Abstract
The cold cracking process in shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding of steel S 690 QT is investigated by Tekken test. The conditions for cold cracking are varied by changing the specimens’ thickness, heat input, initial weld metal hydrogen concentration and preheating temperature. The kinetics of initiation and propagation of cracking is monitored by acoustic emission equipment. It is found out that the crack’s propagation path shifts from weld metal to fusion line and HAZ with decreasing initial weld metal hydrogen concentration and increasing hardness of HAZ. In the investigated range of cold cracking conditions the magnitude of cracking is mainly controlled by the preheating temperature and heat input. The acoustic emission signal provides valuable information about the factors controlling the kinetics of crack initiation and propagation and the intensity of cold cracking. The initial hydrogen concentration in weld metal controls the incubation period’s duration and affects the cracking intensity at higher heat inputs. The preheating temperature does not influence the incubation period, but significantly affects the kinetics of crack propagation. The heat input has a complex influence on the cracking kinetics and intensity. This is related to the contradictive effects of heat input on the initial hydrogen concentration per unit length of weld metal and on the behaviour of hydrogen during cooling. The obtained results provide a basis for combined experimental — modelling investigations on the cold cracking phenomenon in weldments of higher strength structural steels, aiming at quantitative evaluation of the influence of the main controlling factors.
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Alexandrov, B., Theis, K., Streitenberger, M. et al. Cold Cracking in Weldments of Steel S 690 QT. Weld World 49, 64–73 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03263411
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03263411