Weld metal hydrogen-assisted cracking in thick steel plate weldments

The transverse crack, a type of cold crack, occurs perpendicular to the welding direction. From experience, preheating and interpass temperature are important factors in cold crack occurrence. Transverse cracks were detected in the specimen welded with preheating and interpass temperatures below 30 °C, but cracks were not detected for the specimen welded with preheat and interpass temperatures of 100–120 °C.Hardness values of preheating and interpass temperatures below 30 °C were higher than preheating and interpass temperatures below 100–120 °C in deposited weld metal. The residual stress values for the specimen welded with a preheating and interpass temperature below 30 °C were higher than the specimen welded with a preheating and interpass temperature at 100–120 °C. The result of weld metal impact test shows higher impact values for the weld condition with preheating and interpass temperature at 100–120 °C, compared to the specimen welded with a preheating and interpass temperature below 30 °C.