Eigenspannungen in Abhängigkeit der Randbedingungen, insbesondere der Wärmeführung und des Nahtaufbaus im Wurzelbereich, systematisch zu ermitteln. Durch das Ableiten von Verarbeitungsempfehlungen wird eine sichere und optimale Handhabung der LTT-Zusätze ermöglicht.
Ziel ist die Entwicklung eines Maßnahmenkatalogs für die schweißtechnische Verarbeitung von LTT-Zusatzwerkstoffen zur Kaltrissvermeidung im Wurzelbereich höherfester Schweißverbindungen speziell für den Offshore-Bereich.
In an increasing number of modern steel applications, high-strength structural steel grades are demanded to meet specifications regarding a high load-bearing capacity and a low operating weight. Lightweight design rules enhance the safety requirements, especially for welded joints. Besides a higher cracking risk for high-strength steel welds, the formation of tensile residual stresses might lead to fracture due to overloading or premature failure if not adequately considered. In this study, a stress-strain analysis was conducted at component-related structures from S960QL using digital image correlation while preheating, welding and cooling adjacent to the weld seam. X-ray diffraction analysis of the local residual stresses in the weld seam showed a good comparability with global analyses using either a DIC system or a special testing facility, which allowed in situ measurements of welding loads. By analysing two different seam geometries, it could be shown that lower multi-axial stresses arise if a narrower weld groove is used. Comparative analyses revealed a direct correlation of the local residual stresses in the weld with transverse shrinkage restraint, whereas the residual stress level in the HAZ is significantly affected by the bending restraint of the weld construction and the occurring bending stresses, respectively.
Additive Manufacturing (AM) of metals has become industrially viable for a large variety of applications, including aerospace, automotive and medicine. Powder bed techniques such as Selective Laser Melting (SLM) based on layer-by-layer deposition and laser melt enable numerous degrees of freedom for the geometrical design. Developing during the manufacturing process, residual stresses may limit the application of SLM parts by reducing the load bearing capacity as well as induce unwanted distortion depending on the boundary conditions specified in manufacturing.
The residual stress distribution in the bulk of IN718 elongated prisms produced by SLM was studied non-destructively by means of neutron diffraction. The samples with different scanning strategies, i.e. hatching length, were measured in as-build condition (on a build plate) and after removal from the build plate.
The absolute values of all stress components decreased after removal from the build plate. Together with surface scan utilizing a coordinate-measuring machine (CMM), it is possible to link the stress release to the sample distortion. Obtained results indicated different residual stress states for each of the transversal, longitudinal and normal component depending on the thermal gradient in the respective direction.
Influence of deposition hatch length on residual stress in selective laser melted Inconel 718
(2018)
The present study aims to evaluate the bulk residual stresses in SLM parts by using neutron diffraction measurements performed at E3 line -BER II neutron reactor- of Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie (HZB) Berlin. Together with microstructure characterization and distortion measurements, it is possible to describe the stress state throughout the whole sample. The sample was measured in as-build condition (on a build plate) and after releasing from the build plate. The used material is the nickel based superalloy 718. This alloy is widely used in aerospace and chemical industries due to its superior corrosion and heat resistant properties.
Obtained results indicated different residual stress states for each of the transversal, longitudinal and normal component. The normal and transversal component exhibits a rather compressive behavior while the longitudinal was tensile in the center part of the sample and became compressive towards the tip. As expected, the absolute values of all stress components decreased after releasing the sample from the building plate. A surface scan utilizing a coordinate-measuring machine (CMM) allowed us to present top surface distortion before and after releasing. The top surface showed a distortion around ±80µm after releasing. Microstructure evolution in the scanning-building cross-section is largely dominated by columnar grains. In addition, many small random orientated grains are prominent in the regions of a laser overlap during SLM.
In summary, for the sample of superalloy 718 manufactured by SLM, a small distortion occurred when removing the sample from the build plate whereby the residual stress state decreases. Moreover, the observed columnar grains in the building direction could give a reason for the lowest stress values in that normal direction. However, the most important parameter controlling the residual stresses is the temperature gradient. Hence, future investigations are planned for a different scan strategy to distribute the laser impact in a more homogenous manner.
The phase transformation under various cooling rates and in different HAZ regions for high-strength armour steel was analysed by dilatometry. To develop a continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagram, the samples were heated up to a peak temperature of 1250 °C to achieve a coarse-grained microstructure and then cooled down with a cooling time t 8/5 varying from 3 to 240 s. Analysis of dilatation curves revealed the austenite decomposition process, during which transformation temperatures were determined. The results showed martensitic transformations for all welding-relevant cooling times. Furthermore, to analyse different heat-affected subzones of the weld, the peak temperature was varied between 550 and 1250 °C at a constant cooling time t 8/5 of 6 s. The simulated coarse-grained heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) and fine-grained-heat affected zone (FGHAZ) showed only martensitic transformations with transformation temperatures below 400 °C. The steel exhibited an inhomogeneous hardness with hardening in the CGHAZ and FGHAZ and softening in the intercritical and subcritical HAZ. The physically simulated microstructure was validated by a real hybrid laser-arc weld microstructure.
The influence of the support structure on residual stress and distortion in SLM Inconel 718 parts
(2018)
The effect of support structure and of removal from the base plate on the residual stress state in selective laser melted IN718 parts was studied by means of synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The residual stresses in subsurface region of two elongated prisms in as-built condition and after removal from the base plate were determined. One sample was directly built on a base plate and another one on a support structure. Also, the distortion on the top surface due to stress release was measured by contact profilometry. High tensile residual stress values were found, with pronounced stress gradient along the hatching direction. In the sample on support, stress redistribution took place after removal from the base plate, as opposed to simple stress relaxation for the sample without support. The sample on support structure showed larger distortion compared to sample without support. We conclude that the use of a support decreases stress values but stress-relieving heat treatments are still needed.
Residual stresses are often the cause for cracks in weld constructions. That is why the residual stress level, induced by manufacturing process, plays a crucial role. The present study aims on the effect of multiple repair weld procedures on a high-strength structural steel S690QL. The widespread technology of carbon arc-air gouging was applied. The weld zone and the heat-affected zone (HAZ) were subjected to multiple thermal cycles by gouging and subsequent repair welding. The investigations were focused on the change of the residuals stresses, the impact on the microstructure and the changes for the mechanical properties of the repair welded joint. The residual stresses were determined by X-ray diffraction. The results have shown a significant dependence for the residual stress levels from the repair cycle. In addition, distinctive changes in microstructures and hence mechanical properties occurred. The fusion line of the repair weld and the adjacent HAZ are the most critical areas. This is where the loss of ductility is most pronounced.
The avoidance of failures during the fabrication or operation of petrochemical reactors made of creep-resistant, low-alloy steels as 13CrMoV9-10 requires still research despite over 60 years of international investigations in the field of stress relief cracking. The quality of modern base materials and filler metals leads to the fact that previously known crack causes, such as impurities of S or P, recede into the background. Rather, the causes are increasingly to be found in the fabrication process. Investigations on the influence of heat control on the stresses in welded components and thus on the stress relief cracking sensitivity under realistic manufacturing conditions are not yet available. This work is subdivided in two parts. Part 1 of this study focused on the effect of heat control during submerged arc welding on the stresses. For this purpose, a testing facility was applied, which allows to observe the forces and moments accumulating during welding or heat treatment in a component-like specimen under shrinkage restraint. The stress acting in the specimen increases with higher preheat/interpass temperatures and higher heat input. During the heat treatment, the stresses are relieved. Nevertheless, cracks are formed already during heating. The total crack length correlates with the heat input.
Welding of 13CrMoV9-10 vanadium steel requires care due to an increased susceptibility to stress relief cracking during post weld heat treatment. Previous research into the crack formation in creep-resistant steels has focused on thermal and metallurgical factors; however, little knowledge has been gathered regarding the crack formation during post weld heat treatment considering real-life restraint conditions. This work is subdivided in two parts. Part I showed that an increasing heat input during submerged arc welding under restraint led to an increasing stress level in the joint prior to the post weld heat treatment. The magnitude of stress relief cracking observed in the heat-affected zone after the post weld heat treatment is affected by the heat input. In Part II of this work, the cracks and the associated microstructure which occurred under restraint were studied. The application of a Special acoustic emission analysis indicated that the cracks formed in a temperature range between 300 and 500 °C during the post weld heat treatment. The toughness in the heat-affected zone of the restrained welds was affected by the welding heat input.
