Fatigue of Welded ST ST

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Industrial Members of The Welding Institute, and

its content should not be communicated to other
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respect this confidence.
August 2006
857/2006
Improving the
fatigue performance
of welded stainless steels
By S J Maddox
No embargo
Electronic copyright
in this document as follows:
Copyright 2006, TWI Ltd
13631.01/2005/1257.3
TWI
The Welding Institute, Granta Park, Great Abington
Cambridge CB1 6AL, United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)1223 899000
Telefax: +44 (0)1223 892588
TWI Ltd 2006
CONTENTS
TECHNOLOGY BRIEFING
Background
Objectives
Experimental Approach
i
i
i
i
1.
INTRODUCTION
2.
OBJECTIVES
3.
PROGRAMME ORGANISATION
4.
EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS
4.1.
MATERIALS
4.2.
SPECIMEN DESIGNS
4.3.
4.3.1.
4.3.2.
MANUFACTURE OF SPECIMENS
Welding
Spot Heating
4
4
4
4.4.
4.4.1.
4.4.2.
4.4.3.
APPLICATION OF IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

Toe Grinding
TIG or Plasma Dressing of Duplex
Ultrasonic Impact Treatment (UIT)
4
4
5
6
4.5.
4.5.1.
4.5.2.
CHARACTERISATION OF TEST SPECIMENS

Weld Profiles
Residual Stress Measurements
6
6
7
5.
FATIGUE TESTS
5.1.
FATIGUE TESTING CONDITIONS
5.2.
FATIGUE TEST RESULTS
6.
BASIC FATIGUE STRENGTH OF MAG WELDED SPECIMENS
6.1.
BACKGROUND
6.2.
TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL
6.3.
TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC STEEL
10
6.4.
TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED AUSTENITIC CR-MN STEEL
11
6.5.
LONGITUDINAL FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL
11
6.6.
SIGNIFICANCE OF STEEL TENSILE STRENGTH
12
7.
INFLUENCE OF WELDING PROCESS ON FATIGUE STRENGTH
12
7.1.
BACKGROUND
12
7.2.
7.2.1.
7.2.2.
FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL

Duplex Plates with Transverse Fillet Welded Attachments
Duplex Plates with Longitudinal Fillet Welded Attachments
13
13
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7.3.
FILLET WELDED TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC STEEL
14
7.4.
15
7.5.
15
8.
APPLICATION OF WELD TOE IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES
16
8.1.
BACKGROUND
16
8.2.
17
8.3.
17
8.4.
18
8.5.
LONGITUDINAL FILLET WELDED JOINTS IN TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEELS

AND TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC
19
8.6.
20
9.
INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS THAT COULD REDUCE THE

BENEFIT OF WELD TOE IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES
21
9.1.
FACTORS CONSIDERED
21
9.2.
TIG DRESSING OF TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC FILLET WELDS WITH FLAWS
21
9.3.
INFLUENCE OF A CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENT
22
9.4.
9.4.1.
9.4.2.
9.4.3.
EFFECT OF HIGH TENSILE MEAN STRESS

Background
TIG Dressed Fillet Welds
UIT Treated Fillet Welds
24
24
24
26
9.5.
9.5.1.
9.5.2.
9.5.3.
9.5.4.
BENEFIT OF IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES UNDER SPECTRUM LOADING

Background
As-Welded Joints
27
27
27
28
30
10.
GENERAL DISCUSSION
31
10.1.
INFLUENCE OF WELDING PROCESS
31
10.2.
10.2.1.
10.2.2.
10.2.3.
10.2.4.
10.2.5.
BENEFIT FROM IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

Fatigue Failure in the Plate
Toe Grinding
TIG and Plasma Dressing
Influence of Steel Type
31
31
32
33
34
35
11.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
35
12.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
39
13.
REFERENCES
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TABLES 1-54
FIGURES 1-59
Annex 1: Fatigue Testing Programme
Annex 2: Spot Heating Trials
Annex 3: Investigation of the Effect of Weld Toe TIG- or Plasma Dressing on the
Ferrite Level in Duplex Stainless Steel
Annex 4: Investigation of Plain Plate Failure in Type 304L Austenitic Stainless Steel
Specimens
13631.01/2005/1257.3
TECHNOLOGY BRIEFING
Background
A previous project showed that the fatigue performance of welded austenitic stainless steel is
similar to that of conventional C-Mn steels, and that higher strength duplex is no better. Thus,
ways are needed of improving the fatigue lives of the lower fatigue strength details, notably
fillet welds. This report presents the results of an investigation of possible ways, by choice of
welding process or the application of post-weld improvement techniques, of improving the
fatigue performance of fillet welded stainless steels.
Objectives
To establish methods for achieving improved fatigue resistance from fillet welded
joints in austenitic and duplex stainless steels with a target increase of 60% by:
a) Suitable choice and control of welding process;
b) Application of a post-weld improvement technique.
To produce practical guidance on the application of the techniques and their benefits
in real welded stainless steel structures.To quantify the extra benefit achievable from
high-strength duplex or Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel by the use of improvement
measures.
Experimental Approach
Three types of fillet welded specimen were manufactured using three types of stainless steel
and fatigue tested. The specimens were:
10mm thick S31803 duplex stainless steel plates with either transverse or
longitudinal fillet welded attachments.
10mm thick Type 304L austenitic stainless steel plates with either transverse or
longitudinal fillet welded attachments.
3mm thick Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel plates with transverse fillet welded pad
attachments.
The basic test series were MAG welded, but further specimens were either TIG or powder
plasma arc welded (PPAW) to investigate possible improved fatigue performance from the
use of these welding processes. In addition, the improvement in fatigue performance
attainable using four weld toe improvement techniques, namely grinding, TIG dressing,
plasma dressing and ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT), was investigated using MAG welded
specimens.
The specimens were fatigue tested under axial loading at a stress ratio of R = 0.1 or under
high tensile mean stress conditions, usually achieved by cycling down from a fixed maximum
stress level close to material yield strength. Most tests were performed in air under constant
amplitude loading, but toe ground and plasma dressed specimens were also tested in 3%
NaCl solution. Further tests were performed to determine the effect of variable amplitude
loading on the benefit of TIG dressing and UIT. Many of the testing conditions were selected
specifically to investigate features of service operation that might reduce the benefit of the
improvement techniques.
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Apart from the fatigue testing, detailed measurements of the weld profiles, metallurgical
examinations and residual stress measurements, as appropriate, were carried out in order to
assist in the evaluation of the test results.
Conclusions and Recommendations
On the basis of a programme of fatigue tests on three types of fillet welded joint in three
stainless steels, 10mm thick S31803 duplex and Type 304L austenitic and 3mm thick Cr-Mn
austenitic, which aimed to establish the improvement in fatigue performance attainable by the
use of either a particular welding process or a weld toe improvement technique, the following
conclusions were drawn.
Measures that improve fatigue performance in air

No support was provided for previous indications that TIG transverse fillet welds
produce better fatigue performance than MAG welds. Similarly, PPA welding
showed no particular benefit for any of the specimen types. A key feature seemed to
be weld toe radius, with the highest fatigue performance being coupled with a
generous toe radius regardless of welding process. However, this link was not
established conclusively and there is scope for further investigation.
All four of the weld toe improvement techniques investigated, grinding, TIG
dressing, plasma dressing and ultrasonic impact treatment, improved the fatigue
performance of the fillet welds. The extent of the improvement generally increased
with decrease in applied stress range, the greatest benefit being an increase in the
fatigue limit.
Comparison of weld toe improvement techniques
Grinding
-
The improvement in fatigue strength for welds in 10mm thick steel was up to 60%,
but the possibility of failure in the plate could limit the improvement to 30% making
this a more realistic assumption for design. Nevertheless, the increase in the fatigue
limit was greater.
Toe grinding was less successful when applied to thin (3mm) Cr-Mn austenitic
steel, partly because of the significant increase in nett section stress due to the loss
of thickness. The weld toe re-melting techniques are preferable for such thin
material since they do not cause any loss of thickness.
TIG or plasma dressing

-
TIG dressing was generally more successful than plasma dressing, which was
consistent with the fact that the weld profiles produced were more uniform.
The benefit of TIG dressing was greatest in the 3mm austenitic steel, resulting in a
60% increase in fatigue strength, more in the region of the fatigue limit.
Around 30% increase in fatigue strength was obtained from TIG dressed welds in
the 10mm thick steels and from plasma dressed welds in the duplex.
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However, plasma dressing of the 10mm austenitic steel was of little benefit, due to
the small radius of the dressed weld toe.
Ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT)

-
UIT produced a 30% increase in the fatigue strength of the fillet welds in the 10mm
thick stainless steels, with around three-fold increase in the fatigue limit.
Factors that might limit the benefit from improvement techniques

-
Immersion of unprotected specimens in 3% NaCl solution reduced the fatigue

performance of welds treated using the weld profile improvement methods.
However, the tests were limited in terms of the temperature (20C) and cycling
frequency (2 to 12Hz). Therefore, further testing is recommended to ensure, in
particular, that the effect is not even worse at lower frequencies, as would be
relevant to wave loading.
The fatigue strengths of toe ground and plasma dressed welds in the 10mm thick
duplex stainless steel were reduced in 3% NaCl, but still generally 30% higher than
that of the as-welded joints in 3% NaCl. Thus, weld toe dressing effectively restored
the in-air performance.
The fatigue performance of plasma dressed welds in 10mm austenitic steel was
reduced in 3% NaCl, but there was little benefit from the plasma dressing in air.
More effective dressing may experience a greater influence of the corrosive
environment.
TIG dressing was applied successfully to austenitic welds containing embedded
solidification crack. However, the flaws themselves acted as fatigue crack initiation
sites and limited the fatigue performance of the joints. Thus, they should be avoided
by proper control of the welding.
The benefit of TIG or plasma dressing was not reduced significantly by the
application of high tensile mean stress loading or a Gaussian variable amplitude
load spectrum.
The benefit of UIT was effectively lost under either high tensile mean stress or
spectrum loading containing stresses above yield.
Influence of type of stainless steel

The only observed influences of the steel type were that the higher strength duplex and CrMn austenitic steels could sustain applied stresses above the yield strength of the Type 304L
austenitic, and ground or dressed welds in duplex performed better than the austenitic steel in
3% NaCl.
Practical issues concerned with the use of improvement techniques

The benefit of an improvement technique was often limited by the occurrence of
fatigue failure in the plate. The Type 304L austenitic steel seemed to be particularly
vulnerable, either as a result of the presence of surface notches from mechanical
damage or if the maximum applied stress exceeded yield.
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The weld toe re-melting techniques are preferable to grinding for very thin material
since they do not cause any loss of thickness.
Investigation of the effect of TIG dressing on the austenite-ferrite content of duplex
stainless steel showed that it was prudent to add 1 to 2% nitrogen to the shielding
gas to ensure an acceptable phase balance.
Care should be taken to avoid spatter from TIG or plasma dressing since it can
provide the site for fatigue crack initiation. If it does occur, it should be ground
smooth to avoid premature fatigue failure.
In both TIG and plasma dressing, it seemed that a finished radius of at least 6mm
was required in order to ensure 30% improvement in fatigue strength.
If any part of the weld toe is missed during TIG or plasma dressing that region will
be as-welded and there will be no benefit from the dressing treatment. Thus, care is
needed to avoid missing the toe, which should be corrected if detected during posttreatment visual inspection of the dressed weld toe.
The effect of the various improvement techniques and the influence of the type of loading
and environment on that improvement are summarised in the following table.
Method
Toe
grinding
Weld detail and

steel
Transverse duplex
Transverse 304L
Transverse
Cr-Mn
TIG
dressing
Plasma
dressing
Transverse duplex
Fatigue strength improvement *

High tensile
Air
3% NaCl
mean stress
Better than x1.3, x2.5 near Reduced
N/I
fatigue limit
benefit, but
close to x
1.3 in highcycle regime
x1.3, or x2 near fatigue
N/I
N/I
limit, but limited by
potential plate failure
Limited benefit due to
N/I
N/I
reduced cross-section; x
1.3 if nett stress < yield
x1.3
N/I
x 1.3
Transverse 304L

N/I
Transverse 304L
with flaws
Transverse
Cr-Mn
Transverse duplex
None; failure from

flaws
Better than x1.3
Better than x1.3
Transverse 304L
Longitudinal
duplex
None due to sharp plasma

dressed weld toe profile.
x1.3 but limited by
potential failure from weld
root
Spectrum loading
N/I
N/I
N/I
As constant
amplitude in air
x1.3
N/I
x1.3 or more in
high-cycle regime
provided Smax <
yield
N/I
N/I
x 1.3
Reduced
benefit, but
generally
around x 1.3
Below aswelded in air
N/I
N/I
Reduced benefit,
but still x1.3
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
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N/I
Method
UIT
Weld detail and

steel
Longitudinal
304L
Transverse
Cr-Mn
Transverse duplex
Transverse 304L
Longitudinal
duplex
Longitudinal
304L

High tensile
mean stress
Air
3% NaCl
x1.3 if Smax < yield
N/I
N/I
Barely x1.3 ; may need
condition eg minimum
radius of dressed toe >
6mm.
x1.3
x1.3 but limited by
potential plate failure.
Better than x1.3, up to x3
near fatigue limit.
near fatigue limit
Spectrum loading
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
x 1.3
N/I
Reduced or even
lost at low
stresses if high R
Benefit lost if
Smax > yield
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
Benefit lost if
Smax > yield
N/I
Note:
* Compared with as-welded specimens tested with R=0.1 in same environment; N/I Not investigated
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1.
INTRODUCTION
Growing awareness of the need for more durable products makes stainless steels increasingly
attractive alternatives to conventional ferritic C-Mn steels. As a result, they are finding their
place in structural applications, such as vehicles and construction equipment, as well as the
more obvious chemical processing and power generation industries. Since in many cases
avoidance of fatigue failure is a major design criterion, this emphasises the need for sound
design guidance, particularly for welded joints since these are usually the most critical details
from the fatigue viewpoint. A previous project (1) provided fatigue design guidance for aswelded stainless steels. In the present project, attention is turned to ways of improving their
fatigue performance.
Fatigue is the major cause of failure in welded structures, the weld toe being the primary
source of crack initiation. This reflects the severe stress concentration associated with the
weld toe, due partly to the sharp change in section but compounded by the presence of high
tensile residual stresses and microscopic crack-like imperfections, which are an inherent
feature of arc welds in steels (2,3). Recognition of the importance of the weld toe led to the
development of a number of techniques for reducing its severity and hence improving the
fatigue life of the welded joint (2-5). Weld toe improvement techniques rely on two main
principles:
a)
Reduction of stress concentration - the main techniques for doing this are grinding or
re-melting the weld toe with the arc of a TIG or plasma-welding torch. Apart from
smoothing the abrupt change of section, these techniques are capable of removing any
crack-like flaws. It is believed that the resulting improvement in fatigue life is due to
the introduction of a significant fatigue crack initiation period, which is negligible in
the case of the as-welded joint.
b)
Introduction of compressive residual stresses - the main techniques for doing this are
shot, needle and hammer peening. In this case the improvement technique does not
necessarily reduce the stress concentration associated with the weld toe or remove the
flaws. Instead, it has the effect of clamping the weld toe region in compression, so that
under fatigue loading the effective cyclic stress range is partly, or even completely, in
compression and hence less damaging. Thus, the benefit is believed to be due to a
reduction in the rate of growth of a fatigue crack from the weld toe discontinuity.
In both cases, there is reason to expect that the improvement in fatigue life will be greater in a
high strength than low strength steel (5-9). This contrasts with the behaviour of the as-welded
joint, for which the fatigue strength is independent of material tensile strength. In the case of
the weld toe dressing techniques, the introduction of a significant fatigue crack initiation
period is relevant since the crack initiation endurance will increase with increase in material
tensile strength. In the case of the compressive residual stress techniques, to some extent the
magnitude of the beneficial residual stress will be higher in a high strength material.
Although improvement techniques have been well known for many years, the vast majority
of experience of their benefit is confined to their use on welded ferritic structural steels (2-4).
In particular, no evidence could be found that they will be equally effective when applied to
welded stainless steels. Thus, the main aim of the present project was to confirm that they
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would also be effective when applied to welded stainless steels. The profile improvement
techniques selected were weld toe grinding and weld toe re-melting by TIG or plasma
dressing. The residual stress technique was ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT).
At the same time it was recognised that there is a need to ensure that the benefit of a weld toe
improvement technique seen in a laboratory test will be realised in a real structure. In this
respect, it is known that differences in residual stress levels, fatigue loading conditions and
environment can be significant.
With regard to the first two issues, there is evidence from tests on welded steel beams that
improvement techniques, notably those relying on the introduction of compressive residual
stresses, are less effective in large welded structures, containing high tensile residual stresses
from welding, than when they are used to treat small-scale laboratory specimens (10,11). This
is undoubtedly linked with the fact that the increase in fatigue life resulting from an
improvement technique, particularly one relying on compressive residual stresses, tends to
decrease with increase in applied tensile mean stress (12). Similarly, doubt exists about the
effectiveness of improvement techniques, particularly those relying on compressive residual
stresses, under variable amplitude loading, as normally occurs in real structures (9,13)
With regard to the third issue, experience with welded C-Mn steels has clearly shown that a
corrosive environment can eliminate the benefit of weld toe grinding (14). There is the need
to check the extent to which the same may be true for stainless steels.
Another matter that could be relevant to the use of weld toe improvement techniques on
austenitic stainless steel is the presence of near-surface micro-fissures. These can arise when
fully austenitic weld metal is used. Although they do not appear to be significant in relation
to the fatigue performance of the as-welded joints (15), their presence may inhibit the
application of an improvement technique. Certainly this has been found to be the case in CMn steel welds containing shallow cold laps at the weld toe (16).
Finally, there are positive indications, including from previous projects (1,17), that it may be
possible to improve the fatigue performance of some types of welded joint by the choice and
control of the welding process. In particular, TIG and plasma welding appear to offer similar
benefit to TIG or plasma dressing (17), which suggests that it is the production of a
favourable weld toe shape that leads to an improvement. Similar claims have been made for a
relatively new process, powder plasma arc welding (PPAW) (18).
This project set out to investigate all these issues on the basis of fatigue tests performed on
fillet welded joints in three types of stainless steel, basic Ni-Cr austenitic, higher strength
Cr-Mn austenitic and high-strength ferrite-austenite (duplex).
2.
OBJECTIVES
To establish methods for achieving improved fatigue resistance from fillet welded
joints in austenitic and duplex stainless steels with a target increase of 60% by:
a) Suitable choice and control of welding process;
b) Application of a post-weld improvement technique.
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To produce practical guidance on the application of the techniques and their benefits
in real welded stainless steel structures.To quantify the extra benefit achievable from
high-strength duplex or Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel by the use of improvement
measures.
3.
PROGRAMME ORGANISATION
This was a collaborative project undertaken by seven organisations from five European
countries, as detailed in Annex 1, with TWI acting as co-ordinator. The main experimental
work involved the fabrication of the test specimens, the application of post-weld
improvement methods, fatigue testing and metallographic examination of the test specimens.
The project was in three phases, running concurrently, with input from each partner as
summarised in Annex 1. The phases were:
Phase 1 - Fatigue testing of untreated welded specimens.
Phase 2 - Fatigue testing of toe treated MAG welded specimens
Phase 3 - Fatigue testing of toe treated MAG welds under conditions that could limit the
beneficial effect of the treatment.
4.
EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS
4.1.
MATERIALS
The fatigue test specimens were fabricated from three types of stainless steel plate:
10mm thick type 1.4301 (referred to as 304L austenitic);

