Feature tests on welded components at higher temperatures—Material performance and residual stress evaluation

A reliable maintenance and service of energy generation plants would be impossible without the professional designing, manufacturing and monitoring of welded joints. The lifetime assessment factors of welded components as implemented in the design codes must be updated accounting for the modern materials and the advanced steam parameters used in the piping construction [Weld Strength for high temperature components design and operation (WELDON). European Project No. GRD2-2000-30363, Gampe U, Seliger P, Creep crack growth testing of P91 and P22 pipe bends. Int J Pressure Vessels Piping 2001;78:859–64, INTEGRITY of repair welds in high temperature plants operating under steady and cyclic loading conditions. European Project No. G5RD-CT-1999-00118].Within the EU 5th Framework RTD project ‘WELDON’ tests at high temperatures are performed on component-like feature test specimens like welded pipes and large tensiles in addition to laboratory specimens to study the geometry and size effects on the damage evaluation methodology. The circumferential welds of the pipes are subjected simultaneously to internal pressure and an axial load. The large tensile specimens manufactured from the welded pipes are subjected to uniaxial loading. These components are made from steel grade P22 and P91 and are equipped with gages for on-line monitoring of temperatures, deformations and strains.Residual stresses are measured on these components in as welded and after post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) conditions and are monitored during creep testing with interruptions and after failure. X-ray and hole drilling techniques are employed in these measurements. These data will be used to validate the FE modelling of residual stresses and damage assessment.The results obtained from long time creep tests, metallographic investigations of damage development in the different zones of the weldment and residual stress measurements are presented in this paper.