Microstructural analyses of all specimens revealed accelerated aging due to precipitation of carbides during post weld heat treatment under restraint.
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of Ni-based superalloys shows great potential for high temperature applications, for example, as a burner repair application for gas turbines where the thin-walled structure is important. It motivates this work to investigate the evolution of microstructure and the anisotropic mechanical behavior when plate-like specimens are built with a thickness from 4 mm down to 1 mm. By performing texture analysis using neutron diffraction, a clear transition in fiber texture from <011> to <001> is indicated when the specimen becomes thinner. The residual stress shows no thickness dependence, and at the subsurface the residual stress reaches the same level as the yield strength. Due to the rough as-built surface, a roughness compensation method for mechanical properties of thin-walled structures is outlined and demonstrated. Tensile tests from room temperature up to 700 ◦C have been carried out. Anisotropic mechanical behavior is found at all temperatures, which is strongly related to the anisotropic texture evolution. Stronger texture evolution and grain rotations are discovered when the tensile loading is applied along the building direction. The mechanical behavior has been compared to a wrought material, where the high dislocation density and the subgrain structure of the LPBF material result in a higher yield strength. Combining the statistical texture analysis by neutron diffraction with mechanical testing, EBSD grain orientation mapping and the investigation of dislocation structures using transmission electron microscopy, this work illustrates the significance of texture for the thin-wall effect and anisotropic mechanical behavior of LPBF materials.
Welding residual stress engineering by means of an adjusted martensite phase transformation would be highly attractive as detrimental tensile residual stresses may be prevented already during welding without time and cost intensive post processing. The present study shows a synchrotron diffraction analysis of a martensitic steel subjected to thermo-mechanical load cycles. Experiments were conducted regarding the microstructural strain response during the austenite to martensite transformation. The strains are a function of the temperature and the specific loads applied during cooling. The relation between the transformation plasticity of the material, the amount of martensite formed and the arising strains can thus be assessed. The lattice plane specific strains were compared to experimental findings from (macro) dilatation tests. It is shown that the microscopic material behavior differs remarkably from the one observed on the macroscopic scale, what leads to characteristic residual stresses in the material.
Residual stresses are crucial when assessing the performance of welded components. The present work deals with the possibilities of transferring the real-life boundary conditions of welding, which influence the residual stress, into the laboratory. The possibilities of a test system with a load capacity of 2 MN specifically developed for online monitoring of stress formation and cracking are shown. Due to the structural design, global process, geometry and material-dependent stresses are induced, which can be quantified in-situ during welding and post weld heat treatment. Examples are presented how the conditions to be found during production are simulated in the laboratory. It is shown how welding residual stresses in high-strength steels are affected by the heat control. Elevated working temperatures significantly increase the tensile residual stresses in the heat affected zone (HAZ). The effect of mechanical stresses resulting from welding on stress relief cracking is demonstrated by the example of a creep resistant steel. Reheat cracks were monitored online during post weld heat treatment.
Welding residual stress engineering by means of an adjusted martensite phase transformation would be highly attractive as detrimental tensile residual stresses may be prevented already during welding without time and cost intensive post processing. The present study shows a synchrotron diffraction analysis of a martensitic steel subjected to thermo-mechanical load cycles. Experiments were conducted regarding the microstructural strain response during the austenite to martensite transformation. The strains are a function of the temperature and the specific loads applied during cooling. The relation between the transformation plasticity of the material, the amount of martensite formed and the arising strains can thus be assessed. The lattice plane specific strains were compared to experimental findings from (macro) dilatation tests. It is shown that the microscopic material behavior differs remarkably from the one observed on the macroscopic scale, what leads to characteristic residual stresses in the material.
In situ crack detection in the mushy zone and the solid weld of a gas tungsten arc (GTA) weld using X-ray imaging during welding is a new research area for NDT inspection. Usually, NDT flaw detection is done after the complete solidification of the weld seam. In this paper, we present the use of real-time radiography with a minifocus X-ray source (YXLON X-ray tube Y.TU 225-D04) and a 75μm pixel size digital detector array (Dexela 1512) for the acquisition of 2D radiographic images by a sequence of exposures with time intervals of 80 ms for hot crack detection during single pass bead-on-plate GTA welding of 3 mm thick plates of aluminium alloy AlMgSi (6060). An analysis of the crack distribution in the weld sample is conducted from the acquired 2D radiographs and its corresponding 3D volumetric reconstruction achieved by linear coplanar digital laminography.
This in situ approach opens new possibilities in the field of hot crack research by having the direct information of both the crack initiation and growth and its correlation to the welding parameters.
Carbon arc-air gouging is a common technology when repairing defects in welded structures. Often this technique is applied in repeated cycles even on the same location of the joint. Due to the multiple heat input by gouging and subsequent re-welding, the residual stresses are strongly influenced. This can become crucial when microstructure and mechanical properties are adversely affected by multiple weld reparations. Knowledge about the relation of gouging and residual stresses is scarce but important when high strength steels, which are sensitive to residual stresses, are processed. The present study shows the effect of repair welding on a high strength steel structural element. The weld and the heat affected zone were subjected to multiple thermal cycles by gouging and subsequent repair welding. The residual stresses were determined by X-ray diffraction at different positions along the joint. The results showed that the residual stress level has increased by the repair cycles. This is most pronounced for the heat affected zone. Adapted welding procedures may prevent detrimental residual stress distributions.
Residual stresses and distortions in welded I-girders for steel construction are relevant when evaluating the stability of steel beams and column members. The application of high strength steels allows smaller wall thicknesses compared to conventional steels. Therefore, the risk of buckling has to be considered carefully. Due to the lack of knowledge concerning the residual stresses present after welding in high strength steel components conservative assumptions of their level and distribution is typically applied. In this study I-girders made of steels showing strengths of 355 MPa and 690 MPa were welded with varying heat input. Due to the dimension of the I-girders and the complex geometry the accessibility for residual stress measurement using X-ray diffraction was limited. Therefore, saw cutting accompanied by strain gauge measurement has been used to produce smaller sections appropriate to apply X-ray diffraction. The stress relaxation measured by strain gauges has been added to residual stresses determined by X-ray diffraction to obtain the original stress level and distribution before sectioning. The combination of both techniques can produce robust residual stress values. From practical point of view afford for strain gauge application can be limited to a number of measuring positions solely to record the global amount of stress relaxation. X-ray diffraction can be applied after sectioning to determine the residual stresses with sufficient spatial resolution.
High strength structural steels are susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement. A critical combination of stress, amount of diffusible hydrogen and microstructure is believed to cause cold cracking. Especially during welding of high strength structural steels high tensile residual stresses may develop. Therefore, a feasibility study was conducted using synchrotron X-ray diffraction in order to analyze the stress–strain behavior during tensile loading. For that purpose two types of steel showing different hardening mechanisms were used. On the one hand a thermo-mechanically treated S1100MC and on the other hand a quenched and tempered S1300Q were chosen. The samples were electrochemically charged with hydrogen and subsequently stored in liquid nitrogen to prevent effusion. Tensile tests of the samples were conducted in a special load frame allowing for tilting the samples while applying constant loads. High energy synchrotron radiation was used for energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD) analysis in transmission geometry. This method offers the possibility for measuring several diffraction lines of all contributing crystalline phases of the material. Strains as well as stresses applying the sin²ψ-method were determined for varying load situations. This feasibility study shows how the interaction of hydrogen and the stress/strain response may be assessed by diffraction methods. Examples are presented showing that hydrogen alters the load distribution as well as the strain behavior between different lattice planes in high strength steels.