10mm thick type 1.4462 (referred to as S31803 duplex);
3mm thick type 1.4376 (referred to as austenitic Cr-Mn).
The dimensions are nominal values and, in practice, the plate thicknesses were approximately
9.5 or 2.5mm, respectively. The material properties obtained from tensile tests and chemical
analyses performed on actual plate samples are given in Table 1. In later references to the
strengths of the steels, the 0.2% proof strength is assumed to represent yield.
4.2.
SPECIMEN DESIGNS
Three designs of specimen consisting of plates with fillet welded attachments were selected,
as shown in Fig.1 to 3. Types 1 and 2 were produced in the 10mm thick steels, while Type 3
specimens were made from the 3mm Cr-Mn steel. In all cases the most likely mode of fatigue
failure is by fatigue crack growth from the weld toe through the main (loaded) plate. Thus,
the fatigue performance of such details should be amenable to improvement by the use of
welding conditions that produce favourable weld profiles or the application of post-weld
If the fatigue performance of the test specimens proves to be particularly good, there is a high
risk of fatigue failure initiating in the parent plate itself, especially if it is gripped in wedge
jaws for testing. Therefore, in some cases the specimens were waisted to smaller widths,
down to 50mm in some cases, to ensure that the nominal stress in the vicinity of the weld
details was significantly higher than that elsewhere.
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4.3.
MANUFACTURE OF SPECIMENS
4.3.1.
Welding
Most of the specimens were MAG welded but the potential benefit in terms of fatigue
resistance of using TIG or PPAW was also investigated. PPAW is particularly suitable for the
welding of thin materials. It was necessary to make the present fillet welds in three passes
when PPA welding the 10mm thick specimens. The resulting high heat input, higher than
normally recommended for the welding of duplex stainless steels, caused excessive
distortion, suggesting that the process is not well suited for this thickness. In the case of the
Series 1.1 TIG welded duplex specimens, that were intended to reproduce the high fatigue
strength seen in the previous project (1), care was taken to use identical welding conditions as
before. The final welding conditions for all the specimens fabricated are summarised in Table
2. Figure 4 shows examples of some of the welds produced. A particular requirement for
Series 3.1 was to produce MAG fillet welds in Type 304L austenitic steel containing microfissures. An attempt was made to do this by making the welds with special type 347 fluxcored filler wire, balanced to produce a fully austenitic microstructure. However, it was not
successful and, as an alternative, the procedure was modified to produce sub-surface
solidification cracking in the same region. Full details of the resulting welding conditions are
included in Table 2, while Fig.4 shows examples of the flaws produced. It was considered
that these welds were still suitable for checking the ability of TIG dressing in the presence of
weld defects.
4.3.2.
Spot Heating
One of the objectives of the proposed tests on welds treated by UIT, to introduce compressive
residual stress, was to ensure that such treatment was still beneficial in the presence of high
tensile residual stresses. Such residual stresses can be expected to be present in virtually any
real as-welded structure. However, relatively narrow specimens with transverse fillet welds
of the types shown in Fig.1 and 3 are not expected to contain high levels of residual stress.
Spot heating is a technique that has been used to induce tensile residual stresses in C-Mn steel
specimens but, as far as is known, the technique has not been applied to stainless steels. One
issue of concern in relation to the duplex steel was the metallurgical effect of such spot
heating, particularly the possibility that it might precipitate undesirable intermetallic phases.
These could influence the corrosion resistance and fracture toughness of the steel, although
such factors would not be relevant in their fatigue testing in air.
Therefore, trials were performed on specimens of the type shown in Fig.1, in both austenitic
and duplex steels, to see if spot heating could induce high tensile residual stresses. The trials
included examination of the microstructure of the spot-heated duplex steel to check for the
presence of third phases. Details of the study are presented in Annex 2. The outcome was that
spot heating did induce relatively high tensile residual stresses in both steels without having
an adverse effect on the microstructure of the duplex steel. Consequently, it was decided to
spot heat the test specimens used to investigate the beneficial effect of UIT.
4.4.
APPLICATION OF IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES
4.4.1.
Toe Grinding
The primary aim of weld toe grinding is to remove or reduce the size of any local sharp
imperfections introduced by the welding, such as undercut, cold laps and even crack-like
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flaws, from which fatigue cracks can readily propagate. At the same time, it aims to reduce
the local stress concentration effect of the weld profile by smoothly blending the transition
between the plate and the weld face. The draft IIW recommendations for treating welds in
normal structural steels (19) were the basis of the procedure used to treat the present welds.
In general, the procedure requires complete removal of material at the actual weld toe to a
sufficient depth, usually between 0.5 and 1mm, to remove all traces of undercut or other weld
toe discontinuities. The final ground surface must be smooth with any grinding marks
oriented at right angles to the weld toe, and have a radius no less than 0.25 x plate thickness
and 4 x grinding depth. The last two conditions are to reduce the stress concentration due to
the groove produced by grinding, to ensure that it does not itself act as a notch.
Transverse fillet welded specimens of the types shown in Fig.1 and 3 were treated. Some
details of the grinding equipment and the method of application are given in Fig.5. Referring
to Fig.5(a), the toes of the fillet welds in the 10mm thick specimens were treated in two
passes, starting with a 12mm diameter tungsten carbide burr with a 2mm radius tip, and
finishing with a 19mm diameter abrasive burr with a 2.5mm radius tip. Figure 5(b) and (c)
show photographs of sections of 304L austenitic steel specimens before and after burr
grinding. A smaller burr, 6mm diameter tapering to 1.5mm radius at the tip, was used to grind
the weld toes in the thinner transverse fillet welded pad specimens (Fig.3), as indicated in
Fig.5(d). In this case the grinding operation was done in a single pass. Fig.5(e) shows
examples of toe ground specimens. Based on the above two criteria for the shape and depth
of the groove produced by toe grinding, the tool tip radius determined the maximum grinding
depth to be 0.5mm in the 10mm thick specimens and 0.375mm in the 3mm thick specimens.
In the event the mean grinding depths were 0.5 and 0.1mm, respectively. However, as will be
evident from Fig.5(e), the depth was up to 0.3mm in some of the thin ones. Even so, these
depths are less than the 0.5mm that has been found to be required for treating C-Mn steel
welds. However, visual inspection, supported by the available weld cross-sections, indicated
that the grinding was sufficient to remove the original toe and produce a smooth transition
from the plate to the weld surface.
4.4.2.
TIG or Plasma Dressing of Duplex
The aims of TIG or plasma dressing are the same as those for grinding, namely to remove any
weld toe imperfections and to reduce the stress concentration effect of the local weld toe
profile by providing a smooth transition between the plate and the weld face. However, these
aims are achieved by re-melting the weld toe region using a TIG or plasma welding torch,
without the addition of any filler metal. Recommendations for the application of TIG dressing
have been made by the IIW (19) and these again were the basis of the procedures used to treat
the present stainless steel specimens.
As in the case of spot heating, an issue of concern with regard to the re-melting of the weld
toe in the duplex stainless steel was that the high local temperature reached would change the
austenite-ferrite balance, which could be detrimental to the steels properties. In the same
way, autogenous welds in duplex stainless steels may contain unacceptably high levels of
ferrite. However, this can be avoided by the addition of nitrogen, which is an austenite
stabiliser, to the shielding gas. Therefore, trials were carried out to check the possibility that
the same approach would ensure that TIG dressing did not produce unacceptable levels of
ferrite. Full details of the study are given in Annex 3. It was concluded that it would be
prudent to add 1 to 2% nitrogen to the shielding gas when TIG, or indeed plasma, dressing
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duplex. However, at this stage of the project plasma dressed duplex specimens had already
been produced without the addition of nitrogen to the shielding gas. Therefore, samples from
those specimens were also examined to check the austenite-ferrite balance. As noted in
Annex 3, fortunately the level of ferrite was found to be only slightly outside the acceptable
range and therefore the treated specimens were considered to be suitable for fatigue testing.
However, the remaining TIG dressing of duplex specimens was performed with nitrogen in
the shielding gas.
The TIG and plasma dressing conditions finally adopted for the various specimen types are
summarized in Table 3. In the case of the transverse fillet welded specimens in 10mm thick
steel (Fig.1), the dressing was carried out on the welded panels, which were then cut into
specimen widths. It was hoped that this would ensure reasonably uniform dressing and so
minimize scatter in fatigue performance. However, it was necessary to apply the dressing
manually in the case of the short welds in the specimens incorporating longitudinal fillet
welds and the transverse fillet welded pad specimens in thin sheet (Fig.2 and 3, respectively).
Examples of treated welds are shown in Fig.6. These include TIG dressed Series 3.1 welds
with solidification cracks. The original welds had rather peaky profiles but TIG dressing still
produced reasonable weld toe profiles.
4.4.3.
Ultrasonic impact treatment is a technique that was developed in the former Soviet Union
some decades ago but has only emerged as a commercial proposition in the past 10 years or
so (20). Now the equipment is being manufactured in the USA, Canada and The Netherlands
and is available to industry, usually on a contract basis.
Figure 7 shows a weld toe being treated by UIT. As will be evident, UIT has some similarity
with needle peening, although claims are made that it has a more far reaching effect on the
material treated (21). However, in the context of the use of these techniques for fatigue life
improvement, in both cases the benefit seems to derive mainly from the introduction of
beneficial compressive residual stresses resulting from plastic deformation of the surface in
the region of the weld toe.
UIT is applied manually, in much the same way as needle peening. Thus, the UIT tool, with
needle dimensions chosen to allow access to the weld toe itself, is moved along the weld toe,
typically at 300-1500mm/minute, in order to plastically-deform the surface and leave a
uniform groove with a smooth surface. More than one pass is usually needed to ensure full
coverage, which is checked by visual inspection. In the present case, the treatment rate was
around 400mm/min. and 4 or 5 passes were required to complete the treatment.
4.5.
CHARACTERISATION OF TEST SPECIMENS
4.5.1.
Weld Profiles
Macro-sections of typical weld profiles in the test specimens are shown in Fig.4-6. It was
anticipated that the weld profile, especially the weld toe radius, would influence the weld toe
stress concentration and hence the fatigue performance of the welds tested. This was expected
to be especially true in the case of specimens designed to include favourable weld profiles,
either from the choice of welding process or from the use of weld toe grinding, TIG dressing
or plasma dressing. Indeed, differences in weld profile between such test series might explain
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any variation in fatigue performance. Therefore, measurements were made of weld profiles
on selected specimen types.
The weld toe radius and weld face angle with respect to the plate surface were measured
using a MAXTASCAN X-Y table measuring facility, fitted with a video monitor optical
system capable of accuracy of 0.01mm and 0.5 for the radius and angle respectively. The
radius was determined by locating five points near the weld toe, moving down the weld face
across the toe to the plate surface. The systems software then fitted a circle to these points
from which the weld toe radius was deduced. Trials showed that five points were sufficient to
produce the best estimate of the radius, since the use of more points gave the same result. The
weld face angle at the weld toe was also measured in some cases by locating one point on the
plate surface near the weld toe and another at the beginning of weld toe curvature. In both
cases, several measurements were made along the weld toe to establish the mean values and
the variations in each parameter. Typical results are shown in Fig.8, while Table 4
summarises the results for the range of test series in which weld profiles were measured.
Less detailed measurements were also made on some weld profiles, making measurements on
photographs of macro-sections. Usually just one section was available, containing four weld
toes, and so these measurements did not provide any significant information about the
variation in weld profile in the test series as a whole. The results are included in Table 4.
Reference will be made to all these measurements when the fatigue test results are discussed.
4.5.2.
Residual Stress Measurements
Some residual stress measurements were made using X-ray diffraction equipment. The results
of measurements made at the weld toe, the region of primary interest since it is the usual site
for fatigue crack initiation, are presented in Table 5. It will be observed that the residual
stresses in all the as-welded specimens considered were very low or even compressive. This
is not surprising in view of the narrow widths of the test specimens. As anticipated, UIT
introduced significant beneficial compressive residual stress, up to around 60% of yield in the
case considered. The other interesting result is that burr grinding the weld toes in both the
austenitic and duplex steels also induced very high compressive residual stresses. These can
be expected to act in conjunction with the improved weld profile to increase the fatigue
strength of the welded joint.
5.
FATIGUE TESTS
5.1.
FATIGUE TESTING CONDITIONS
The specimens were fatigue tested under axial loading in hydraulic fatigue testing machines.
Tests were performed at stress ratios of R = 0.1 or 0.5, or cycling down from a fixed
maximum tensile stress, Smax, close to material proof strength in some cases. The stress ratio
varied from test to test in the latter case, increasing with decrease in applied stress range. This
cycling down from yield type of loading was adopted to simulate the presence of high
tensile residual stress, as would be expected to be present in real welded structures, but not
necessarily in test specimens.
Most of the tests were performed under constant amplitude loading, in laboratory air at
ambient temperature and cycling frequencies in the range 3-20 Hz. However, the beneficial
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effects of some of the improvement techniques were also checked under variable amplitude
loading. The loading sequence used was a Gaussian spectrum with a sequence, or block,
length of 5 x 104 cycles, as detailed in Fig.9. The applied stress ratio was R = 0.1. The load
cycles in a block were applied in a random order. This spectrum was chosen as being a
reasonable representation of a wide range of service load spectra, as well as being similar to
the one used previously to test as-welded stainless steel specimens (1).
The fatigue test results obtained under variable amplitude loading will be presented in terms
of the maximum stress range in the spectrum, as an unambiguous indicator of the test
loading. However, an alternative method for comparing the results obtained under constant
and variable amplitude loading is to consider the latter in terms of an equivalent constant
amplitude stress range, calculated assuming that Miners linear cumulative damage rule is
correct. This approach was used in the previous project (1). On this basis, the equivalent
constant amplitude stress range eq is:
eq
( i m ni )
=
ni
1/ m
[1]
where the exponent m is the slope of the constant amplitude S-N curve for the same type of
specimen and ni is the number of cycles applied at stress range i (i = 1,2 3. . . .). In the
present case, ni was the number of cycles in each block, for which ni = 5 x 104 cycles, and
the summation m.ni was performed for one block. With regard to the assumption that
Miners rule is correct, tests under the same spectrum in the previous project (1) confirmed
that this was approximately the case. Thus, again it is considered to be reasonable to apply
the equivalent constant amplitude stress in the analysis of the present spectrum loading
fatigue test results. As before, single slope S-N curves, neglecting a fatigue limit, were fitted
to the relevant constant amplitude data to establish the appropriate value of m.
Some fatigue tests were also performed with the specimens freely corroding in 3% NaCl
solution, to check if any benefit seen in air is still obtained in a corrosive environment. In
these tests, the specimen was immersed completely in the water, which was aerated and its
temperature maintained at 20 2oC. The tests were performed at frequencies ranging from
2 to 12Hz, the frequency used being chosen to ensure that the test duration was sufficient to
enable the corrosive environment to have its full effect. However, in retrospect the frequency
was too high in some cases to achieve this objective and, ideally, further tests at around 12Hz are needed to establish the potential effect of a salt-water environment.
In some test series, specimens that were unbroken after endurances well beyond the expected
fatigue life were re-tested at a higher stress, to increase the database. If such specimens
eventually failed, the fracture surface was examined for evidence of crack growth from the
first test. The result obtained in the re-test was only accepted as valid if there was no such
evidence.
5.2.
FATIGUE TEST RESULTS
The fatigue test results are given in Tables 6-54. The specimens are identified in terms of the
phase number (see Section 3) followed by series number followed by specimen number in
that series. Thus, specimen number 2.6-4 refers to the fourth specimen in Phase 2 Series 6.
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Some series numbers are missing since the results were subsequently found to be invalid and
are therefore omitted from this report. The original series numbers are retained to avoid
confusing the laboratory records. Unless stated otherwise, fatigue failure was by fatigue crack
growth from a weld toe through the main plate, as illustrated in Fig.10. Other failure modes
included crack growth from the weld root through the plate (included in Fig.10), crack
growth across the plate where it was gripped, crack growth through the plate from weld
spatter and simply crack growth in the plate remote from the weld detail. The test results are
expressed in terms of the nominal stress range in the loaded plate, applied force/crosssectional area of plate, the stress commonly used to express design S-N curves for welded
joints. However, some specimens were misaligned, due to distortion from welding, with the
result that secondary bending stresses were induced when they were loaded. In some such
cases the magnitude of the resulting total nominal stress near the weld toe was measured
using electrical resistance strain gauges and this local stress is included in the table of results.
With regard to the fatigue lives quoted, the criterion of failure was that a fatigue crack had
propagated through the plate thickness, but in most cases the specimens were tested to
complete rupture. Cases where a result was obtained from a re-test are indicated in the tables.
In addition, in some cases it was of interest to determine the weld profile in a specific
specimen and relevant measurements are included in the appropriate table.
In order to address all the objectives of the project, the test results were evaluated from four
viewpoints. First, relevant test series from Phase 1 were used to establish S-N curves
representing the basic fatigue performance of the as-welded specimens for comparison with
the results obtained from specimens with improved welds. Second, these basic data were
compared with the results obtained from those series, from Phase 1 but also from the previous
project (1) in some cases, used to investigate the possible improvement in fatigue
performance due to the choice of welding process. Similarly, they were then compared with
results obtained in Phase 2 from specimens that had been treated with one of the post-weld
improvement techniques to determine the benefit obtained. Finally, the results obtained in
Phase 3, in circumstances that were expected to limit the benefits of the improvement
techniques, were evaluated. Where appropriate, the fatigue test results obtained under specific
conditions from more than one steel type were compared in order to identify any advantage
offered by the choice of steel, particularly its yield strength.
6.
BASIC FATIGUE STRENGTH OF MAG WELDED SPECIMENS
6.1.
BACKGROUND
The objective in this part of the project was to establish reference S-N curves against which
to assess the effect on fatigue performance of the choice of welding process or the application
of a post-weld improvement technique. In general, results were obtained from MAG welded
specimens of all three types under R=0.1 and under high tensile mean stress conditions (ie
R>0.1 or constant maximum stress Smax close to the proof or yield strength).
6.2.
The relevant results, Series 1.2 at R = 0.1 and Series 1.3 tested with Smax = 400MPa, close to
yield, are given in Tables 7 and 8 respectively, and plotted in Fig.11. No other results were
found in a literature search for this detail in duplex welded by MAG. Therefore, the present
results are compared with the scatter-band enclosing a large database for the same weld detail
in ferritic C-Mn steels (22). The results for the two series are seen to be in very good
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agreement despite the difference in loading conditions. Consequently, a single S-N curve was
fitted, as shown. This proved to be shallower than that for the C-Mn steel data. Residual
stress measurements on similar specimens (Table 5) indicated relatively low tensile or even
negligible residual stress near the weld toe, which could partially explain the shallow S-N
curve. However, it was still surprising to find that applying loading that cycled down from a
fixed high tensile stress did not overcome the influence of the residual stress and give lower
lives, with a steeper S-N curve, than loading with R = 0.1.
6.3.
The relevant results from Series 1.7 tested with R = 0.1 and Series 1.8 tested with Smax =
250MPa (ie yield), are detailed in Tables 12 and 13 respectively. They are also plotted
together with the results obtained from nominally similar specimens in the previous project
(1) in Fig.12(a). There is some consistency between them but both sets of data are very
widely scattered and do not follow well-defined S-N curves. A problem with the results from
Series 1.7 is that only four of them were actually valid, in the sense that fatigue failure was
from a weld toe. The remaining specimens failed in the parent plate, usually where the
specimen was gripped. The results from Series 1.8, obtained under the theoretically more
severe Smax = 250MPa loading conditions, are still very widely scattered and provide even
less indication that they lie on a single S-N curve. No explanation could be found for these
results from an examination of the test specimens.
The wide scatter in the present results was surprising in the light of other data for fillet
welded austenitic steels. Figure 12(b) shows such data, obtained from plates with transverse
fillet welded attachments (23), cruciform joints between plates (24) and cruciform joints
between rectangular section tubes (25). In all cases, fatigue failure was from the fillet weld
toe. Regression analysis of these data gave a well-defined S-N curve, which agreed very
closely with the 95% confidence intervals enclosing C-Mn steel data (22), as shown
previously in Fig.11. Figure 12(b) shows those data in comparison with both the mean and
95% confidence intervals (mean 2 standard deviations of log N, or mean 2SD) obtained
by regression analysis of the austenitic steel data.
The 95% confidence intervals enclosing the published data for fillet welds in austenitic steels
are included in Fig.12(a). As will be seen, although many of the present results lie within the
scatter-band enclosing the published data, they and those from the previous project lie
towards the upper limit, or even above it, and suggest a shallower S-N curve. This might have
been due to the presence of favourable residual stresses. As seen in Table 5, a compressive
residual stress of 71MPa was measured in a similar specimen. If this is typical it could be
one factor to explain the generally favourable results obtained from these test series, as well
as the shallow S-N curve. However, as noted earlier, it had been expected that cycling down
from a high tensile stress close to yield would eliminate any influence of the residual stress
state in the specimens and bias the results towards lower-bound fatigue performance, with a
steeper S-N curve than that obtained at low R values. Clearly this was not the case with the
present Series 1.8 austenitic stainless steel specimens.
In a further attempt to understand the differences between the data, it was decided to extend
the present database, particularly that for Series 1.8, by performing extra tests. Some of these
were performed using spare Series 1.7 specimens and some that had failed in the grips, after
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removing the cracked part and reducing their widths. In addition, another panel was
produced, using exactly the same welding procedure as before, and specimens extracted for
testing. Some of these were instrumented with strain gauges to check for any evidence of
secondary bending stress due to misalignment of the specimens. Such misalignment could
explain the wide scatter in the fatigue test results. In the event, only one of the specimens
showed such evidence, indicating that misalignment of the specimens was not a major issue.
The extra data are included in Tables 12 and 13 and Fig.12(a). Considering the new larger
database from the present and previous projects, the overall picture is little changed in that
the results still suggest a significantly shallower S-N curve than the published data. This is
evident from the mean curve fitted only to the results that refer to failure from the weld toe,
which is included in Fig.12(a). However, it is noticeable that all the results from failed
specimens of Series 1.7 and the extra tests lie within the published data scatter-band. They
are still widely scattered, but clearly could be regarded as belonging to the same population.
This draws attention to Series 1.8 as perhaps the main source of the problem of correlating
the results from the various series. In particular, recalling that the extra Series 1.8 results were
obtained from Series 1.7 specimens or the new panel, it is possible that there was some aspect
of the welded panel from which the original Series 1.8 specimens were extracted, such as
widely varying residual stresses or weld profiles, that contributed to the wide scatter in
fatigue lives. This being the case, it would be legitimate to neglect the original Series 1.8
results in order to establish a reference S-N curve to represent as-welded Type 304L
austenitic steel transverse fillet welds for comparison with the results obtained from improved
welds. This issue is re-considered in Section 6.6.
6.4.
The results obtained from the two series of as-welded MAG Cr-Mn steel specimens, Series
1.11 and 1.12, are given in Tables 16 and 17 respectively and plotted in Fig.13. Also shown
for comparison is the scatter-band enclosing the published data from austenitic steel
specimens (from Fig.12(b)). In contrast to the results obtained from the Type 304L austenitic
steel specimens these data provide well-defined reference S-N curves for comparison with
test results obtained from improved welds. That obtained for Series 1.12 under loading that
cycled down from a constant maximum tensile stress, 420MPa in the case of this high tensile
strength austenitic steel, is lower and steeper than that obtained at R = 0.1, as anticipated. The
Series 1.12 results are also consistent with the published data for austenitic steels. In contrast,
those obtained from Series 1.11 at R = 0.1 lie on an S-N curve that is significantly shallower
than that for the published data. However, there is good agreement between these results and
