Initiation and Growth of Microcracks in High Strength Steel Butt Welds
Abstract
Early tests such as the explosion bulge test created a preference for overmatched welds (welds which are stronger than the base metal) which eventually became codified for many structural applications. While an overmatched system offers advantages such as the shedding of strain to the base plate, it requires the use of expensive fabrication procedures to avoid cracking. Undermatched welding of some high strength steels may offer reductions in welding costs with little sacrifice in weld performance or low cycle fatigue integrity. An experimental study was carried out to observe microcrack initiation and growth of overmatched and undermatched butt welded high strength steel samples using globally elastic low cycle fatigue testing. First, 1 inch thick HY-80 and HY-100 base plates were multipass, spray gas metal arc welded (GMAW) with overmatching and undermatching filler metal using a semiautomatic welding machine. Second, 1/4 inch thick MIL-A-46100 high hardness armor plates (HHA) were manually, two pass spray GMAW welded with two grades of undermatching consumables. Weld reinforcements were removed from all HY specimens and six HHA specimens. All specimens had a crack initiator slit machined In the test section. The specimens were fatigue tested by transverse tensile loading with a 12 to 13 Hz tension-tension profile. The loading range was from 10% to 85% of the tensile strength of the HY steel base plate and HHA weld metal respectively. Crack initiation and propagation was observed in situ using a confocal scanning laser microscope.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 07, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA268751
Entities
People
- Edward Olsen
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology