Static and impact crack properties of a high-strength steel welded joint

In order to gain the benefits of weldable high-strength steels in pressurized equipment applications, satisfactory toughness and crack properties of the welded joint, both in the weld metal and the heat-affected –zone (HAZ), are required. Experimental investigations of toughness and crack resistance parameters through static and impact tests of a high-strength, low-alloy steel (HSLA) with a nominal yield strength of 700 MPa and its welded joint, were performed on Charpy-sized specimens, V-notched and pre-cracked, of the parent metal, weld metal and HAZ. The selected electrode produced slight undermatching and enabled the welded joints to be manufactured without cold cracks. The impact energy and its parts responsible for crack initiation and propagation were determined by toughness evaluation. Crack sensitivity, defined as the ratio of the impact energy for V-notched and for pre-cracked specimens, enabled a comparison of the homogeneous microstructure of the parent metal and the weld metal, and of the heterogeneous microstructure of the heat-affected-zone (HAZ), which indicated a better crack toughness behaviour of the HAZ. The results obtained showed that the toughness and crack resistance of the weld metal were significantly lower than those of the parent metal and the HAZ. The fracture mechanics parameters, JIc integral, and plane strain fracture toughness, KIc, as well as J resistance curves expressed the degradation less.