those obtained from the transverse fillet welds in 304L austenitic steel, which also suggest a
shallow S-N curve. This was rather surprising from one point of view. These specimens were
only 3mm thick, and yet their fatigue performance was no better than that obtained from
thicker austenitic steel specimens. In general it is found that the fatigue strengths of welded
joints failing from the weld toe tend to decrease with increase in plate thickness, leading to
the well-known thickness effect penalty found in most fatigue design rules. Such a
thickness effect is not apparent from the present results from 3 and 10mm thick specimens.
6.5.
LONGITUDINAL FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL
The results for MAG welded longitudinal fillet welded joints, Series 1.15, are presented in
Table 20. They are plotted in Fig.14, together with published data for the same weld detail
(27,28). It is assumed that these data were obtained from MAG welded specimens but the
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welding process was not always identified. In contrast to the results for transverse fillet welds
discussed above, the results for this type of specimen are seen to be in good agreement with
other data. In view of this, all the data were combined for regression analysis and the
resulting 95% confidence intervals are included in Fig.14. These results are used later as a
reference against which to examine the effect of TIG or PPA welding.
It is of interest to note that one of the useful characteristics of this type of longitudinal fillet
welded specimen is that it displays relatively little scatter in fatigue lives (2). This is thought
to reflect the good reproducibility of the weld toe geometry over the short length of weld at
the end of the attachment but chiefly the fact that the specimen retains a relatively high level
of residual stress after welding, generally close to tensile yield. This adds weight to the theory
that the fatigue performance of the present transverse fillet welded specimens in 10mm thick
steel was strongly influenced by the presence of favourably low tensile or compressive
residual stresses.
6.6.
It is well established that the fatigue lives of welded joints in ferritic steels are independent of
the tensile strength of the steel, providing a severe limitation on the use of high-strength
steels for welded fabrications. There is some evidence to indicate that the same is true for
stainless steels (eg 1, 27, 28), and the present results from MAG welded transverse fillet
welded joints in Type 304L austenitic and S31803 duplex steel add further evidence of this.
The relevant results obtained with R = 0.1, from Series 1.2 and 1.7, are compared in
Fig.15(a). It will be evident that there is no significant difference between the two steels, and
certainly no evidence that the higher strength duplex has performed any better than the
austenitic steel. The same conclusion can be drawn from the results obtained under higher
stress ratios, Series 1.3 and 1.8, as seen in Fig.15(b). No attempt has been made to fit an S-N
curve to these data in view of the very wide scatter obtained from Series 1.8. However,
recalling the doubt expressed earlier about the validity of the results obtained from the
original Series 1.8, it is interesting to see that there is reasonable correlation between the
results for the two duplex Series, 1.2 and 1.3, and those from austenitic Series 1.7 and the
extra Series 1.8. These data are shown in Fig.16, together with the mean and mean 2SD
curves obtained by regression analysis of the combined data. As will be seen, the scatter is
still quite wide but otherwise there is good correlation between the data. On this basis, the
mean and mean 2SD are used later as reference S-N curves for transverse fillet welds in
both steels, covering a wide range of stress ratios, in the evaluation of the improvement
methods.
7.
INFLUENCE OF WELDING PROCESS ON FATIGUE STRENGTH
7.1.
BACKGROUND
One of the aims of this project was to show that an improvement in the fatigue performance
of MAG welded stainless steels can be achieved by using a different welding process. The
two processes that were expected to show this were TIG and PPA welding. Both of these
welding processes were compared with MAG in the case of welded joints made in the 10mm
thick austenitic and duplex steels, while only PPAW and MAG were compared in the case of
the 3mm austenitic Cr-Mn steel.
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7.2.
FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL
7.2.1.
Duplex Plates with Transverse Fillet Welded Attachments
The relevant test Series are 1.1 to 1.5 for MAG, TIG and PPA welds tested with R = 0.1 or
under high tensile mean stress conditions. The results are presented in Tables 6-10 and those
for TIG and PPA welds are plotted in Fig.17(a). Instead of showing the individual test results
for MAG welds, the scatter-band enclosing the reference data for MAG welds, from Fig.16,
is used to represent their performance. The mean S-N curve fitted to the Series 1.1 TIG
welded specimens is also shown. In spite of the relatively low residual stresses measured in
similar specimens, close to zero (see Table 5), there was no evident influence of applied
mean stress on the fatigue lives of the PPA welded specimens. Therefore, a single S-N curve
was fitted to the results from both series, as shown in Fig.17(a).
Figure 17(a) also includes the results for TIG welds from the previous project (1). These are
very high, with few specimens actually failing from the weld toe, and were one of the reasons
for supposing that the fatigue performance of welded stainless steels could be improved by
choice of welding process. However, it will be evident from Fig.17(a) that the exceptionally
high fatigue strength seen previously is not repeated here and there is no indication that the
fatigue performance of this type of welded joint can be improved by the use of TIG welding.
However, this is not altogether surprising when considering the weld toe profiles. As seen in
Table 4, the weld toe radius in the present TIG welds (Series 1.1) was only 0.53mm. On the
basis of available macro-sections, the corresponding radius in the TIG welds tested in the
previous project was around 10 times larger, leading to a much-reduced local stress
concentration. Thus, further work is needed to confirm the potential benefit of TIG welding,
and to establish the welding conditions needed to achieve that improvement.
The PPA welds also offered no advantage over the MAG welds, except perhaps at very high
applied stresses. However, in contrast to the TIG welds, some improvement would be
expected on the basis of their profiles. As noted in Table 4, limited measurements indicated a
weld toe radius of around 6mm, which is similar to that of the TIG welds in the previous
project (1). One feature of the PPAW specimens that could have confused the results was that
they had suffered angular distortion. Consequently, axial loading introduced secondary
bending in the region of the welded attachment, increasing the stress on one surface and
decreasing it on the other. Series 1.5 specimens were instrumented with strain gauges to
measure the resulting stresses and they are included in Table 10. Strain measurements were
not made on Series 1.4 specimens, but it was assumed that they were also misaligned in the
same way as Series 1.5. Thus, the 34% average increase in local stress due to
misalignment-induced bending in Series 1.5 was assumed to apply to Series 1.4. When
considered in terms of this local stress, the results for the PPAW specimens are more in line
with those from the MAG welds, and even in agreement with some of the high results
obtained previously from TIG welds, as seen in Fig.17(b). It is possible that the single PPA
weld macro-section used to measure the profile was not representative of all the specimens
and in practice the weld toe radius was smaller in those that gave the lower fatigue strengths.
Whatever the explanation, again there is no overwhelming evidence that the use of a different
welding process, PPAW in this case, produces fillet welds with better fatigue strengths than
MAG welds.
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7.2.2.
Duplex Plates with Longitudinal Fillet Welded Attachments
The effect of welding process on the fatigue performance of longitudinal fillet welded duplex
was also investigated, giving the results for MAG (Series 1.15, Table 20) and PPAW (Series
1.16, Table 21), as well as those from the TIG welds tested in the previous project (1). As in
the case of the transverse PPA welds, it was noticed that some of the present type of PPA
welded specimen were slightly distorted. Therefore, a check was made on the potential
increase in stress due to misalignment-induced secondary bending by instrumenting one
specimen (number 1.16-3) with strain gauges. This revealed a local increase in stress at the
weld toe of around 14%, as indicated in Table 21. The results are all shown together in
Fig.18(a), where it will be evident that there is no distinct influence of the welding process. In
contrast to the results from transverse welds discussed above, there is excellent agreement
between the various test series. Furthermore, the agreement extends to available published
data (27,28) and regression analysis of all the data leads to a well-defined S-N curve. The
mean 2SD curves enclosing the data are included in Fig.18(a). The picture is not changed
significantly if allowance is made for the small misalignment-induced bending in the PPAW
specimens, as seen in Fig.18(b). The PPAW results are plotted on the basis that the 14%
increase in stress due to misalignment in specimen number 1.16-3 applies to every specimen.
They are now higher than the MAG results, but still in agreement with the database as a
whole.
7.3.
FILLET WELDED TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC STEEL
The test results obtained from the Type 304L austenitic steel are presented in Tables 11 -15.
These were from TIG welded Series 1.6 (Table 11), MAG welded Series 1.7 and 1.8
(Tables 12 and 13) and PPA welded Series 1.9 and 1.10 (Tables 14 and 15).
All three processes can be compared on the basis of tests carried out with Smax = 250MPa.
Representing the MAG weld results with the scatter-band enclosing the reference data in
Fig.16, the relevant results from TIG and PPA welds, from Series 1.6 and 1.10, respectively,
are shown in Fig.19. It will be evident that there is no significant difference in fatigue
performance between the MAG and PPA welded joints. This is consistent with the fact that
their weld toe radii were virtually identical, as seen in Table 4. In contrast, it appears that the
TIG welds did not perform as well as either the MAG or PPA welds. It is likely that this was
due to weld profile differences. Detailed measurements were not made of the austenitic TIG
weld profiles. However, measurements made on the macro-section shown in Fig.4 indicated
that they had similar poor profiles to those produced in duplex Series 1.1 using essentially the
same welding procedure, with a mean weld toe radius of only 0.5mm (Table 4). There had
been reason to suppose that simply the use of TIG welding would offer some advantage in
fatigue, due to the lower likelihood of introducing sharp weld toe discontinuities (5,17).
However, the present results imply that a favourable profile is also required. Further tests are
required to confirm this. At this stage, on the basis of the present data, there is no consistent
indication that the use of PPA or TIG welding improves the fatigue performance of transverse
fillet welds compared with the MAG process.
This conclusion is supported by comparison of the present results with the scatter-band
enclosing published data for fillet weld toe failure in austenitic stainless steels, from
Fig.12(b), which is included in Fig.19. Although the present results for MAG and PPA welds
tend to lie towards the upper bound of this scatter-band, virtually all of them are within it,
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with the indication from the reference scatter-band that some MAG weld results lie just above
it. As will be seen later, the relatively good fatigue performance of the present MAG welds
has repercussions with regard to the beneficial effects of weld toe improvement techniques
applied to them.
The fatigue performance of MAG and Series 1.9 PPA welds can also be compared for the
less severe loading of R = 0.1, as seen in Fig.20. In this case the extremely wide scatter in the
PPA weld results hinders the comparison, although they are still reasonably consistent with
the published data. However it is clear that they have not performed any better than the MAG
welds. Indeed, the wide scatter could indicate a lack of consistency in the PPA welds, with
variations in either profile or residual stress,
7.4.
In the case of the thin austenitic Cr-Mn steel the comparison is between MAG and PPA
welding. The relevant Series are 1.11 and 1.13, tested with R=0.1 and 1.12 and 1.14, tested
with Smax held constant. The results are presented in Tables 16-19, and compared in Fig.21
and 22. The PPAW results in Fig.21, obtained with R = 0.1, are more widely scattered than
those in Fig.22, obtained with Smax held constant, perhaps reflecting a wider variation in
residual stress with this process. It will also be noted from Table 4 that there was a wide
variation in local weld toe profile, the radius varying from around 0.6mm (sharp) to 3.5mm,
and this was probably significant too. In contrast, the MAG weld profiles were very
consistent (around 0.6 to 0.7mm radius) and the test results display little scatter. In spite of
the generally poorer weld profiles in the MAG welds, there is good agreement between the
results for the two welding processes, such that it was legitimate to combine them when
fitting an S-N curve to those obtained with Smax constant. Thus, overall it may be concluded
that there is no indication that the use of PPAW instead of MAG has improved the fatigue
performance of this type of welded joint.
7.5.
The lack of influence of steel tensile strength on the fatigue lives of welded joints stems from
the fact that their lives are dominated by fatigue crack growth and fatigue crack growth rate is
independent of steel strength. However, the fatigue crack initiation process may benefit from
steel tensile strength. In this respect, use of a welding process that reduces the severity of the
weld toe stress concentration, from an improved profile, could increase the proportion of life
spent initiating a crack. Then there may be some benefit from the use of high strength steel.
This was examined on the basis of the present results obtained from TIG and PPA welded
transverse fillet welds in the 10mm thick austenitic and duplex steels.
Not surprisingly, since neither of these processes showed any improvement in fatigue
performance compared with MAG welds, there was no significant difference between the
results for the two steels. This is evident in Fig.23 for the TIG welds. The mean and mean
2SD lines from regression analysis of the combined data are included; analysis of just Series
1.1, which displayed less scatter than Series 1.6, gave virtually the same mean S-N curve.
The results for the PPA welds are compared in Fig.24(a). They are too widely scattered to
make it worth fitting an S-N curve and therefore the scatter-band enclosing the TIG results is
included to provide a reference. It might be concluded that the performance of the austenitic
steel specimens was better than that of the duplex specimens. However, it will be recalled
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that the stress local to the weld toes in the duplex specimens was increased as a result of
misalignment-induced secondary bending. Considering those test results in terms of the local
stress, as in Fig.24(b), brings the results for the two steels together. Thus, again it can be
concluded that the high strength duplex steel has shown no benefit over the lower strength
austenitic steel.
Finally, although this project only included tests on duplex longitudinal welded specimens in
the as-welded condition, they can be compared with the results obtained from similar
specimens in Type 304L austenitic steel from the previous project (1). All the results are
shown in Fig.25. There is a tendency for the austenitic steel data to lie in the lower part of the
scatter-band. However, consideration of available published data for both duplex and
austenitic steel in the previous project showed that there was no significant difference
between them. Thus, the variation in Fig.25 is more likely to reflect differences in the various
weld geometries. On this basis, regression analysis was performed on the combined data in
Fig.25, from specimens that failed from the weld toe, and the resulting mean and mean 2SD
S-N curves are included. These will be used later as reference data for as-welded specimens
of this type in either steel, for comparison with the results obtained from improved joints.
8.
APPLICATION OF WELD TOE IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES
8.1.
BACKGROUND
Four weld toe improvement techniques were investigated in this project, namely burr
grinding, re-melting by TIG or plasma (using PPAW equipment) and ultrasonic impact
treatment. The aim in Phase 2 was to establish the basic improvement obtained under an
applied stress ratio of R = 0.1 for the three types of weld detail included in the project. Apart
from fatigue testing, the weld toe geometry and nature of the residual stress were examined in
both as-welded and treated specimens for better understanding of the influence of the
The effect of each improvement technique was assessed in relation to the fatigue performance
of the relevant as-welded specimen, as given by the mean S-N curve fitted to those results.
However, in view of the good correlation between the results obtained at R = 0.1 0.63 from
the Series 1.2, 1.3 and 1.7 transverse fillet welds in 10mm duplex and austenitic steels
(Fig.16), the mean S-N curve fitted to the combined results and the mean 2SD scatter-band
were used to represent the fatigue performance of as-welded specimens in both steels.
Similarly, the reference data for longitudinal fillet welded specimens in either duplex or
austenitic steel were those in Fig.25.
An objective was to establish techniques that could achieve a 60% improvement in fatigue
strength. The commonly accepted improvement, for example in some design rules that allow
weld toe grinding (19), is 30%. As the present fatigue testing of improved specimens
progressed it became apparent that this level of improvement was a more realistic target. This
was primarily because there was a pronounced tendency for the specimens to fail in the
parent plate, or even from the weld root, rather than from the improved toe, in lives that
were below the 60% target. Another significant factor was the fatigue performance of the aswelded specimens. As noted earlier, this tended to be towards the upper bound of the scatterband enclosing published data, or even above it in some of the transverse fillet welded
specimens. This is significant because experience indicates that the benefit of a weld toe
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improvement technique is greatest when it is applied to the lower fatigue performance welds
(2-4). In view of this situation, the fatigue test results obtained from the improved
specimens are compared with a target 30% improvement, corresponding to a factor of 1.3
applied to stress range.
8.2.
The test results for the relevant Series, 2.1 to 2.4, are presented in Tables 22-25 and plotted in
Fig.26 to 28. In each case, as noted above, the results are compared with the reference data
for as-welded specimens in both duplex and austenitic steel (from Fig.16), represented by the
mean 2SD to indicate the scatter in the lives of the as-welded specimens. The target S-N
curve, based on achieving a fatigue strength 30% higher than that obtained from the mean
S-N curve for as-welded specimens, is also included.
The results obtained from Series 2.1, plotted in Fig.26, show that weld toe grinding improved
the fatigue strength significantly. In fact, an improvement closer to 60% was achieved in this
case. As is usually found, the improvement was greatest in the high-cycle regime with an
indication that the fatigue endurance limit, assumed to correspond to N = 107 cycles on the
S-N curve, could well have been increased from around 100MPa to more than 250MPa.
The results obtained for the other two improvement methods that aim to improve the weld
profile, TIG and plasma dressing, from Series 2.2 and 2.4 respectively, gave very similar
results and therefore they are presented together in Fig.27. However, there is very little
overlap of the two sets of data and combining them may not be valid. Indeed, considered
together they appear to lie on an S-N curve that is steeper than that for the as-welded joint,
which is the opposite of the usual effect of an improvement technique. Thus, it seems more
reasonable to assume that if combined they should lie on a curve that is no steeper than that
for the as-welded joint. On this basis, the S-N curve shown is the mean fitted assuming that
the slope is the same as that for the as-welded joint. As will be seen, this lies well above the
target 30% increase S-N curve, but some individual results are very close to the target. Thus,
it can be concluded that TIG and plasma dressing achieve the target improvement in fatigue
strength but with little margin.
The results obtained from Series 2.3 UIT treated welds are plotted in Fig.28. In this case they
follow an S-N curve that is essentially parallel to those for the as-welded joint. The level of
improvement in fatigue performance is very similar to that seen for TIG and plasma dressing,
with the mean S-N curve lying well above the 30% increase target, but some individual
results close to the target curve. Thus, again it seems that the 30% target is achieved with
little margin.
8.3.
The results obtained from the relevant test Series, 2.5 to 2.8, are presented in Tables 26 to 29,
respectively. They are plotted in Fig.29 to 32 in comparison with the reference data for the
as-welded specimens in both austenitic and duplex steel (from Fig.16). Each figure also
includes the target S-N curve corresponding to a 30% increase in fatigue strength.
Referring to Fig.29, the results for the toe ground Series 2.5 specimens are very widely
scattered, some indicating an improvement in fatigue performance that far exceeds the 30%
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level. This is especially true in the high-cycle regime, where the indication is that the fatigue
limit could have been more than doubled. The same was found in the duplex welds discussed
above. However, others are close to the 30% level of improvement, perhaps reflecting the
fact that the weld toe radius produced by grinding these specimens was less than that
produced in the duplex specimens (see Table 4). It will be evident that potential fatigue
failure in the plate, in this case where it was gripped for test, provides a limit on the extent of
improvement achievable, which was less than 30% in one case. Wedge grips indent the plate
surface and thus provide notches from which fatigue cracks can propagate. It seems from
these results that the fatigue strength of Type 304L austenitic steel plate with such notches is
unlikely to be higher than that corresponding to the 30% target sought for the improvement
techniques.
A similar situation arose with Series 2.6 TIG dressed weld toes, as seen in Fig.30. However,
in this case low fatigue lives were obtained even when plate failure was not due to gripping.
Thus it seems that Type 304L austenitic plate might be vulnerable to plate failure even in the
absence of notches as severe as those introduced by gripping.
The results from Series 2.7 in Fig.31 show the effect of UIT treatment of the weld toe. Only
four of the specimens failed from the weld toe, with a fifth failing in the parent plate. Apart
from the plate failure result, all the others were above the target S-N curve, but only just in
the case of two of the weld toe failures. Examination of these specimens did not reveal
anything to explain their relatively low results. Clearly, the database is small and further tests
may increase confidence in meeting the target improvement. The specimen that failed in the
plate gave a low fatigue life, within the scatter-band enclosing the results for the as-welded
specimens. Thus again there is an indication that there is limited scope for improving the
fatigue lives of welded joints in Type 304L austenitic steel because of vulnerability to fatigue
failure in the plate.
Finally, the results obtained from Series 2.8, plotted in Fig.32, show that plasma dressing was
less successful than TIG dressing. The results for TIG dressed Series 2.6 are included for ease
of comparison. Although the results are widely scattered, it will be evident that there is no
reason to conclude that plasma dressing has produced any significant improvement. The most
likely reason for this was that the treatment did not improve the weld profile significantly.
The weld toe radii were measured in some of these specimens (see Table 29). As indicated in
Table 4, the average was found to be 3.6mm, around 60% of those for other plasma dressed
weld toes and the toes of TIG dressed specimens that had achieved the target fatigue strength
improvement. The two specimens that gave lives below the mean of the reference scatterband for as-welded specimens had radii of only 2.5 and 3.2mm. Thus, it is not surprising that
the treatment was less successful than expected. It is assumed that the plasma dressing
procedure was in some way deficient when this series was treated. These results imply that
plasma dressing must produce a minimum weld toe radius of the order of 6mm in order to
achieve the target 30% improvement in fatigue strength.
8.4.
The relevant test results, Series 2.9 to 2.12, are presented in Tables 30 to 33 and plotted in
Fig.33 and 34. The fatigue test results obtained from the appropriate as-welded specimens,
Series 1.11 tested at R = 0.1, gave such a well-defined S-N curve with so little scatter that no
clarity is lost by including them in each figure for direct comparison with the results from
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improved specimens. As before, the fitted mean S-N curve and another drawn parallel to it
but 30% higher on stress are included in the figures. Referring to Fig.33 and 34, it will be
seen that only TIG dressing achieved the 30% improvement in fatigue strength from all the
specimens tested. However, bearing in mind the relatively high fatigue strength of the aswelded joint at R = 0.1, past experience would suggest that this is to be expected. As noted
earlier, the highest improvements are seen when weld toe improvement techniques are
applied to low fatigue strength weld details.
In the case of weld toe ground Series 2.9 (Fig.33), only a third of the specimens gave lives
exceeding the target 30% improvement. It will be noted from Table 4 that the average weld
toe radius after grinding, 1.64mm compared with 0.67mm for the as-welded joint, was still
rather sharp compared with the profiles achieved with the thicker specimens. It is also
possible that the depth of grinding (0.1mm mean but up to 0.3mm based on the macro-section
in Fig.5(e)), which was less than recommended by the IIW(19), was insufficient. However,
with such thin material it is clear that care is needed to ensure that the grinding is not so deep
that the increase in nett section stress far outweighs the benefit of grinding. Nevertheless, it
will be noted that, although the available database is small, there is a hint that the fatigue
limit for the toe ground joint could be around 200MPa, in which case the effect of toe
grinding of joints subjected to higher applied stresses is probably of academic interest only.
As already noted, TIG dressing proved to be the most effective of the improvement
techniques applied to welds in this steel, with all the Series 2.10 specimens tested exceeding
the 30% improvement. This reflects the fact that the application of TIG dressing produced
very favourable weld profiles, as seen in Fig.6. The radius of the weld profile in the region of
the weld toe was typically 6mm, but effectively much higher at the toe itself. It will be noted
from Table 31 or Fig.34 that none of the treated specimens failed from the weld toe. Instead,
fatigue cracking was in the main plate, initiating at the plate edge or at the weld root. The
occurrence of the latter mode of failure suggests that no further improvement in fatigue
performance can be obtained from the present type of joint. However, the improvement is
still very significant, especially in the high-cycle regime where the data indicate a possible
three-fold increase in the fatigue limit.
Figure 34 also includes the results obtained from Series 2.12 plasma dressed specimens. This
technique was less effective than TIG dressing with most failures initiating at the plasma
dressed weld toe and some tests not achieving the 30% improvement in fatigue strength.
According to the weld profile measurements the average radius near the weld toe of 6.46mm
was similar to that obtained by TIG dressing, but more variable (down to around 3mm). It is
likely that the lower test results were associated with the sharper profiles. Even so, as with toe
grinding, the results suggest that the fatigue limit could have been increased to around
250MPa.
8.5.
LONGITUDINAL FILLET WELDED JOINTS

TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC
IN
TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEELS
AND
Just two of the improvement techniques, plasma dressing and UIT, were investigated using
10mm thick longitudinal fillet welded specimens, in both S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic
steels. The results obtained for duplex, Series 2.13 and 2.14, are presented in Tables 33
and 34. It will be noted that there were several cases of fatigue failure by crack growth from
the weld root though the plate thickness, as illustrated in Fig.10(c), in both these series. All
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the results for duplex are plotted in Fig.35, together with those for Series 1.15, as-welded
duplex specimens also tested with R = 0.1. To put the results into a broader perspective, also
shown is the scatter-band corresponding to the mean 2SD lines enclosing all the results
obtained from duplex and austenitic steel plate specimens with longitudinal attachments
obtained in the present and previous projects, as presented originally in Fig.25. The same
reference data are compared with the results obtained from Series 2.15 and 2.16 in austenitic
steel, as shown in Fig.36. The test results for those series are presented in Tables 35 and 36.
In each figure, the target S-N curve, corresponding to a factor of 1.3 on stress range applied
to the mean curve for the as-welded joint, is included.
Referring to Fig.35 for duplex, both techniques have improved the fatigue strength by a factor
of 1.3, more in most cases. There is also a hint that the fatigue limit has been increased by
two to three times. Similarly, they were also effective when applied to the austenitic steel
specimens, as seen in Fig.36. UIT was particularly effective in both steels, with only one
specimen in each failing from the treated weld toe. However, plate failure from spatter has
limited the improvement from plasma dressing and there is one case that did not achieve the
30% target improvement. It seems very likely that it was significant that the maximum
applied stress in this case was equal to the yield strength of the steel. Noting this, it can be
concluded that both techniques met the target 30% improvement in fatigue strength as long as
the maximum stress was below yield. The specimens in both steels were vulnerable to failure
from sites other than the weld toe, particularly the weld root or spatter on the plate surface,
suggesting that further improvement is unattainable unless measures are taken to avoid such
failures. One way to avoid crack initiation at the weld root is to use a full penetration weld to
join the attachment, as recommended in (19). In practice it is usually sufficient for just the
first 50mm or so of the attachment to be joined in this way. The spatter originated from the
plasma dressing and clearly every effort should be made to avoid this, or to grind away any
that does occur.
8.6.
Recalling the previous discussions of the possible effects of steel tensile strength on the
fatigue behaviour of welds, it was expected that the effect was most likely to be seen in welds
that had been treated with one of the post-weld improvement techniques. This possibility can
be explored on the basis of the present results obtained from the 10mm thick transverse and
longitudinal fillet welded specimens in types 304L austenitic and S 31803 duplex steel. The
fatigue test results for the transverse welds are presented in Fig.37 to 39, in all cases in
comparison with the reference S-N curves for as-welded specimens in either austenitic or
duplex steel from Fig.16. Similarly, the results for the longitudinal welds are presented in
Fig.40 and 41, again in comparison with the reference data for as-welded specimens (from
Fig.25).
Neglecting Fig.38 at this stage, the general indication is that there is no significant difference
between the fatigue strengths of the improved specimens in the two steels. The comparison is
hindered in some cases because there is virtually no overlap of the results, those for the
austenitic steel having been obtained at lower applied stress ranges than the higher strength
duplex. This reflects one difference between the results that does depend on the steel strength,
in that any benefit from an improvement technique tends to decrease as the maximum applied
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stress approaches yield. Consequently, the higher strength duplex still exhibits improved
fatigue performance at stress levels above the yield strength of the austenitic steel.
A possible exception to the above is seen in Fig.40, the results obtained from TIG and plasma
dressed transverse fillet welds. In particular, lower lives were obtained from plasma dressed
Series 2.8 in austenitic steel than from Series 2.4 in duplex. However, as discussed earlier, it
is believed that the low results for the austenitic steel are attributable to poorer plasma
dressed weld toe profiles in that test series. If so, just as was the case for TIG dressing and toe
grinding, it is considered that it will be possible to match the duplex results in austenitic
welds by producing comparable plasma dressed weld toe geometries.
Thus, in contrast to expectations, it is concluded that the benefit from the post-weld
improvement techniques investigated here was no better in the high-strength duplex steel
specimens than those made from lower strength austenitic steel. The only advantage of using
the high-strength steel was that the fatigue strength was still improved at stress ranges above
the yield strength of the austenitic steel. However, this is only relevant to relatively low-cycle
fatigue conditions. Improvement techniques are particularly effective in the high-cycle
regime, approaching the fatigue limit, and there was no difference between the benefit
obtained from the two steels in that regime.
9.
INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS THAT COULD REDUCE THE BENEFIT

OF WELD TOE IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES
9.1.
FACTORS CONSIDERED
A practical problem with post-weld improvement techniques when applied to real welded
components or structures is that the manufacturing or service operating conditions could
reduce their beneficial effect, as compared with that observed in laboratory studies. This
project addressed the following factors that could have this effect:
a)
b)
c)
d)
9.2.
The influence of solidification cracks in austenitic welds, a fabrication fault, on the

ability to perform TIG dressing effectively;
A potentially corrosive environment;
A high tensile applied mean stress;
Variable amplitude spectrum loading, as compared with the constant amplitude
loading used in laboratory studies.
TIG DRESSING OF TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC FILLET WELDS WITH FLAWS
The aim of this part of the project was to ensure that TIG dressing could still be an effective
improvement technique even if the fillet weld treated contained flaws. The flaws of particular
interest were micro-fissures in Type 304L austenitic steels, but since these could not be
produced in the present test specimens it was decided to simulate them with solidification
cracks. The relevant test Series is 3.1. One consequence of the welding method needed to
produce them was that the weld profiles were rather peaky, with steep angles at the weld toe.
Nevertheless, TIG dressing still produced reasonable profiles, as seen in Fig.6. However,
none of the specimens actually failed from a TIG dressed toe. Instead, fatigue cracks initiated
at embedded solidification cracks, some of which were of the order of 5mm long, as
illustrated in Fig.42. The fatigue test results are presented in Table 38 and included in Fig.30
where they can be compared with the reference curves for as-welded specimens failing from
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the weld toe, and Series 2.6, TIG dressed welds without flaws. As will be seen, most of the
results from welds with flaws are consistent with those for as-welded specimens, with two of
them displaying a small improvement. Thus, it seems that with such extensive solidification
cracking TIG dressing still protects the weld toe and if the flaws are not too severe it might
produce a small improvement in fatigue strength. The implication from the results that agreed
with those for as-welded specimens is that the present flaws were equivalent, in terms of their
severity as stress concentrations, to the original weld toe.
From the practical point of view, the tests confirmed that a significant improvement in fatigue
performance could not be claimed if weld toe improvement techniques are applied to the toes
of fillet welds containing crack-like flaws. In view of the difficulty of detecting such flaws by
non-destructive means, it is clearly very important to ensure that the conditions used to weld
Type 304L austenitic steels are chosen to minimise the risk of solidification cracking.
9.3.
INFLUENCE OF A CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENT
In the case of techniques that aim to improve the weld toe profile, and so reduce its stress
concentration effect, there is the danger that any corrosive service environment that could
damage that surface (eg pitting), or otherwise encourage early fatigue crack initiation, might
reduce the benefit of the improvement technique. Similarly, the environment could increase
the rate of growth of a fatigue crack once it has initiated and again reduce the overall fatigue
performance. This issue was investigated by performing fatigue tests in 3% NaCl solution on
10mm thick transverse fillet welded specimens treated by toe grinding or plasma dressing. It
should be noted that the effect of a corrosive environment on fatigue depends not only on its
composition, but also temperature and the cyclic loading frequency. In particular, the
detrimental effect tends to increase with increase in temperature and decrease in cycling
frequency. Thus, the present test results are not comprehensive, but just give a preliminary
indication of the effect of saltwater for the test conditions used. Effort was concentrated on
type S31803 duplex because this type of steel proved to be affected more by a saltwater
environment than Type 304L austenitic steel in fatigue crack growth studies in the previous
project (1). Thus, tests were performed on as-welded (Series 3.2), toe ground (Series 3.3) and
plasma dressed (Series 3.5) fillet welds in the duplex. However, the duplex steel should be
more resistant to pitting than the austenitic steel and therefore one further series of plasma
dressed austenitic steel specimens (Series 3.4) was included. The results for the tests on
duplex specimens are presented in Tables 38, 39 and 41 respectively, with those for the
austenitic steel in Table 40.
Considering first the effect of the environment on the fatigue performance of the as-welded
duplex specimens, the results for Series 3.2, tested in 3% NaCl, are presented in Fig.43. They
are compared with the reference scatter-band representing the fatigue performance of the
present as-welded duplex and austenitic steel specimens in air (from Fig.16). It will be seen
that the presence of a corrosive salt-water environment has not had a significant effect on the
fatigue performance of the as-welded joints. Thus the results suggest a smaller influence of
the environment than that seen in previous fatigue crack growth studies (1). In that work, it
was concluded that a design penalty amounting to a factor of 5 on fatigue life should be
applied to S-N curves for welded duplex. Comparing the mean S-N curves in the long-life
regime, the present results suggest that a factor of around 2 would be sufficient. However,
this may be a reflection of the higher cycling frequencies used in the present tests, the
previous tests all having been conducted at a frequency of 1Hz.
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Turning to the effect of weld toe grinding, Fig.43 also includes the results obtained from the
toe ground specimens of Series 2.1 and 3.3, tested in air or 3% NaCl respectively. It will be
evident that the detrimental effect of the corrosive environment was considerably greater than
that seen in the behaviour of the as-welded joints. In air, toe grinding increased the fatigue
strength of the as-welded joint by at least 70%, more than 100% in the long-life regime. In
contrast, the improvement in 3% NaCl varied from around 15% at high applied stresses to
perhaps 50% at low stresses. However, this meant that the target 30% improvement was still
achieved, generally at applied stress ranges below about 200MPa. There is also a hint that the
fatigue limit is around 150MPa. This is well below the apparent value of over 250MPa
obtained in air, but still greater than that expected from the as-welded joint. Thus, although
the corrosive environment does reduce the benefit from toe grinding, there is still some
improvement. This contrasts with the behaviour of welds in C-Mn steels, where the benefit of
toe grinding is lost as a result of corrosion pitting.
A similar presentation that compares the fatigue test results from as-welded and plasma
dressed duplex specimens in air and in 3% NaCl is given in Fig.44. As in the case of
grinding, it will be evident that the presence of the corrosive environment has reduced the
benefit of plasma dressing. In a similar way to the in-air behaviour, the benefit of this
technique in 3% NaCl is slightly less than that from grinding, such that the 30% improvement
target is not quite achieved in all cases. However, there is an indication that the fatigue limit
has been increased as a result of plasma dressing, but only to perhaps 120MPa. It will be
noted that the plasma dressing missed part of the weld toe in one Series 3.5 specimen. Just a
few millimetres of weld toe were left untreated but this was where the fatigue crack initiated.
The resulting fatigue life was essentially the same as that expected from an as-welded
specimen. This emphasises the need for care to ensure that the whole weld toe is treated when
relying on plasma dressing.
Finally, only the effect of the 3% NaCl environment on the benefit of plasma dressing was
investigated in Type 304L austenitic steel specimens, for comparison with duplex. All the
results for the relevant Series, 3.4, are plotted in Fig.45, together with those from Series 2.8,
plasma dressed welds tested in air. Also shown are the corresponding test results obtained
from plasma dressed duplex specimens tested in air and 3% NaCl. The mean S-N curves
obtained by regression analysis of the results from failed specimens are also shown.
However, no attempt was made to fit a curve to the Series 2.8 results from austenitic
specimens tested in air, because of the wide scatter. Lastly, the familiar reference scatter-band
representing the in-air fatigue performance of as-welded specimens in both steels is included.
In contrast to the behaviour of duplex, there is little difference between the test results
obtained from austenitic steel specimens in air and 3% NaCl. The comparison is hindered by
the wide scatter in the in-air data, such that some of the results obtained in air actually agree
with those obtained in 3% NaCl, while others are higher. However, it is clear that the
detrimental effect of the environment was less in the austenitic steel specimens than in the
duplex ones. This was somewhat surprising in view of its greater susceptibility to pitting, but
there was probably insufficient time in these tests for pitting to occur. Ideally, check tests at
lower frequency are required. Another factor that may have been significant was the
relatively sharp plasma dressed weld toe profiles in the Series 2.8 specimens, tested in air,
noted earlier. As seen in Table 4, those in Series 3.4 were better, and indeed comparable with
the duplex specimens. Thus, tests on Series 3.4 specimens in air should have produced better
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fatigue performance than Series 2.8, in fact comparable with the results obtained from duplex
Series 2.4. Then, there would be a greater reduction in fatigue life in 3% NaCl, to a level
comparable with or even greater than that seen in duplex. However, this is speculation and all
that can be concluded from the available results is that the fatigue strength of plasma dressed
fillet welds in the austenitic steel was reduced in 3% NaCl, resulting in fatigue lives slightly
lower than those obtained from as-welded joints in air.
Apart from assessment of the relative performance of each steel in air and salt-water, the
present results also allow direct comparison of the corrosion-fatigue performance of plasma
dressed fillet welds in the two steels. As will be seen, the austenitic steel has given a lower
S-N curve, significantly lower in the high-cycle regime, than the duplex. Since the beneficial
effect of plasma dressing derives from delayed fatigue crack initiation, this implies that the
higher corrosion resistance in salt-water of the duplex has contributed to improved resistance
to crack initiation in 3% NaCl. Thus, in this context there does seem to be an advantage of
one stainless steel over another. The same should be found for other improvement techniques
that aim to delay fatigue crack initiation from improved weld profile, notably weld toe
grinding.
9.4.
EFFECT OF HIGH TENSILE MEAN STRESS
9.4.1.
Background
It is generally assumed that the fatigue lives of as-welded structures depend predominantly on
the applied stress range regardless of the applied mean stress or stress ratio. This situation
arises because such structures inevitably contain very high tensile residual stresses, from the
welding operation or from other manufacturing processes. A feature of those improvement
techniques that rely on the presence of beneficial compressive residual stress is that their
fatigue performance does depend on the applied mean stress, or more particularly the
maximum applied tensile stress (3). In general, the closer the maximum tensile stress is to
yield, the less the benefit. To a lesser extent, it can also be expected that the fatigue behaviour
of welds treated to improve their profiles will also depend on applied mean stress. In order to
investigate this issue, tests were performed on both duplex and austenitic steel transverse
fillet welded specimens treated by TIG dressing or UIT, under the severe loading condition
involving cycling down from a constant maximum tensile stress that is close to yield. In spite
of the fact that such loading conditions actually examine the effect of maximum applied
tensile stress, the following discussion will refer to this as the more familiar mean stress
effect.
9.4.2.
Starting with the Type 304L austenitic steel, the results obtained from Series 3.6 are
presented in Table 42. They are plotted in Fig.46, together with those obtained from TIG
dressed Series 2.6 at R = 0.1. Also shown is the mean 2SD scatter-band enclosing the
reference data for as-welded austenitic and duplex specimens obtained at R = 0.1 to 0.63
(from Fig.16), and the higher curve representing a 30% increase in fatigue strength on the
mean. In the event, these tests did not fulfil the original objective. The combination of the
relatively high fatigue strength from the TIG dressed specimens and the low proof strength of
the stainless steel plate meant that cycling down from a constant Smax of 250MPa did not
produce significantly more severe loading than R = 0.1. At the highest applied stress ranges,
Smax was 250MPa in both series, while at the lowest Smax ranged only from 250 down to
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222MPa. However, from the practical point of view it will be evident that the fatigue test
results in Fig.46 were obtained under the most severe, with respect to mean stress, loading
conditions that could arise in practice as long as the maximum stress does not exceed yield.
Not surprisingly, the results obtained from Series 2.6 and 3.6 are very similar. The Series 3.6
results extend to higher stress ranges and confirm the trend of the Series 2.6 results that
indicated decreasing benefit from the TIG dressing with increase in applied stress range. In
fact, it will be evident that the target 30% increase in fatigue strength is only achieved for
applied stress ranges below 235MPa. However, the level of improvement is then substantially
higher than the 30% target.
One of the Series 3.6 specimens that did not quite achieve the target 30% improvement,
number 3.6-4, failed in the plate remote from the weld. It was noticed that the fatigue crack
appeared to have initiated at a blemish on the plate surface. In view of the importance of plate
failure as a factor to limit the improvement in fatigue performance achievable from the weld
toe improvement techniques, the failed specimen was examined in detail. A report of the
examination is presented in Annex 4. It was concluded that the blemish was actually
mechanical surface damage that caused local plastic deformation of the steel with associated
cracking. The fatigue crack initiated at this crack. It is clear that such damage must be
avoided if the full potential of a weld toe improvement technique is to be achieved. However,
this could prove to be a challenge in the production and later service operation of actual
welded stainless steel structures.
The corresponding high tensile mean stress results for specimens in 10mm type S31803
duplex steel, Series 3.8, are presented in Table 45. In this case the maximum applied stress
varied between 360 and 480MPa, the latter being the yield strength of the steel. In contrast to
the tests on the lower strength austenitic steel specimens, the resulting stress ratios were
considerably higher than 0.1, ranging from 0.37 to 0.62. The results are plotted in Fig.47,
together with those for Series 2.2, TIG dressed and tested at R = 0.1, and the usual reference
scatter-band for as-welded joints. Recalling plasma dressed Series 3.5, Series 3.8 produced
another example of a specimen in which part of the weld toe had been missed by the dressing
operation. As before, the specimen performed as if it had not been dressed at all and gave a
fatigue life similar to that for the as-welded specimens. Again this emphasises the need to
ensure that weld toe re-melting by plasma or TIG includes the whole of the weld toe. The
remaining Series 3.8 results are in good agreement with those obtained at R = 0.1 from Series
2.2, indicating that the fatigue performance of TIG dressed fillet welds in duplex is not
sensitive to applied tensile mean stress. Consequently, as with Series 2.2 alone, not all the
specimens achieved the 30% target improvement, although again the fatigue limit seems to be
very much higher than that for the as-welded specimens. In view of the fact that the TIG
dressing missed some of the toe in one specimen, it is clearly possible that it was not fully
effective in other areas, with the result that the maximum potential improvement in fatigue
performance may not have been achieved.
Finally, the results obtained from TIG dressed fillet welds in the 3mm Cr-Mn austenitic steel
specimens, Series 3.11, are presented in Table 46. In this case the maximum applied stress
varied from 250 to 500MPa, slightly higher than the proof strength of this steel. In fact, one
specimen was tested with Smax = 600MPa in error, and this yielded after some fatigue
cracking. However, the result was still consistent with the others and therefore it was
accepted. Thus, in this series there was a wide variation in applied stress ratio, ranging from
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R = 0.1 to 0.5. The results are plotted in Fig.48, together with those obtained at R = 0.1 from
Series 2.10 and reference curves for the as-welded specimens and the target improvement in
fatigue strength. In this particular type of specimen the applied stress ratio had a significant
effect on the fatigue performance of the as-welded specimens (see Fig.8) and therefore the
mean S-N curves for R=0.1 and R > 0.1 are included in Fig.48, together with the target 30%
improvement curves. Since there was a significant number of Series 3.11 tests performed at
R = 0.1, the same as series 2.10, for clarity these are identified separately. As will be seen,
there is good agreement between the results for TIG dressed specimens regardless of the
applied stress ratio. On the basis of direct comparison of the results for as-welded and TIG
dressed specimens tested under similar loading conditions, this implies that the improvement
in fatigue strength from TIG dressing was actually greater under the more severe high tensile
mean stress conditions. A possible explanation for this is that, as in the case of the PPA
welded specimens of this type, the residual stress near the as-welded toe was compressive,
but this was relaxed, or even became tensile, as a result of TIG dressing. Certainly the large
influence of applied stress ratio seen in the results for as-welded specimens strongly suggests
the presence of compressive residual stress. If this explanation is correct, the results for
as-welded specimens tested under high stress ratios are the more relevant to the behaviour of
real structures. Comparing them with the results for the TIG dressed specimens, the
improvement in fatigue strength that can be expected in a real structure from TIG dressing is
considerably higher than 30%, higher even than the original 60% target. The technique is
particularly beneficial in the high-cycle regime, the results suggesting a fatigue limit of the
order of 250MPa. In fact, it seems that fatigue failure in the plate is more likely than weld toe
failure at stress ranges up to 300MPa. Clearly, TIG dressing has proved to be a very effective
improvement technique for application to fillet welds in this austenitic steel regardless of the
severity, with respect to applied mean stress, of the fatigue loading.
9.4.3.
Turning to the effect of high tensile mean stress on the effectiveness of UIT as an
improvement technique, the test results for UIT treated Series 3.7 specimens in 10mm Type
304L austenitic steel are presented in Table 43. In this case the maximum applied stress was
approximately 250MPa and this resulted in stress ratios between 0.04 and 0.18. As discussed
above, it is probably unrealistic to achieve higher stress ratios because of the high fatigue
strength of the UIT treated welds compared with the proof strength of the steel. The results
are shown in comparison with those obtained from UIT treated specimens tested with R = 0.1
(Series 2.7) in Fig.49. The reference curves included in Fig.46 are also shown. It will be seen
that the lives obtained from Series 3.7 are indeed lower than those obtained at R = 0.1, such
that the 30% improvement target is not usually achieved. This is rather surprising in view of
the small range of stress ratios used for the two series. However, only one Series 3.7
specimen failed from the weld toe, the remaining failures initiating in the parent plate, from
weld spatter in one case. It is not known why there was a greater tendency for plate failure in
Series 3.7. Both series were prepared and tested by the same laboratory. However, as
discussed later, it seems to be linked with the fact that the maximum applied stress was equal
to yield.
The fatigue test results obtained from the equivalent specimens made from 10mm type
S31803 duplex steel, Series 3.9, are presented in Table 45. In this higher strength steel, the
maximum stress was held at 400MPa, resulting in stress ratios between 0.15 and 0.55. The
results are compared with those obtained from UIT treated Series 2.3 specimens at R = 0.1 in
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Fig.50. Also shown is the mean S-N curve fitted to the results from as-welded Series 1.2 and
1.3, which proved to be independent of applied mean stress (see Fig.12), and the target curve
set 30% higher. The results confirm that the benefit of UIT does decrease significantly with
increase in applied tensile mean stress. In this respect note that the higher stress ratios in the
quoted range, corresponding to the highest mean stresses, apply to the lowest applied stress
ranges. The trend of the results is such that no improvement can be expected at stress ranges
below about 160MPa. Thus, from the practical viewpoint it is clear that UIT must be applied
with caution if the welded joint treated is to be subjected to high stress ratios or high tensile
mean or maximum applied stresses.
9.5.
BENEFIT OF IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES UNDER SPECTRUM LOADING
9.5.1.
Background
For the reasons already discussed in relation to the effect of applied mean stress, there is also
the possibility that improvement techniques will be less effective under variable amplitude
spectrum loading than under constant amplitude loading. A further reason for this is the fact
that the beneficial effect of any of the improvement techniques tends to decrease with
increase in applied stress range. Consequently, the benefit seen under spectrum loading is
likely to be less than the maximum seen under constant amplitude, the difference depending
on the nature of the applied stress spectrum. This issue was investigated for two of the
improvement techniques, TIG dressing and UIT, applied to transverse fillet welded
specimens. The approach used was to compare fatigue test results obtained from as-welded
and improved fillet welded specimens under constant amplitude and spectrum loading with
stress ratio R = 0.1. As noted in Section 5.1, that comparison was made with the spectrum
loading results expressed firstly in terms of the maximum stress range in the spectrum, and
secondly using the equivalent constant amplitude stress range. Use of the latter allows direct
comparison of the results obtained under constant amplitude and spectrum loading, as well as
providing an indication of the validity of Miners linear cumulative damage rule.
9.5.2.
As-Welded Joints
Initially, it had been anticipated that the spectrum loading results obtained from the transverse
fillet welded specimens in 10mm thick stainless steel in the previous project (1) would be
sufficient to represent the behaviour of the as-welded specimens. Nevertheless, a few check
tests were performed on available duplex and austenitic steel specimens, referred to as Series
3.19 and 3.20 respectively, and the results are presented in Tables 53 and 54. As will be seen
in Fig.51(a), they were not all in agreement with those obtained in the previous project. Only
the previous results for Type 304L austenitic specimens are considered because the duplex
specimens were TIG welded and gave lives that were unaccountably high. Although these
results from austenitic steel specimens are widely scattered, the scatter-band shown indicates
the general trend. The present results for duplex are within the scatter-band, but those for the
two austenitic specimens are well below it, but still consistent with the previous lowest result.
A difference between the present spectrum load tests on duplex and austenitic specimens was
that some stresses applied to the austenitic exceeded yield. However, the same was true for
all the previous tests and therefore this is unlikely to explain their low fatigue lives. A more
likely explanation is that the wide scatter found in the results obtained from the various series
of as-welded austenitic specimens (see Section 6.3) also accounts for the low lives obtained
from the two tested under spectrum loading. This was investigated further by considering the
spectrum load data in terms of the equivalent constant amplitude stress range and hence
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comparing them directly with the present constant amplitude results for as-welded specimens.
This comparison is shown in Fig.51(b), where the constant amplitude results for as-welded
specimens are represented by the reference scatter-band (mean 2SD) based on regression
analysis of the results from duplex Series 1.2 and 1.3 and austenitic Series 1.7 (see Fig.16).
The slope of this scatter-band, m = 4.2, was assumed when using Eq.[1] to calculate the
equivalent stress ranges for both the duplex and austenitic specimens tested under spectrum
loading, in which case eq = 0.3695 x maximum stress range in spectrum. The resulting
values are included in Tables 53 and 54. As will be seen in Fig.51(b), all the present results
obtained under spectrum loading are on the limits of the reference data, the duplex on the
upper (mean + 2SD) and the austenitic on the lower (mean 2SD) bound. The previous
results are near the limits of or just outside the reference scatter-band. Thus, inherent scatter
in constant amplitude fatigue lives is not a conclusive explanation for the difference between
the present duplex and austenitic steel spectrum loading results. Clearly, more tests are
needed to allow further investigation, but at this late stage of the project there were no more
specimens available to provide additional data. Meanwhile, the results obtained from
improved welds in 10mm thick specimens will be compared with those for as-welded
specimens using both the reference scatter-band, representing their fatigue strength under
constant amplitude loading, and the present spectrum load results.
The situation was more straightforward in the case of the as-welded specimens in the thin
Cr-Mn austenitic steel. The project included tests on as-welded specimens under spectrum
loading, Series 3.18 as presented in Table 52, which, with Series 1.11 constant amplitude test
results, yielded well-defined S-N curves. These results are shown in Fig.52(a), in terms of the
maximum stress range in the spectrum, and in Fig.52(b) in terms of the equivalent constant
amplitude stress range. In this case the slope of the S-N curve fitted to Series 1.11 results was
used to calculate the equivalent constant amplitude stress range, giving
eq = 0.409 x maximum stress range in spectrum, values of which are included in Table 51.
The results presented in Fig.51(b) and 52(b) provide the opportunity to check the validity of
Miners rule for estimating the lives of the as-welded specimens under the test spectrum. As
noted earlier, an implicit assumption when using the equivalent stress range is that Miners
rule is correct. If so, test results obtained under constant amplitude loading should agree with
those obtained from the same type of specimen under spectrum loading when the latter are
expressed in terms of the equivalent stress. Referring to Fig.51(b), in spite of the
unaccountably wide scatter, it will be evident that there is no reason to conclude that Miners
rule was incorrect. The results for the 3mm Cr-Mn austenitic steel specimens in Fig.52(b)
provide more convincing evidence that Miners rule was reasonably accurate.
9.5.3.
The results obtained from Series 3.12 TIG dressed fillet welds in the 10mm type S31803
duplex steel are presented in Table 47. They are shown in Fig.53 in comparison with the two
results obtained under spectrum loading from Series 3.19 as-welded specimens, the Series 2.2
results obtained from TIG dressed specimens under constant amplitude loading and the
reference scatter-band for as-welded specimens tested under constant amplitude loading. The
spectrum load results are expressed in terms of the maximum stress range in the spectrum
Fig.56(a), and in terms of the equivalent constant amplitude stress range in Fig.56(b). The
equivalent stress ranges are included in Table 47. Recalling that it was considered reasonable
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to assume that the slope of the constant amplitude S-N curve for TIG dressed welds was the
same as that for the as-welded specimens (see Fig.27), these were calculated using Eq.[1] in
conjunction with the slope of the constant amplitude reference data. Thus, as before this gave
eq = 0.3695 x maximum stress range in spectrum.
Similarly, the spectrum loading results for the specimens in 10mm Type 304L austenitic steel
(Series 3.14) are presented in Table 49 and plotted in Fig.54. In this case it was reasonable to
use the slope of the S-N curve fitted to the constant amplitude data for TIG dressed
specimens, as shown in Fig.53, to calculate the equivalent constant amplitude stress ranges.
This was m = 9.4, giving eq = 0.484 x maximum stress range in spectrum.
Finally, the spectrum loading results obtained from the 3mm Cr-Mn austenitic steel
specimens, as-welded Series 3.18 and TIG dressed Series 3.16 are presented in Tables 52 and
53 respectively. They are compared with the constant amplitude results obtained at R = 0.1
from as-welded Series 1.11 and TIG dressed Series 2.10 in Fig.55. In fact, the TIG dressed
Series 3.11 results obtained at R = 0.1 are also included. As before, the spectrum load results
are expressed in terms of the maximum stress range in the spectrum in Fig.55(a), and the
equivalent constant amplitude stress range in Fig.55(b). The values of the equivalent stresses,
based on the slope of the S-N curve fitted to the combined Series 2.10 and 3.11 results, m =
9.1, are given by eq = 0.478 x maximum stress range in spectrum; they are included in
Table 51.
Referring to Fig.53(a), 54(a) and 55(a) it will be evident that TIG dressing improved the
fatigue lives of all three types of specimen under spectrum loading. An exception was one of
the duplex results in Fig.53(a). This may be connected with the fact that some applied
stresses exceeded yield, but it seems more likely that this was another case, like duplex
specimen 3.8-1 discussed earlier, where the TIG dressing missed some of the weld toe. Some
irregularities in the TIG dressed toes of duplex specimens were also apparent in Series 2.2
and it is possible that the conditions used to treat the duplex specimens were not optimised.
The extent of the improvement in fatigue performance is clearer in Fig.53(b) to 55(b) where
the spectrum load results are expressed in terms of the equivalent constant amplitude stress
range. The 30% improvement target S-N curve is shown in each case, related to the S-N
curve for as-welded specimens tested under constant amplitude loading. Such data are the
basis of fatigue design curves for welded joints and therefore their S-N curves are analogous
to design curves. Thus, they are the most useful reference against which to judge the level of
improvement achieved from the use of TIG dressing. Referring to Fig.53(b) to 55(b), it will
be seen that the spectrum load results follow the trend set by the constant amplitude results,
such that it was reasonable to combine them to fit an S-N curve (neglecting the results from
specimens that did not fail). Incidentally, this good agreement indicates that Miners rule
would provide reasonable estimates of the lives of the spectrum loaded TIG dressed
specimens. With regard to the improvement from TIG dressing, the 30% target improvement
is only just achieved in the case of duplex in Fig.53(b). The same was true for the thin Cr-Mn
steel (Fig.55(b), although in this case the fact that virtually all failures were in the plate and
not from the TIG dressed weld toe suggests that no further improvement is possible. The
Type 304L austenitic steel specimens achieved the 30% improvement comfortably under
spectrum loading, again with plate failure providing a limit on the extent of that
improvement.
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One final observation concerns the extent of the improvement in fatigue performance
obtained on the basis of only the results obtained from as-welded and TIG dressed specimens
under spectrum loading. In the case of the duplex specimens, Fig.53, it will be seen that there
is very little indication of any significant improvement from TIG dressing. In contrast, as
seen in Fig.54 and 55, TIG dressing produced a greater level of improvement than that
observed under constant amplitude loading. It is difficult to explain why there should be this
difference between the steels and it seems more likely that, with the present very limited
database, in fact the level of improvement was similar under both constant and variable
amplitude loading.
9.5.4.
The results obtained from UIT treated specimens under spectrum loading are presented in the
same way as those for TIG dressed specimens. Thus, those for Series 3.13 UIT treated fillet
welds in the 10mm type S31803 duplex steel are presented in Table 48. They are plotted in
Fig.56(a) and(b) in comparison with the two results obtained from Series 3.19 as-welded
specimens under spectrum loading, the Series 2.3 results obtained from UIT specimens under
constant amplitude loading and the reference scatter-band for as-welded specimens under
constant amplitude loading. The equivalent constant amplitude stress ranges were calculated
using the slope of the S-N curve fitted to the Series 2.3 results, m = 3.96, giving
eq = 0.36 x maximum stress range in spectrum. The resulting values are included in
Table 48.
Similarly, the spectrum loading results for the specimens in 10mm Type 304L austenitic steel
(Series 3.15) are presented in Table 50 and plotted in Fig.57. With regard to the calculation of
the equivalent constant amplitude stress ranges, there were too few failures in Series 3.15
specimens from the treated weld toe to allow an S-N curve to be fitted. Therefore, it was
assumed that the results lay on a curve parallel to the reference constant amplitude S-N
curves, giving eq = 0.3695 x maximum stress range in spectrum.
Referring to Fig.56(a), it will be noted that it was necessary to perform the spectrum loading
tests on UIT treated duplex specimens under very high stress levels in order to obtain lives in
the same range as those obtained under constant amplitude loading. In particular, as indicated
in the graph, the maximum stress in the spectrum exceeded yield in most cases. Nevertheless,
compared with the two results from as-welded specimens, there has been an improvement in
fatigue life, similar to that seen under constant amplitude loading. Figure 56(b) compares all
the results using the equivalent stress range to present those for Series 3.13. As will be seen,
there is very good agreement between the constant and variable amplitude results from UIT
treated welds, apart from that for the most highly loaded Series 3.13 specimen, number 3.131 for which the maximum applied stress range was 600MPa. A weakness of the available data
is that there is no overlap, all the constant amplitude Series 2.3 tests being conducted at stress
ranges above 212MPa, with all the variable amplitude Series 3.13 tests at equivalent constant
amplitude stress ranges below 208MPa. However, neglecting the specimen 3.13-1 result, the
single curve shown in Fig.56(b) provides a convincingly good fit to the combined data. On
the basis of these results for the particular loading spectrum used, it can be concluded that the
benefit of UIT is not lost under spectrum loading as long as the maximum applied stress in
the spectrum is below yield, and even up to around 1.15 x yield.
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The results obtained from UIT treated fillet welds in Type 304L austenitic steel, Series 3.15,
are presented in a similar manner in Fig.57. In this case, all the treated specimens were tested
under spectra in which the maximum applied stress exceeded yield. Referring to Fig.57(a),
the results obtained from the improved welds are in close agreement with the two obtained
under the same loading spectrum from as-welded specimens. The contrast between these
results for UIT treated welds and those obtained under constant amplitude loading is seen in
Fig.57(b). Allowing for scatter, this graph suggests that there is no distinction between the
results obtained from as-welded joints under constant and variable amplitude loading and
those obtained from UIT treated specimens under variable amplitude loading. Thus, in
contrast to the effect of UIT seen under constant amplitude loading, and indeed the behaviour
of the same weld detail in duplex, there is no benefit at all under variable amplitude loading.
This may be a reflection of the fact that all the spectrum loaded specimens experienced
stresses above yield. Restricting the maximum stress range to levels below yield may show
some improvement.
10.
GENERAL DISCUSSION
10.1.
INFLUENCE OF WELDING PROCESS
It was anticipated that welds made by TIG or PPAW would exhibit better fatigue
performance than MAG welds. This expectation was based partly on the potential for
producing better weld toe profiles (5), but also the experience of the previous project (1)
when very high fatigue strengths were obtained from TIG welded duplex specimens. In the
event, even the previous behaviour of TIG welds was not repeated in the present project and
there was not evidence to show that TIG or PPAW welds had inherently better fatigue
properties than MAG welds.
The variation in weld toe radius for the various processes from the values in Table 4 is shown
in Fig.58. From this it might have been expected that PPA welds, in particular in duplex and
the Cr-Mn stainless steel, would give the best fatigue performance. Indeed, some of the
duplex specimens did but, perhaps because of the wide variation of weld toe radius, not
always. In the case of the Cr-Mn steel there was no difference at all. Thus, neither the choice
of welding process nor indeed the production of a favourable weld profile was sufficient to
guarantee improved fatigue performance from one or other process.
One welding process-related issue that should be mentioned was the tendency for PPAW to
cause distortion in the 10mm thick stainless steel plate specimens, due to the high heat input
associated with the multi-pass welding required. This would add support to the general view
that PPA welding is better suited to the welding of thinner sheet.
10.2.
BENEFIT FROM IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES
10.2.1.
Fatigue Failure in the Plate
Before discussing the beneficial effect of the improvement techniques investigated, it is

