Influence of the ferrite rate on the tenacity of a welded joint in austenitic stainless steel: Experimental study and numerical modelling

The observation made and the results obtained from different mechanical tests had been correlated in order to propose for welding of austenitic stainless steels 316L containing a high concentration of chrome (Cr) and lower concentration of nickel (Ni) in order that a fraction of ferrite can be stabilized during solidification. There is, also, the use of welded metal combination containing 30% of ferrite associated to helium as protection gas. The weld joint obtained is austenito-ferritie, giving a structure with content in adequate ferrite of 15%, this leads to the expected mechanical characteristics which is the closest to the band of scatter of the base metal.