Prediction of in-service microstructural degradation of A106 steel using eddy current technique

In-service microstructural degradation of ASTM A106 steel occurs by the spheroidising and coarsening of pearlite. The specimens of the A106 have been exposed at 710 °C for different durations to simulate service conditions. The resultant pearlite coarsening was evaluated by measuring eddy current inductive reactance and resistance; phase angles were measured using these values and compared with results of optical microscopy, image analysis and resistivity measurements. It was observed that the eddy current phase angle has a linear relation with pearlite variations. It can further be used for in-situ eddy current evaluation of microstructural degradation of pipes or steel vessels. A mathematical model has been proposed to assist such field investigations.