useful to consider the cases when the 10mm thick specimens failed in the plate rather than
from the weld toe. Particular attention needs to be paid to the Type 304L austenitic steel
specimens. Of the total number of plate failures, two thirds of them were in this steel. Many
of these were cases when failure initiated where the plate was gripped and hence the results
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were closely related to the fatigue test method. However, there were a substantial number of
failures in the plate remote from the weld detail and the grips. Such failures are relevant to
the fatigue performance of stainless steel structures and hence it is useful to compare the
results with those for failure from improved welds. The data concerned are presented in
Fig.59. Also shown for comparison are the few cases of plate failure in the Type S31803
duplex steel. It may be noted that all but one of the Type 304L austenitic steel results were
obtained under loading that cycled down from yield. Though not shown in Fig.59, a further
eight specimens tested under spectrum loading also failed in the plate. Again, the maximum
applied stress exceeded yield in every case. Thus, it seems that the application of fatigue
loading that includes yield, even if the stress range is lower, encourages plate failure.
Furthermore, the resulting fatigue strength turns out to be rather close to the target 30%
increase in fatigue strength for improved welds, as seen in Fig.59. Thus, in those cases where
the maximum applied stress was close to yield, potential fatigue failure in the plate provided
a limitation of around 30% on the level of increase in fatigue strength that could be achieved
from the use of an improvement technique. This was often the case with Type 304L austenitic
steel specimens, even when tested with R = 0.1, because of the relatively high fatigue
strength of the welds and the low yield strength of the steel. It will be evident from Fig.59
that the duplex plate gave only slightly higher fatigue strength and still provided a limitation
on the potential benefit of an improvement technique.
It will be recalled that the results from Type 304L austenitic steel Series 1.8 were rejected
because of the wide scatter and the difficulty of fitting an S-N curve to them. It is possible
that this poor correlation of the results was also attributable to the use of the testing condition
involving cycling down from a constant tensile stress close to yield. In particular, it is
possible that the lack of a distinct yield point leads to rather ill defined stress levels at the
weld toe when the nominal stress enters the non-linear stress-strain regime where the proof
strengths are deduced. If this is the case, it invalidates the use of the cycling down from
yield test method as a means of simulating the presence of high tensile residual stress in
stainless steels. An alternative would be to cycle down from a fixed tensile stress that was
lower than yield.
10.2.2.
Toe Grinding
Weld toe grinding proved to be the most effective of the improvement techniques that were
applied to the transverse fillet welds in 10mm thick stainless steel. Indeed, for many of the
Type 304L austenitic steel specimens and some of the duplex ones the improvement in
fatigue strength exceeded 60%, with others close to the 30% target. However, as noted
earlier, potential plate failure limits the benefit in each case to around the 30% level. Having
said this, as is usually found with weld toe grinding, the benefit increased with decrease in
applied stress, to the extent that the fatigue endurance limit appeared to have been increased
by considerably more than 60% in both steels. Consequently, the maximum benefit of this
improvement technique is in the high-cycle regime where there is scope for achieving
effectively infinite fatigue life as long as the applied stress never exceeds 200MPa in Type
304L austenitic steel and perhaps 250MPa in the duplex.
The benefit of toe grinding fillet welds in the duplex stainless steel decreased in 3% NaCl,
but unlike toe ground weld details in C-Mn steels the benefit was still around 30% increase in
fatigue strength in the high-cycle regime. Indeed, one way to look at the effect of toe grinding
of welds in the corrosive environment was that it restored the in-air behaviour of the
32
13631.01/2005/1257.3
as-welded joint. However, the testing frequencies used were probably too high to allow
sufficient time for surface pitting and there is scope for further tests to check this conclusion.
Toe grinding was less successful when applied to the 3mm thick Cr-Mn austenitic steel with
few specimens achieving the 30% target increase in fatigue strength. This was attributed
partly to the rather small radius of the grinding groove, but clearly the loss of wall thickness
(20% in the example shown in Fig.5(e)) would also have been significant in terms of an
increase in the nett section stress. This experience indicates that there is clearly limited scope
for using toe grinding in such thin material, especially under high applied stresses. It may be
noted that the present thickness limitation in the IIW Recommendations is 6mm (19).
10.2.3.
TIG and Plasma Dressing
There was some doubt about the wisdom of applying weld toe remelting techniques like TIG
and plasma dressing to duplex because of the danger of changing the austenite-ferrite
balance. However, trials showed that the phase balance was maintained if the dressing was
performed with one to two percent nitrogen in the shielding gas.
The results obtained from 10mm thick Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens showed
that TIG or plasma dressing could be equivalent in terms of their effect as improvement
techniques. In both cases, the target 30% increase in fatigue strength was achieved. Unlike
toe grinding, there was no indication that the benefit increased as the applied stress decreased.
Rather similar results were obtained from TIG dressed specimens in Type 304L austenitic
stainless steel specimens, but plasma dressing was less successful, with most results agreeing
with the reference data for as-welded joints. This tied in with the fact that the plasma dressed
weld toes had poorer profiles than those produced by TIG dressing. The indication was that
the weld toe radius after dressing must be at least 6mm. The results for the duplex specimens
confirmed that this was feasible.
TIG dressing proved to be the most effective improvement technique in the case of the
Cr-Mn austenitic steel specimens, none of the treated specimens failing from the TIG dressed
weld toe. The resulting improvement in fatigue strength was about 60%, increasing to
perhaps a three-fold increase in the fatigue endurance limit. It is likely that this technique was
more successful than toe grinding not only because of the favourable profiles produced but
also because there was no loss of thickness. Plasma dressing generally produced an
improvement in fatigue strength of 30% or more, but not always. Furthermore, most failures
initiated at the plasma dressed weld toe. The lower fatigue lives were attributed to the
relatively wide variation in weld toe radius produced by plasma dressing. Further trials may
show that equivalent performance can be achieved from both plasma and TIG dressing
provided generous weld toe radii are achieved by both techniques.
Plasma dressing was also investigated using the longitudinal fillet welded specimens in the
10mm thick stainless steels. Rather similar results were obtained from both steels, with most
specimens achieving the target 30% improvement in fatigue strength. However, one
borderline result from Type 304L austenitic stainless steel was due to failure in the plate
initiating at spatter from the plasma dressing operation. There were other cases where spatter
provided the site for fatigue crack initiation and resulted in relatively short lives, as seen in
Fig.59. Clearly spatter from any source must be avoided or removed to avoid premature plate
failure in improved joints. Another low result was attributable to a poor plasma dressed
33
13631.01/2005/1257.3
profile. Although few tests were continued beyond 5x106 cycles, there was a hint that the
improvement in the high-cycle regime, approaching the fatigue limit, was greater than 30%,
perhaps by a factor of 2 to 3.
TIG dressing of Type 304L austenitic stainless steel welds containing solidification cracks
showed that the presence of the flaws did not affect the quality of the TIG dressing. In a sense
this was not surprising since none of the flaws observed were close to the weld toe. The fact
that the specimens then failed from the flaws reinforced the view that such flaws should be
avoided even in nominally non-load carrying fillet welds.
The benefit of TIG dressing of transverse fillet welds in all three steels did not decrease under
high tensile mean stress loading conditions. This contrasted with the behaviour of the
as-welded joints in the 3mm Cr-Mn austenitic steel, which suggested that TIG dressing had
the effect of relaxing any compressive residual stresses present in the as-welded joints.
Similarly the benefit of TIG dressing was not changed significantly under spectrum loading.
However, the benefit of plasma dressing of transverse fillet welds in the 10mm thick steels
was reduced in 3% NaCl environment. Even so, as with grinding, the improvement technique
still increased the fatigue strength of the as-welded joint in 3% NaCl by around 30%.
A final practical point to recall was that there were some cases where TIG and plasma
dressing had missed the weld toe. The resulting fatigue performance of the welded joint was
exactly the same as that expected from an as-welded joint. From the practical viewpoint, in
manual dressing there will inevitably be difficulty for the operator to see the original weld toe
clearly and reliance must be placed on the inspection of the treated weld to ensure that there
are no missed regions. The same problem could arise in mechanised dressing if the line of
the weld toe was irregular; manual treatment of local areas may be needed if some parts of
the weld toe are missed. In either case, the treatment is easier if the weld toe to be treated is
straight, as would usually be the case with a mechanised weld.
10.2.4.
Ultrasonic impact treatment was the only improvement technique used that relied on the
introduction of compressive residual stress. It proved to be reasonably successful when
applied to both transverse and longitudinal fillet welded specimens in the 10mm thick
stainless steels, the target 30% increase in fatigue strength being achieved in all cases,
increasing to around a three-fold increase near the fatigue limit. Fatigue failure in the plate
provided the limit in some cases, indicating that further improvement was unlikely.
It will be recalled that the specimens were spot heated to ensure that they contained high
tensile residual stresses, as would be present in real structures, before performing the UIT.
This precaution was taken in case the presence of such tensile residual stress would diminish
the magnitude of the beneficial compressive residual stresses introduced by UIT. In the event,
as indicated in Table 5, the treatment produced high compressive residual stresses, around
40% of yield in the duplex steel. Since the improvement obtained was effectively limited by
the occurrence of plate failure, this would seem to be sufficient to obtain the maximum
benefit from UIT.
Of greater significance was the effect of fatigue loading. As expected on the basis of tests on
C-Mn steels treated with one of the peening techniques, the benefit of UIT decreased
34
13631.01/2005/1257.3
significantly under high tensile mean stress loading conditions and under spectrum loading
that contained very high tensile stresses. Clearly, the application of stresses approaching or
exceeding yield will have the effect of redistributing or relaxing the compressive residual
stress introduced by UIT. As has been found before, the key parameter appeared to be the
maximum applied tensile stress, such that a low applied stress range cycling down from a
maximum stress close to or above yield could be just as damaging as a larger stress range
with a lower maximum stress. Thus, UIT, and indeed any other improvement technique
relying on the effect of compressive residual stresses, is not suitable for cases where the
welded joint will experience fatigue loading under high tensile mean or maximum stress, or
high positive stress ratio, conditions. In the case of spectrum loading, tests were only
performed with R = 0.1. In the high strength duplex steel, the benefit of UIT seen under
constant amplitude loading was retained under spectrum loading until the highest applied
stress in the spectrum was well above yield, around 25% higher. In the lower strength Type
304L austenitic stainless steel, it was necessary to apply stresses above yield in every test in
order to obtain fatigue failures. As a result, the benefit of UIT was lost, but again only when
the maximum stress was more than around 30% higher than yield. Thus, a positive practical
conclusion that should be acceptable for most applications is that, for the Gaussian load
spectrum used here, UIT is as effective under variable amplitude loading as under constant
amplitude loading as long as the maximum nominal applied stress never exceeds yield (0.2%
proof strength).
10.2.5.
Influence of Steel Type
It had been hoped that the benefit of the improvement techniques would be greater in the high
strength duplex or Cr-Mn austenitic steels than in the lower strength Type 304L austenitic
steel specimens. In the event, this was not the case and there was no evidence at all that the
effectiveness of any of the improvement techniques depended on the tensile strength of the
steel. However, two situations were noted where the steel type was significant:
An advantage of using high strength steel was that the fatigue strength was still
improved by the application of an improvement technique at stress ranges above the
yield strength of the lower strength austenitic steel. From the practical point of
view, this is only relevant to relatively low-cycle fatigue conditions. The
improvement techniques were usually particularly effective in the high-cycle
regime, approaching the fatigue endurance limit, and in that regime there was no
difference between the benefits obtained from the various tensile strengths of steel.
The fatigue tests performed on improved joints in 3%NaCl environment indicated

that there was potential benefit from duplex as compared with austenitic stainless
steel with some improvement techniques. The techniques in question are those that
aim to improve the weld profile to the extent that the stress concentration effect is
reduced and a significant number of cycles are needed to initiate a fatigue crack.
This would be consistent with the greater corrosion resistance of duplex in the
absence of any fatigue crack.
11.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
On the basis of a programme of fatigue tests on three types of fillet welded joint in three
stainless steels, 10mm thick S31803 duplex and Type 304L austenitic and 3mm thick Cr-Mn
35
13631.01/2005/1257.3
austenitic, which aimed to establish the improvement in fatigue performance attainable by the
use of either a particular welding process or a weld toe improvement technique, the following
conclusions were drawn.
Measures that improve fatigue performance
No support was provided for previous indications that TIG transverse fillet welds
produce better fatigue performance than MAG welds. Similarly, PPA welding showed
no particular benefit for any of the specimen types. A key feature seemed to be weld
toe radius, with the highest fatigue performance being coupled with a generous toe
radius regardless of welding process. However, this link was not established
conclusively and there is scope for further investigation.
All four of the weld toe improvement techniques investigated, grinding, TIG dressing,
plasma dressing and ultrasonic impact treatment, improved the fatigue performance of
the fillet welds. The extent of the improvement generally increased with decrease in
applied stress range, the greatest benefit being an increase in the fatigue limit.
Comparison of weld toe improvement techniques

Grinding
The improvement in fatigue strength for welds in 10mm thick steel was up to 60%,
but the possibility of failure in the plate could limit the improvement to 30% making
this a more realistic assumption for design. Nevertheless, the increase in the fatigue
limit was greater.
Toe grinding was less successful when applied to thin (3mm) Cr-Mn austenitic
steel, partly because of the significant increase in nett section stress due to the loss
of thickness. The weld toe re-melting techniques are preferable for such thin
material since they do not cause any loss of thickness.
TIG or plasma dressing
TIG dressing was generally more successful than plasma dressing, which was
consistent with the fact that the weld profiles produced were more uniform.
The benefit of TIG dressing was greatest in the 3mm austenitic steel, resulting in a
60% increase in fatigue strength, more in the region of the fatigue limit.
Around 30% increase in fatigue strength was obtained from TIG dressed welds in
the 10mm thick steels and from plasma dressed welds in the duplex.
However, plasma dressing of the 10mm austenitic steel was of little benefit, due to
the small radius of the dressed weld toe.
UIT produced a 30% increase in the fatigue strength of the fillet welds in the 10mm
thick stainless steels, with around three-fold increase in the fatigue limit.
Factors that might limit the benefit from improvement techniques
Immersion of unprotected specimens in 3% NaCl solution reduced the fatigue

performance of welds treated using one of the weld profile improvement methods.
However, the tests were limited in terms of the temperature (20C) and cycling
36
13631.01/2005/1257.3
frequency (2 to 12Hz). Therefore, further testing is recommended to ensure, in

particular, that the effect is not even worse at lower frequencies, as would be
relevant to wave loading.
The fatigue strengths of toe ground and plasma dressed welds in the 10mm thick
duplex stainless steel were reduced in 3% NaCl, but still generally 30% higher than
that of the as-welded joints in 3% NaCl. Thus, weld toe dressing effectively restored
the in-air performance of the as-welded joint.
The fatigue performance of plasma dressed welds in 10mm austenitic steel was
reduced in 3% NaCl, but there was little benefit from the plasma dressing in air.
More effective dressing may experience a greater influence of the corrosive
environment.
TIG dressing was applied successfully to austenitic welds containing embedded
solidification crack. However, the flaws themselves acted as fatigue crack initiation
sites and limited the fatigue performance of the joints. Thus, they should be avoided
by proper control of the welding.
The benefit of TIG or plasma dressing was not reduced significantly by the
application of high tensile mean stress loading or a Gaussian variable amplitude
load spectrum.
The benefit of UIT was effectively lost under either high tensile mean stress or
spectrum loading containing stresses above yield.
Influence of type of stainless steel
The only observed influences of the steel type were that the higher strength duplex
and Cr-Mn austenitic steels could sustain applied stresses above the yield strength
of the Type 304L austenitic, and ground or dressed welds in duplex performed
better than the austenitic steel in 3% NaCl.
Practical issues concerned with the use of improvement techniques
The benefit of an improvement technique was often limited by the occurrence of

fatigue failure in the plate. The Type 304L austenitic steel seemed to be particularly
vulnerable, either as a result of the presence of surface notches from mechanical
damage or if the maximum applied stress exceeded yield.
The weld toe re-melting techniques are preferable to grinding for very thin material
since they do not cause any loss of thickness.
Investigation of the effect of TIG dressing on the austenite-ferrite content of duplex
showed that it was prudent to add 1 to 2% nitrogen to the shielding gas to ensure an
acceptable phase balance.
Care should be taken to avoid spatter from TIG or plasma dressing since it can
provide the site for fatigue crack initiation. If it does occur, it should be ground
smooth to avoid premature fatigue failure.
In both TIG and plasma dressing, it seemed that a finished radius of at least 6mm
was required in order to ensure 30% improvement in fatigue strength.
If any part of the weld toe is missed during TIG or plasma dressing that region will
be as welded and there will be no benefit from the dressing treatment. Thus, care is
needed to avoid missing the toe, which should be corrected if detected during posttreatment visual inspection of the dressed weld toe.
37
13631.01/2005/1257.3
The effect of the various improvement techniques and the influence of the type of loading
and environment on that improvement are summarised in the following table.
Method
Toe
grinding
Weld detail
and steel
Transverse
duplex
Transverse
304L
Transverse
Cr-Mn
TIG
dressing
Plasma
dressing
UIT
Transverse
duplex
Air
Better than x1.3, x2.5 near
fatigue limit
Limited benefit due to
reduced cross-section; x 1.3
if nett stress < yield
x1.3
High tensile
mean stress
N/I
Spectrum
loading
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
x 1.3
x1.3
As constant
amplitude in
air
3% NaCl
Reduced benefit, but
close to x 1.3 in highcycle regime
N/I
Transverse
304L

N/I
Transverse
304L with
flaws
Transverse
Cr-Mn
None; failure from

flaws
N/I
x1.3 or more
in high-cycle
regime if Smax
< yield
N/I
Better than x1.3
N/I
x 1.3
Transverse
duplex
Transverse
304L
Longitudinal
duplex
Longitudinal
304L
Transverse
Cr-Mn
Better than x1.3
Reduced benefit, but

generally around x 1.3
Below as-welded in air
N/I
Reduced
benefit, but
still x1.3
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
x 1.3
N/I
Reduced or
even lost at
low stresses if
high R
Benefit lost if
Smax > yield
N/I
N/I
N/I
N/I
Transverse
duplex
Transverse
304L
Longitudinal
duplex
Longitudinal
304L
None due to sharp plasma

dressed weld toe profile.
x1.3 but limited by potential
failure from weld root
x1.3 if Smax < yield
Barely x1.3; may need
condition eg minimum
radius of dressed toe > 6mm.
x1.3
x1.3 but limited by potential

plate failure.
near fatigue limit.
near fatigue limit
N/I
Note:
* Compared with as-welded specimens tested with R=0.1 in same environment; N/I Not investigated
38
13631.01/2005/1257.3
N/I
Benefit lost if
Smax > yield
N/I
12.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The work described in this report was the result of a collaborative project involving seven
organisations from five European countries. The author is pleased to acknowledge the part
played by the following in performing the experimental work and drafting the report: C A
Moura Branco, V Infante and R Baptista, IST, Portugal; S Schuberth, KTN, Germany; C M
Sonsino and M Kppers, LBF, Germany; G Marquis and V-M Lihavainen, LUT, Finland;
A Gales, A J den Herder and M A Lont, TNO, The Netherlands; D J E Morgan, P A Woollin,
G R Hopkin, A Holy and T Kostrivas TWI Ltd, UK.
TWIs input to the project was funded partly by the ECSC and partly by Industrial Members
of TWI
13.
REFERENCES
1.
Branco C M, Maddox S J and Sonsino C M: Fatigue design of welded stainless

steels, Report No. EUR 19972, ECSC Steel Publications, European Commission,
Brussels, 2001.
2.
Gurney T R: Fatigue of welded structures, Cambridge University Press, Second

Edition, 1978.
3.
Maddox S J: Fatigue strength of welded structures, Abington Publishing, 1991.
4.
Booth G S (Editor): Improving the fatigue performance of welded joints, The