Controlling the level of mostly detrimental residual stresses already during the welding process would be highly attractive as time and cost consuming post processing may be prevented. Innovative Low Transformation Temperature (LTT-) filler materials are specially designed for Controlling weld residual stresses by means of adjusted martensite formation already during welding. Numerous publications can be found on this issue, but they provide only little insight into the interaction between martensite formation and resulting welding residual stresses. Within this study a component weld test was performed in a special large-scale testing facility. In-situ load analysis revealed that the amount of stress reduction during deposition of the individual weld runs is dependent on the weld volume undergoing phase transformation related to the shrinking volume. The residual stresses found alter welding show that the desired residual stress control by using LTT alloys is sensitive to welding boundary conditions (i. e. weld geometry, plate thickness) and to be evaluated separately for varying weld scenarios.
Schweißeigenspannungen in vergüteten und thermomechanisch gewalzten hochfesten Feinkornbaustählen
(2014)
For a newly developed 10% Cr and 10% Ni low transformation temperature (LTT) weld filler material, the local phase transformation kinetics and the strain evolution during gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) under real welding conditions was studied. An experimental set-up and a measuring and evaluation strategy are presented to gain a real time insight into the welding process. The experiments were carried out at the beam line ID15@ESRF using a two detector EDXRD (energy dispersive X-ray diffraction) set-up and high energy synchrotron X-rays. The time-resolved diffraction analysis during welding was carried out locally throughout the weld in longitudinal as well as in transverse direction to the weld line to examine the interdependence of the strain state and the transformation kinetics. This comprehension is crucial for the optimization of the weld process, and thus for the tailoring of the resulting residual stress states, which is one of the main issues for the application of LTT alloys. Using the herein proposed approach EDXRD diffraction pattern can be monitored during real welding with a counting rate of 5 Hz. By means of the time resolved diffraction data the local transformation temperatures and times were determined and the local phasespecific strain evolutions are discussed with respect to the transformation rates and the time-delayed phase transformations.
The results reported in this research study are part of a larger EU RFCS (Research Fund for Coal and Steel) project where the aim is to study the fatigue behavior of improved welds in high strength steels by utilizing different improvement techniques. In this particular study LTT (Low Transformation Temperature) weld filler material have been investigated and their possibility to improve the fatigue strength. The characteristic of these filler material is that they undergo phase transformation at temperature close to room temperature which will reduce the tensile residual stress in the weld and in some cases result in compressive residual stresses. Two different LTT alloy compositions have been developed, with different Ms (Martensite Start) temperatures in order to study the amount of tensile/compressive residual stresses produced by these wires. Welding residual stress measurements were carried out by X-ray diffraction technique. Plates with welded longitudinal attachments were fabricated in 700 MPa and 960 MPa steel grades using different LTT filler materials. These specimens were fatigue tested in constant and variable amplitude loading and the fatigue test results were compared with results from specimen welded with conventional weld filler material.
Beside quenched and tempered (QT) high strength steels advanced technologies in steel manufacturing provide steels produced by the thermo-mechanical controlled process (TMCP) with yield strength of 960 MPa. These steels differ in the carbon and micro-alloying element content. With variation of heat control TIG-welded dummy seams on both steel types were performed. Analyses concerning microstructure and residual stress evolution due to welding showed typical stress distributions according to common concepts. Yet, the TMCP-steel shows higher residual stresses than the QT-steel.
Today high-strength structural steels (yield strength ≥ 960 MPa) are increasingly applied. Therefore, weldments have to achieve equal strength. Yet, high residual stresses in those welds diminish the components safety. Especially high restraint intensities can lead to crack-critical stress-levels. A special 2-MN-test facility allowed online-measurements of global reaction forces under defined restraint conditions during welding and cooling of multilayer-component MAG-welds. Local residual stresses were measured via X-ray diffraction before and after relief of the restraint. Local and global stresses were highly affected by heat control.
Residual stress engineering in welding becomes more and more prominent as the use of tailored materials, e.g., high-strength steels, calls for maximum utilization of the material properties. As a consequence, residual stresses have to be considered as design criterion. Moreover, it may be utilized to improve the material's performance. Low transformation temperature alloys are a smart approach to control the residual stresses already during the welding process avoiding time-consuming postweld treatments. This paper gives an overview about the progress made in research in this topic with special focus on residual stresses. Basics as well as important developments will be addressed.