Welding Institute, 1983.
5.
Watkinson F, Bodger P H and Harrison J D: The fatigue strength of welded joints

in high strength steels and methods for its improvement, Proceedings International
Conference on Fatigue of Welded Structures, The Welding Institute, 1971.
6.
Knight J W: Improving the fatigue strength of fillet welded joints by grinding and
peening, Welding Research International, 8 (6), 1978, p.519.
7.
Bignonnet A: Improving the fatigue strength of welded steel structures, in Steel

in Marine Structures, Elsevier, 1987.
8.
Haagensen P J and Slind T: Weld improvement methods and fatigue design rules,
Proceedings International Conference on Fatigue of Welded Constructions, The
Welding Institute, 1988.
9.
Lopez Martinez L and Blom A: Influence of life improvement techniques on

different steel grades under fatigue loading, VTT Symposium 17. Fatigue Design
1995, Vol. .III, VTT Manufacturing Technology, Espoo, Finland, 1995.
10.
Fisher J W, Sullivan M D and Pense A W: Improving fatigue strength and

repairing fatigue damage, Fritz Engineering Laboratory Report No.385.3, Lehigh
University, December 1974.
39
13631.01/2005/1257.3
11.
Fisher J W, Hausemmann H, Sullivan M D and Pense A W: Detection and repair

of fatigue damage in welded highway bridges, NCHRP Report No.206,
Transportation Research Board, Washington, 1979.
12.
Booth G S: Effect of mean stress on the fatigue lives of ground or peened fillet
welded steel joints, Welding Institute Members Report 34/1977/E, March 1997.
13.
Dubois V and Hirst M A: Effectiveness of improvement methods for welded

connections subjected to variable amplitude loading, VTT Symposium 157
Fatigue Design 1995.
14.
Booth G S: The influence of simulated North Sea environmental conditions on the

constant amplitude fatigue strength of welded joints, Proceedings, 11th Offshore
Technology Conference, OTS 3420, Houston, 1979.
15.
Honeycombe J and Gooch T G: The effects of micro-cracks upon the mechanical

properties of austenitic stainless steel weld metals, Metal Construction 5 (4), 1973,
p.140.
16.
Martinez L L, Blom A F and Samuelson J: Weld defects before and after post
weld treatment for MAG and high productivity MAG welding, in Welded
High-Strength Steel Structures, Proc. 1st North European Engineering and Science
Conference (NESCO 1), Engineering Materials Advisory Service, West Midlands,
1997, pp.391-408.
17.
Maddox S J and Moura Branco C A: Fatigue performance of tungsten inert gas

(TIG) and plasma welds in thin steel sections, TWI Report 656/1998.1996.
18.
Marksmann J et al: Plasma-Pulver-Verbundungsscherissen: Ein Verfahren mit

besonderen Einzatzbereichen (Powder Plasma arc welding: a process with special
applications), DVS-Berichte 194, Sept.1998, pp21-26.
19.
Haagensen P J and Maddox S J: IIW Recommendations on Post Weld

Improvement of Steel and Aluminium Structures IIW Document XIII-1815-00,
2004.
20.
Janosch J J, Koneczny H, Debiez S, Statnikov E, Troufiakov V J and Miheev, P P:

Improvement of fatigue strength in welded joints (in HSS and aluminium alloy)
by ultrasonic peening, Welding in the World, 37(2), 1996
21.
Statnikov E: Physics and mechanism of ultrasonic impact treatment, IIW

Document XIII-2004-04, 2004.
22.
Gurney T R and Maddox S J: A re-analysis of fatigue data for welded joints in

steel. Welding Research International, Vol.3, No.4, 1973
23.
Mang F, Bucak O and Koch E: Fatigue behaviour of welded austenitic steels,

Proc Conf. Innovation Stainless Steel, Florence, 1993.
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13631.01/2005/1257.3
24.
Grutke W and Mobius W: Fatigue strength of welded joints in austenitic Cr-Ni

steels, ZIS-Mitteilungen, Vol. 28, No. 9, 1986, p 966-975.
25.
Lahti, K. E., Niemi, E. and Hnninen, H. Nominal stress range fatigue of stainless
steel fillet welds, Tubular Structures VIII: Proceedings of ISTS8, Y S Choo and
G J van der Vegte (Eds.), Balkema, Rotterdam, 1998, pp 323-330.
26.
Razmjoo G R: Design guidance on fatigue of welded stainless steel joints. Proc.

OMAE, Vol. III Material Engineering, ASME, 1995, p.163.
27.
Burgan B et al: Development of the use of stainless steel in construction. Report

No. EUR 20030, ECSC Steel Publications, European Commission, Brussels, 2001.
41
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table 1 Material properties

a) Chemical analysis
Steel
Austenitic 304L
Austenitic Cr-Mn
Duplex S31803
C
0.027
0.037
0.024
Si
0.32
0.35
0.22
Mn
1.23
6.90
1.55
Element, % by weight
P
S
Cr
0.024 0.003 18.1
0.02 0.003 18.02
0.023 0.002 22.40
Mo
0.48
0.13
2.98
Ni
8.2
3.72
5.70
N
0.157
-
b) Tensile properties
Steel
Austenitic
304L
Austenitic
Cr-Mn
Duplex
S31803
Nominal plate
thickness, mm
Proof strength, MPa

0.2%
1%
UTS,
MPa
Elongation,
%
10
256
280
698
52
421
461
768
52
10
478
789
34
42
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Copyright 2006 TWI Ltd
Table 2 Welding conditions

Table 2(a) KTN welding conditions used in the fabrication of the 1000mm wide panels of S31803 duplex stainless steel incorporating MAG
welded transverse non-load-carrying fillet welded attachments.
Process:
Filler metal make and type:
Shielding gas:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Preheat:
PWHT:
Welding position:
Mechanised MAG
Thermanit 22/09 Si
(1.4462)
Argon + 2.5% CO2
16 l/min
Degrease and wire
brush
None
None
PB
10mm
3
40mm
10mm
Run No.
Filler metal
Single pass
Thermanit
22/09 Si
Filler size,
mm
Current, A
Voltage, V
Type of
current and
polarity
1.2
218
23.8
DC +
43
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Shielding gas
Travel speed,
mm/min
Argon + 2.5% CO2
400
Table 2(b) TWI welding conditions used in the fabrication of the S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens incorporating MAG welded
longitudinal non-load-carrying fillet welded attachments.
Process:
Filler metal:
Shielding gas/flux:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Mechanised MAG
2209
Stainshield Universal
20 l/min
Machined and
degreased with Acetone
None
None
15mm
15o
PA
Preheat:
PWHT:
Stand off distance:
Torch angle:
Welding position:
Run No.
Filler metal
Filler size,
mm
1 and 2
2209
1.2
150mm
10mm
40mm
1
10mm
thick
Current, A
165
Same both sides
Voltage, V
Type of current
and polarity
Heat input, kJ/mm
25
DC +
0.96
44
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table 2(c) TWI welding conditions used in the fabrication of the 1000mm wide panel of S31803 duplex stainless steel incorporating TIG
Process:
Shielding gas/flux:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Preheat:
PWHT:
Tungsten electrode type/size
Weaving
Oscillation frequency
Welding position:
Mechanised TIG
22.8.3.L
Argon
20 l/min
Machined and
None
None
2% thoriated, 3.2mm
diameter
12mm
0.5Hz
H/V
10mm
7
40mm
10mm
Voltage, V
Type of
current and
polarity
Wire feed speed

m/min
Travel speed,
mm/min
Run No.
Filler metal
Filler size,
mm
1-4
22.8.3.L
1.2
215
9.4
DC -
1.2
100
5-8
22.8.3.L
1.2
225
9.8
DC -
0.8
100
Current, A
45
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table 2(d) TNO welding conditions used in the fabrication of the 1000mm wide panels of S31803 duplex stainless steel incorporating Powder
Plasma Arc welded transverse non-load-carrying fillet welded attachments.
Process:
Shielding gas:
Plasma gas:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Preheat:
PWHT:
Welding position:
Mechanised PPAW
1.4462 duplex powder
Argon + 5% H2
Argon
12 l/min
Degreased
None
None
2% thoriated, 3.2mm
diameter
PA
10mm
7
8 3
11
1 12
2 10
9
40mm
10mm
Run No.
Filler metal
1-12
1.4462 duplex
powder
Powder
deposition rate,
gm/min
Current, A
18
165-175
Voltage, V
Type of current
and polarity
Shielding
gas
30-32
DC -
Argon + 5%
H2
46
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Travel
speed,
mm/min
Heat input,
kJ/mm
100-110
2.8-3.1
Table 2(e) TNO welding conditions used in the fabrication of the S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens incorporating PPA welded
Process:
Shielding gas:
Plasma gas:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Preheat:
PWHT:
Tungsten electrode
type/diameter
Torch angle:
Welding position:
150mm
PPAW
Duplex powder 1.4462
Argon + 5% H2
Argon 4.6
12 l/min
Wire brush
None
None
2% thoriated/3.2mm
10mm
40mm
1
10mm
thick
20 degrees
PB manual
6
Run No.
Filler metal
1-12
Duplex powder
1.4462
Same both sides
7
8 3
11
1 12
4
5
2 10
9
Powder
deposition
rate, gm/min
Current, A
Voltage, V
Type of
current and
polarity
15
115-120
28-30
DC -ve
47
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Shielding gas
Argon + 5%
H2
Travel
speed,
mm/min
Heat
input,
kJ/mm
120-150
1.5-1.6
Table 2(f) TWI welding conditions used in the fabrication of the 1000mm wide panels of 304L austenitic stainless steel incorporating MAG
Process:
Shielding gas/flux:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Preheat:
PWHT:
Torch angle:
Welding position:
Mechanised MAG
Bostrand 308L
Astec S3 (63% Argon,
35% Helium and 2%
CO2)
25 l/min
Degrease and wire
brush
None
None
5o forward
PA
10mm
3
40mm
10mm
Run No.
Filler metal
Filler size,
mm
1-4
308L
1.2
Current, A
290-300
Voltage, V
Type of
current and
polarity
Wire feed speed,

m/min
Travel speed,
mm/min
30-31
DC +
10.7
255
48
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table 2(g) TWI welding conditions used in the fabrication of the 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens incorporating MAG welded
Process:
Shielding gas/flux:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Preheat:
PWHT:
Stand off distance:
Torch angle:
Welding position:
Mechanised MAG
Metrode 308L
Stainshield Universal
20 l/min
Machined and
None
None
15mm
15o
PA
150mm
10mm
40mm
1
10mm
thick
Same both sides
Run No.
Filler metal
Filler size,
mm
Current, A
Voltage, V
Type of current
and polarity
Heat input, kJ/mm
All
308L
1.2
165
25
DC +
0.96
49
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table 2(h) TWI welding conditions used in the fabrication of the 1000mm wide panels of 304L austenitic stainless steel incorporating TIG
Process:
Shielding gas/flux:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Preheat:
PWHT:
Weaving
Oscillation frequency
Welding position:
Mechanised TIG
308L
Argon
20 l/min
Machined and
degreased
None
None
2% thoriated, 3.2mm
diameter
12mm
0.5Hz
H/V
10mm
7
40mm
10mm
Run No.
Filler metal
Filler size,
mm
Current, A
Voltage, V
Type of
current and
polarity
1-4
308L
1.2
215
9.4
DC -
1.2
100
5-8
308L
1.2
225
9.8
DC -
0.8
100
50
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Wire feed speed

m/min
Travel speed,
mm/min
Table 2(i) TNO welding conditions used in the fabrication of the 1000mm wide panels of 304L austenitic stainless steel incorporating Powder
Plasma Arc welded transverse non-load-carrying fillet welded attachments.
Process:
Shielding gas:
Plasma gas:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Preheat:
PWHT:
Welding position:
Mechanised PPAW
AISI 304L powder
Argon + 5% H2
Argon
12 l/min
Degreased
None
None
2% thoriated, 3.2mm
diameter
PA
10mm
7
8 3
11
1 12
2 10
9
40mm
10mm
Run No.
Filler metal
Powder
deposition rate,
gm/min
1-12
304L powder
18
Current, A
165-175
Voltage, V
Type of current
and polarity
Shielding
gas
30-32
DC -
Argon + 5%
H2
51
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Travel
speed,
mm/min
Heat input,
kJ/mm
100-110
2.8-3.1
Table 2(j) KTN welding conditions used in the fabrication of the 1000mm wide panels of Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel incorporating MAG
welded transverse fillet welded pad attachments.
Process:
Shielding gas:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Preheat:
PWHT:
Welding position:
Mechanised MAG
Thermanit X (1.4376)
Argon + 2.5% CO2
16 l/min
Degrease and wire
brush
None
None
PB
3mm
3mm
50mm
Run No.
Filler metal
Filler size,
mm
Current, A
Voltage, V
Type of
current and
polarity
Single pass
Thermanit X
1.0
173
25.5
52
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Shielding gas
Travel speed,
mm/min
Argon + 2.5% CO2
750
Table 2(k) TNO welding conditions used in the fabrication of the 100mm wide panels of Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel incorporating PPA
welded transverse fillet welded pad attachments.
Process:
Shielding gas:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Preheat:
PWHT:
Torch angle:
Welding position:
PPAW
RVS 304L powder
Argon + 5% H2
12 l/min
Degrease and wire
brush
None
None
20 degrees
PB manual
Run No.
Filler metal
1-4
RVS 304L
powder
3mm
3mm
50mm
Powder
deposition
rate, gm/min
Current, A
Voltage, V
Type of
current and
polarity
12.5
100-105
25-27
DC -ve
53
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Shielding gas
Argon +
2.5% CO2
Travel
speed,
mm/min
Heat
input,
kJ/mm
300-350
0.5-0.55
Table 2(l) TWI welding conditions used in the fabrication of the 1000mm wide panels of 304L austenitic stainless steel incorporating Fluxcored Arc welded transverse non-load-carrying fillet welded attachments., with solidification cracks in the welds (for series 3.1)
Process:
Shielding gas:
Gas flow rate:
Preparation
Preheat:
PWHT:
Torch angle:
Welding position:
Mechanised FCAW
Supercore 347 or
Supermig 309L
Argoshield heavy for
347 wire, Prodarc 2 for
309L wire
20 l/min
Degrease and wire
brush
None
None
90o
PA
10mm
11
7 3
9
1 5
6 2
10
4 8
12
40mm
10mm
Run No.
Filler metal
Filler size,
mm
Current, A
Voltage, V
Type of current
and polarity
Shielding gas
Travel speed,
mm/min
Heat input,
kJ/mm
1-4
Supercore 347
1.2
183
26.6
DC +
Argoshield heavy
300
0.76
5-8
Supercore 347
1.2
180
26.8
DC +
Argoshield heavy
300
0.73
9-12
Supermig 309L
1.2
229
23.0
DC +
Prodarc 2
280
0.91
54
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table 3 Weld toe TIG and plasma dressing conditions
Specimen
type
Transverse
fillet
weld
Longitudinal
fillet weld
Transverse
fillet
welded pad
Steel
304L
austenitic
S31803
duplex
304L
austenitic
S31803
duplex
Cr-Mn
austenitic
Thickness
mm
10
10
Series
2.6,3.1, 3.6
and 3.14
2.8 & 3.4
Current
Amps
165-175
Voltage
Volts
12
Travel
Speed
mm/min
80-100
Shielding
gas
Argon
Gas
supply
litres/min
10
Mechanised
plasma
Mechanised TIG
105-110
27-29
200-250
Argon
12
150
11
300
12
Manual plasma
105-110
27-29
200-250
Argon +
2.5% N2
Argon
Argon +
4.5% H2
Argon
12
Process
Manual TIG
10
2.2,3.8 and
3.12
2.16
10
2.14
Manual plasma
105-110
27-29
200-250
2.10 and
3.11
2.12
Mechanised TIG
140
11
500
Manual plasma
64-66
25-26
180-220
55
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Argon +
5% H2
12
12
12
Table 4 Weld toe radius and weld face angle measurements
Steel
S31803
duplex
304L
austenitic
Description
As-welded TIG fillet weld
As-welded MAG fillet weld
As-welded PPAW fillet weld
Toe ground MAG fillet weld
TIG dressed MAG fillet weld
Plasma dressed MAG fillet weld
As-welded PPAW fillet weld
Cr-Mn
austenitic

As-welded PPA fillet weld
Series
1.1
3.2 & 3.3
1.5
2.1 & 3.3
2.2
3.5
2.5 & 3.4
2.8
1.10
2.5
No. of
measurements
272
488
4
88
4
48
400
20
4
64
2.6
3.1
2.8
3.4
2.9
1.13 & 1.14
2.9
3.11
2.12
4
4
19
112
92
75
92
4
47
56
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Toe radius, mm
Standard
Mean
deviation
0.53
0.195
1.65
0.63
6
5.61
0.87
5.6
6.41
1.61
2.24
0.91
2.01
1.40
2.25
3.88
0.57
2.7
4.5
3.56
5.19
0.67
2.03
1.64
6
6.46
1.64
2.15
0.09
1.43
0.30
3.19
Weld face angle, degrees

Standard
Mean
deviation
47.5
4
38
5
-
33
43
-
3
3
-
42
40
23
37
25
4
20
8
8
15
Table 5 Residual stress measurements made by IST using X-ray diffraction
Specimen type
Transverse fillet weld in 10mm
thick type 304L austenitic steel
thick type S31803 duplex steel

thick Cr-Mn austenitic steel
Series
2.5
2.5
3.4
1.1
2.1
2.1
3.2
3.3
3.5
3.13
1.14
Residual stress at weld toe, MPa

Normal to weld toe
Parallel to weld toe
Value
Error
Value
Error
-71
9
7
5
-196
55
-163
20
10
10
95
20
-1
23
-52
20
76
13
-78
21
-12
1
-208
20
0
10
10
38
-200
30
-118
31
-16
29
-88
52
-219
70
-34
12
-173
35
-65
35
Condition
MAG, as-welded
MAG, toe ground
MAG, plasma dressed
TIG, as-welded
MAG, as-welded
MAG, toe ground
MAG, as-welded
MAG, toe ground
MAG, plasma dressed
MAG, UIT
PPAW, as-welded
57
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table 6 Fatigue test results obtained by IST from series 1.1, transverse TIG fillet welded Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens in the
as-welded condition
Specimen No.
1.1-1
1.1-2
1.1-3
1.1-4
1.1-5
1.1-6
1.1-7
1.1-8
1.1-9
1.1-10
1.1-11
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum
Maximum
200
400
200
400
180
360
180
360
140
280
140
280
100
200
100
200
100
200
90
180
90
180
Stress
ratio, R
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
Range
200
200
180
180
140
140
100
100
100
90
90
Endurance
cycles
197,986
232,928
306,886
318,127
1,027,218
763,018
5,328,124
3,390,724
2,831,021
7,442,352
7,633,135
Comments
Toe radius = 0.51mm
Toe radius = 0.47mm
Toe radius = 0.44mm
Toe radius = 0.48mm
Table 7 Fatigue test results obtained by LBF from series 1.2, transverse MAG fillet welded Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens in the
as-welded condition
Specimen No.
1.2-1
1.2-2
1.2-3
1.2-4
1.2-5
1.2-7
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum
Maximum
31
311
20
200
15
155
13
133
18
178
17
167
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Range
280
180
140
120
160
150
58
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance
cycles
107,287
533,843
2,966,582
107
1,114,921
2,037,650
Comments
Unbroken
Table 8 Fatigue test results obtained by LUT from series 1.3, transverse MAG fillet welded Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens in the
as-welded condition, tested with Smax ~ constant
Applied stress, MPa
Stress
Endurance
Specimen No.
ratio, R
cycles
Comments
Minimum
Maximum
Range
1.3-1
201
400
199
0.50
288,349
1.3-2
101
400
299
0.25
97,681
1.3-3
250
400
150
0.63
1,691,346
1.3-4
249
400
181
0.62
957,089
1.3-5
202
400
198
0.51
301,148
1.3-6
251
400
149
0.63
1,997,296
1.3-7
200
400
200
0.50
213,970
Table 9 Fatigue test results obtained by TNO from series 1.4, transverse PPAW fillet welded Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens in
the as-welded condition
Applied stress, MPa
Nominal
stress
Range
Specimen
Endurance
ratio,
No.
Minimum
Maximum
cycles
Comments
Nominal
Local*
R
1.4-1
45
454
409
548
0.1
40,927
Failed from weld defect
1.4-2
40
400
360
482
0.1
74,159
1.4-3
50
495
445
596
0.1
37,393
1.4-4
35
350
315
422
0.1
67,782
1.4-5
20
200
180
241
0.1
344,441
1.4-6
16
166
150
201
0.1
538,633
1.4-7 +
11
122
110
147
0.1
566,324
1.4-8 +
10
100
90
121
0.1
2,004,865
Unbroken
Notes:
* Angular distortion in specimens led to high local secondary bending. Strains not measured and therefore local stress assumed to be 34% higher
than nominal, the average increase measured in the identical specimens of series 1.5.
+ Tests subcontracted to Bodycote.
59
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table 10 Fatigue test results obtained by TWI from series 1.5, transverse PPAW fillet welded Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens in
the as-welded condition, tested with Smax ~ constant
Applied stress, MPa
Nominal
stress
ratio,
R
0.56
0.63
0.69
0.76
0.75
0.73
0.84
0.25
Range
Specimen
Endurance
No.
Minimum
Maximum
cycles
Nominal
Local*
1.5-1
225
400
175
253
423,175
1.5-2
250
400
150
209
581,220
1.5-3
275
400
125
158
852,800
1.5-4
310
400
90
129
2,569,910
1.5-5
300
400
100
119
2,367,240
1.5-6
290
400
110
150
955,205
1.5-7
335
400
65
87
10,000,000
1.5-7'
100
400
300
423
73,618
(re-test)
1.5-8
200
400
200
253
0.50
308,060
Note:
* Angular distortion in specimens led to high local secondary bending. Local stress obtained from strain gauges.
60
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Comments
Unbroken
Table 11 Fatigue test results obtained by LUT from series 1.6, transverse TIG fillet welded Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens in the
as-welded condition, tested with Smax ~ constant
Specimen
No.
1.6-1
1.6-2
1.6-3
1.6-4
1.6-5
1.6-6
1.6-7
1.6-8
Minimum
25
22
90
28
120
90
24
92
Applied stress, MPa

Maximum
250
250
250
250
250
250
250
250
Stress
ratio, R
0.10
0.09
0.36
0.11
0.48
0.36
0.10
0.37
Range
225
228
160
222
130
160
226
158
61
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance
cycles
268,801
204,768
462,439
138,094
625,399
623,992
167,720
325,839
Comments
Failed in grips and from weld toe
Failed in grips
Failed in grips
Table 12 Fatigue test results obtained by LUT from series 1.7, transverse MAG fillet welded Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens in
the as-welded condition
Specimen
No.
1.7-1
1.7-2
1.7-3
1.7-4
1.7-5
1.7-6
1.7-7
1.7-8
1.7-9
1.7-10
1.7-11
Minimum
18
25
25
20
25
18
20
20
25
20
18
Applied stress, MPa

Maximum
178
247
247
197
245
181
197
200
252
200
188
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Range
160
222
222
177
220
161
177
180
227
180
170
62
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance,
cycles
1,844,337
358,521
319,382
628,080
462,100
2,103,000
499,968
2,089,053
434,543
938,282
338,556
Comments
Failed in grips
Failed in grips
Unbroken
Failed in grips
Unbroken
Failed in parent metal
New panel; strain measurement
indicated local stress of 218 MPa.
Table 13 Fatigue test results obtained by LBF and LUT from series 1.8, transverse MAG fillet welded type 304L austenitic stainless steel
specimens in the as-welded condition, tested with Smax ~ constant
Specimen
No.
1.8-1
1.8-2
1.8-3
1.8-4
1.8-5
1.8-6
1.8-6'
(re-test)
1.8-7
1.8-8
1.8-10
1.8-11
1.8-12
1.8-13
1.8-14
1.8-15
1.8-16
1.8-17
1.8-18
Minimum
50
10
70
30
90
110
Applied stress, MPa

Maximum
250
250
250
250
250
250
Range
200
240
180
220
160
140
Stress
ratio, R
0.20
0.04
0.28
0.12
0.36
0.44
Endurance
cycles
1,144,050
850,300
1,101,325
1,741,800
1,044,112
5,000,000
10
250
240
0.04
951,700
90
110
110
110
12
66
10
49
10
80
250
250
250
250
250
250
250
250
250
250
160
140
140
140
238
184
240
201
240
170
0.36
0.44
0.44
0.44
0.05
0.26
0.04
0.20
0.04
0.32
719,554
572,680
442,979
2,102,330
346,075
1,972,622
159,215
460,127
153,902
287,571
120
250
130
0.48
2,272,548
63
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Comments
Unbroken
Tested by LUT; failed in grips

Tested by LUT; unbroken
Tested by LUT
Tested by LUT; unbroken
Tested by LUT
Tested by LUT
New panel, tested by TWI
New panel, tested by TWI; strain
measurement indicated local
stress of 167 MPa
New panel, tested by TWI; strain
measurement indicated local
stress of 132 MPa
Table 14 Fatigue test results obtained by TNO from series 1.9, transverse PPAW fillet
welded Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens in the as-welded condition
Specimen
No.
1.9-1
1.9-2
1.9-3
1.9-4
1.9-5
1.9-6
1.9-7
1.9-8
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum
20
25
18
25
20
20
Maximum
200
250
180
250
200
200
Range
180
225
162
225
180
180
Stress
ratio,
R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
25
18
250
180
225
162
0.1
0.1
Endurance
cycles
832,305
287,208
2,000,000
687,368
544,765
509,722
111,400
223,430
Comments
Unbroken
Failed in plate
from arc strike
Table 15 Fatigue test results obtained by TWI from series 1.10, transverse PPAW fillet
welded Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens in the as-welded condition, tested with
Smax ~ constant
Specimen
No.
1.10-1
1.10-3
1.10-3a
(re-test)
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
125
250
125
150
250
100
75
250
175
Stress
ratio, R
0.50
0.60
0.30
Endurance
cycles
2,405,400
107
1,139,580
1.10-4
1.10-5
75
75
250
250
175
175
0.30
0.30
1,495,600
847,450
1.10-6
1.10-7
15
50
250
250
235
200
0.06
0.20
373,000
355,700
1.10-8
100
250
150
0.40
1,406,580
64
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Comments
Unbroken
Crack growth
from cold lap
at weld toe
Crack growth
from cold lap
at weld toe
Crack growth
from cold lap
at weld toe
Table 16 Fatigue test results obtained by TWI from series 1.11, transverse MAG fillet
welded Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel specimens in the as-welded condition
Specimen
No.
1.11-1
1.11-2
1.11-3
1.11-4
1.11-6
1.11 - 7
1.11-9
1.11- 9A
(re-test)
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
22
222
200
22
222
200
28
278
250
20
200
180
19
189
170
39
389
350
17
167
150
24
244
220
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Endurance
cycles
1,735,300
751,600
202,100
2,047,000
20,000,000
45,800
10,000,000
405,300
Comments
Failed in grips
Unbroken
Unbroken
Table 17 Fatigue test results obtained by LUT from series 1.12, transverse MAG fillet
welded Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel specimens in the as-welded condition, tested with
Smax ~ constant
Specimen
No.
1.12-1
1.12-2
1.12-3
1.12-4
1.12-5
1.12-5'
(re-test)
1.12-6
1.12-7
1.12-8
1.12-8'
(re-test)
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
311
420
109
221
420
199
282
420
138
290
420
130
355
420
65
233
420
187
291
279
334
231
420
420
420
420
129
141
86
189
Stress
ratio, R
0.74
0.53
0.67
0.69
0.85
0.56
Endurance
cycles
2,293,022
124,607
943,249
739,718
5,862,839
230,100
0.69
0.66
0.80
0.55
1,753,597
706,321
10,123,316
291,752
65
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Comments
Unbroken
Unbroken
Table 18 Fatigue test results obtained by IST from series 1.13, transverse PPAW fillet
welded Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel specimens in the as-welded condition
Specimen
No.
1.13-1
1.13-2
1.13-3
1.13-4
1.13-5
1.13-6
1.13-6'
(re-test)
1.13-7
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum
25
25
19
19
14
14
17
Maximum
250
250
194
194
139
139
167
Range
225
225
175
175
125
125
150
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
33
333
300
0.1
Endurance
cycles
264,270
222,194
769,917
453,825
4,092,994
7,768,177
2,290,236
380,460
Comments
Unbroken
Table 19 Fatigue test results obtained by IST from series 1.14, transverse PPAW fillet
welded Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel specimens in the as-welded condition, tested with
Smax ~ constant
Specimen
No.
1.14-1
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum
125
Maximum
250
Range
125
Stress
ratio, R
0.5
Endurance
cycles
6,909,181
1.14-1'
(re-test)
1.14-2
1.14-3
1.14-4
1.14-5
175
350
175
0.5
444,818
175
200
200
100
350
350
350
350
175
150
150
250
0.5
0.57
0.57
0.28
280,018
401,042
732,920
61,052
1.14-6
50
350
300
0.14
30,987
66
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Comments
Unbroken; toe
radius =
1.1mm
Toe radius =
1.2mm
Toe radius =
1.5mm
Table 20 Fatigue test results obtained by TWI from series 1.15, longitudinal MAG fillet
welded Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens in the as-welded condition
Specimen
No.
1.15-1
1.15-2
1.15-3
1.15-4
1.15-5
1.15-6
1.15-7
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
25
250
225
22
220
198
20
200
180
10
100
90
15
150
135
8
80
72
9
91
82
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Endurance
cycles
Comments
130,165
159,084
244,700
1,309,005
654,024
107
Unbroken
2,084,160
Table 21 Fatigue test results obtained by TNO from series 1.16, longitudinal PPAW fillet
welded Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens in the as-welded condition
Specimen
No.
1.16-1
1.16-2
1.16-3
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum
30
20
17
Maximum
300
200
175
Range
270
180
158
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
1.16-4
30
300
270
0.1
1.16-5
1.16-6
1.16-7
1.16-8
20
17
15
15
200
175
155
155
180
158
140
140
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
67
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance
cycles
Comments
83,867
170,587
426,944 SCF from
misalignment =1.14
85,245
Failed in plate from
weld root
306,843
309,163
421,182
649,162
Table 22 Fatigue test results obtained by IST from series 2.1, transverse MAG fillet welded
Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes ground
Specimen
No.
2.1-1
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum Range
39
389
350
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
312,857
2.1-2
2.1-5
2.1-7
2.1-8
39
33
33
44
389
333
333
444
350
300
300
400
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
517,879
1,742,913
591,451
283,727
2.1-9
28
278
250
0.1
6,954,875
2.1-9'
(re-test)
2.1-10
2.1-11
33
333
300
0.1
867,297
44
33
444
333
400
300
0.1
0.1
237,108
2,880,805
Comments
Toe radius =
5.9mm
Failed in grips
Failed in grips
Toe radius =
5.1mm
Unbroken; toe
radius =
6.5mm
Toe radius =
6.5mm
Unbroken
Table 23 Fatigue test results obtained by LBF from series 2.2, transverse MAG fillet welded
Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes TIG dressed
Specimen
No.
2.2-1
2.2-2
2.2.3
2.2-4
2.2-5
2.2-6
2.2-7
2.2-8
2.2-8
(re-test)
Applied stress, MPa

31
311
280
22
222
200
24
244
220
26
24
37
22
22
37
266
244
377
222
222
377
240
220
340
200
200
340
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
794,707
107
979,243
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
928,917
1,180,470
203,818
1,405,460
107
386,159
68
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Comments
Unbroken
Uneven TIG
dressing
Unbroken
Table 24 Fatigue test results obtained by LUT from series 2.3, transverse MAG fillet welded
Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes treated by UIT
Specimen
No.
2.3-1
2.3-2
2.3.3
2.3-4
2.3-5
2.3-6
2.3-7
Applied stress, MPa

24
236
212
27
270
243
30
297
267
26
264
238
33
331
298
27
271
244
36
356
320
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
2,140,772
1,244,974
476,803
1,207,633
418,718
806,933
477,056
Comments
Failed in plate
Failed in plate
Table 25 Fatigue test results obtained by TNO from series 2.4, transverse MAG fillet welded
Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes plasma dressed
Applied stress, MPa
Specimen
No.
2.4-1
40
400
360
2.4-2
45
450
405
2.4-3
33
333
300
2.4-4
50
500
450
2.4-5
22
221
199
2.4-6 +
33
333
300
2.4-7 +
44
444
400
Note:
+ Tests subcontracted to Bodycote
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0,1
69
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance,
cycles
254,591
174,043
461,246
130,927
2,015,486
770,692
163,145
Comments
Unbroken
Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes burr ground
Specimen
No.
2.5-1
Applied stress, MPa

28
278
250
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
622,808
2.5-2
28
278
250
0.1
863,154
2.5-3
22
222
200
0.1
8,600,000
2.5-4
25
250
225
0.1
2,361,785
2.5-5
2.5-6
2.5-7
2.5-8
2.5-8b
(re-test)
2.5-8c
(re-test)
2.5-9
2.5-10
2.5-11
2.5-12
2.5-13
25
31
25
25
25
250
306
250
300
330
225
275
225
275
305
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.08
3,012,115
268,850
2,425,894
7,085,200
6,667,800
25
363
338
0.07
2,729,430
25
33
25
33
33
363
330
250
330
330
338
297
225
297
297
0.07
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
843,050
2,213,620
8,494,100
3,997,800
4,084,310
70
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Comments
Toe radius =
4.1mm
Toe radius =
4.1mm
Unbroken; toe
radius = 3.8m
Toe radius =
3.7mm
Failed in grips
Failed in grips
Failed in grips
Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken
Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes TIG dressed
Specimen
No.
2.6-1
2.6-2
2.6-2'
(re-test)
2.6-3
2.6-4
2.6-4'
(re-test
2.6-5
2.6-6
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
25
250
225
22
222
200
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
1,504,400
5,000,000
27
267
240
0.1
760,200
24
23
244
233
220
210
0.1
0.1
1,920,200
5,000,000
27
267
240
0.1
1,033,042
25
23
255
233
230
210
0.1
0.1
2,370,000
107
2.6-6
(re-test
28
278
250
0.1
1,604,620
2.6-7
31
311
280
0.1
253,183
2.6-8
28
278
250
0.1
1,604,624
Comments
Unbroken
Unbroken
Failed in parent
material
Unbroken
Failed in plate
Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes treated by UIT
Specimen
No.
2.7-1
2.7-2
2.7-3
2.7-4
2.7-5
2.7-6
2.7-7
2.7-8
2.7-9
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum
25
25
21
25
21
21
21
28
28
Maximum
250
250
209
243
205
205
215
269
269
Range
225
225
188
218
184
184
194
241
241
Stress
ratio,
R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
71
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance
cycles
2,112,950
2,155,875
4,009,884
2,195,633
3,818,521
5,050,658
914,905
760,000
763,000
Comments
Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken
Failed in plate
Table 29 Fatigue test results obtained by TNO from series 2.8, transverse MAG fillet welded
Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes plasma dressed
Minimum
20
Maximum
200
Range
180
Stress
ratio,
R
0.1
2.8-2
2.8-3
25
18
250
180
225
162
0.1
0.1
554,591
2,000,000
2.8-4
2.8-5
2.8-6
20
25
25
200
250
250
180
225
225
0.1
0.1
0.1
967,500
696,217
805,418
2.8-7
2.8-8
20
18
200
180
180
162
0.1
0.1
1,063,428
602,058
Specimen
No.
2.8-1
Applied stress, MPa
72
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance
cycles
426,614
Comments
Toe radius =
2.5mm
Unbroken; toe
radius = 4.5mm
Toe radius =
3.2mm
Toe radius =
3.3mm
Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes ground
Minimum
33
33
39
Maximum
333
333
389
Range
300
300
350
Stress
ratio,
R
0.1
0.1
0.1
2.9-4
2.9-5
39
28
389
278
350
250
0.1
0.1
90,247
6,480,000
2.9-5
(re-test)
2.9-6
2.9-9
39
389
350
0.1
139,643
30
28
305
278
275
250
0.1
0.1
344,072
4,904,139
Specimen
No.
2.9-1
2.9-2
2.9-3
Applied stress, MPa
Endurance
cycles
374,074
1,048,041
65,357
2.9-9
(re-test)
2.9-10
30
305
275
0.1
677,000
44
444
400
0.1
56,322
2.9-11
2.9-12
44
30
44
305
400
275
0.1
0.1
100,980
326,773
Comments
Toe radius =
0.6mm
Unbroken; toe
radius = 0.66mm
Toe radius =
0.7mm
Toe radius =
0.7mm
Toe radius =
0.6mm
Table 31 Fatigue test results obtained by TWI from series 2.10, transverse MAG fillet
welded Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes TIG dressed
Minimum
22
28
Maximum
222
278
Range
200
250
Stress
ratio,
R
0.1
0.1
33
333
300
0.1
107
39
389
350
0.1
1,124,904
2.10 - 3
39
389
350
0.1
489,876
2.10 - 4
39
389
350
0.1
584,370
2.10 - 5
2.10-5'
(re-test)
2.10 - 6
36
41
361
410
325
369
0.1
0.1
107
1,531,360
42
420
378
0.1
11,833,980
Specimen
No.
2.10 - 1
2.10 - 1A
(re-test)
2.10 - 1B/C
(re-tests)
2.10 - 1D
Applied stress, MPa
73
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance
cycles
2x107
107
Comments
Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken
Failed in plate
from weld root
Failed from edge
of plate
Failed from edge
of plate
Unbroken
Failed in plate
from weld root
Failed in plate
from weld root
Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes plasma dressed
Specimen
No.
2.12-1
2.12-2
2.12-3
2.12-3'
(re-test)
2.12-4
2.12-5
2.12-6
2.12-7
2.12-8
2.12-9
2.12-10
2.12-11
2.12-11'
(re-test)
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum
14
14
25
28
Maximum
139
139
250
278
Range
125
125
225
250
Stress
ratio,
R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
28
33
39
44
33
44
33
28
39
278
333
389
444
333
444
333
278
389
250
300
350
400
300
400
300
250
350
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Endurance
cycles
8,183,838
6,547,247
6,744,802
1,434,957
6,114,258
618,617
405,395
165,570
282,879
173,871
365,178
7,614,569
576,497
Comments
Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken
Table 33 Fatigue test results obtained by LUT from series 2.13, longitudinal MAG fillet
welded Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes treated by UIT
Specimen
No.
2.13-1
2.13-2
2.13-3
2.13-4
2.13-5
2.13-6
2.13-6'
(re-test)
2.13-7
2.13-8
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum
20
23
Maximum
199
233
Range
179
210
Stress
ratio,
R
0.1
0.1
23
18
23
20
36
233
179
232
200
358
210
161
209
180
322
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
886,429
2,089,477
840,404
2,101,690
192,039
37
30
367
301
330
271
0.1
0.1
232,308
568,698
74
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance
cycles
2,401,216
1,485,206
Comments
Unbroken
Failed in plate
from weld root
Failed in plate
Unbroken
Failed in plate
Unbroken
Failed in plate
Failed in plate
from weld root
Table 34 Fatigue test results obtained by TNO from series 2.14, longitudinal MAG fillet
welded Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes plasma dressed
Minimum
40
35
35
22
Maximum
400
355
355
222
Range
360
320
320
200
Stress
ratio,
R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
2.14-5
2.14-6
28
22
278
222
250
200
0.1
0.1
520,918
1,165,320
2.14-7 +
28
278
250
0.1
459,143
2.14-8 +
40
400
360
0.1
129,816
Specimen
No.
2.14-1
2.14-2
2.14-3
2.14-4
Applied stress, MPa
Endurance
cycles
124,324
167,147
157,462
498,941
Comments
Failed in plate
from weld root
Failed in plate
from weld root
Failed in plate
from weld root
Table 35 Fatigue test results obtained by LUT from series 2.15, longitudinal MAG fillet
welded Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes treated by UIT
Specimen
No.
2.15-1
2.15-2
2.15-3
2.15-4
2.15-5
2.15-6
2.15-7
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum
17
13
21
24
21
24
25
Maximum
177
130
211
239
209
244
247
Range
159
117
190
215
188
220
222
Stress
ratio,
R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
75
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance
cycles
2,076,602
2,083,010
4,489,170
559,562
2,455,131
1,078,750
696,452
Comments
Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken
Failed in plate
Table 36 Fatigue test results obtained by TNO from series 2.16, longitudinal MAG fillet
welded Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes plasma dressed
Specimen
No.
2.16-1
2.16-2 +
2.16-3 +
2.16-4 +
2.16-5 +
2.16-6 +
2.16-7 +
2.16-8 +
Applied stress, MPa

20
200
180
22
222
200
25
22
25
27
25
22
250
220
250
275
250
222
225
198
225
248
225
200
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
Endurance
cycles
1,228,800
463,868
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
262,975
2,147,464
634,195
442,400
638,584
736,952
Comments
Unbroken
Failed in plate
from weld
spatter
Failed in plate
Failed in plate
from weld
spatter

Table 37 Fatigue test results obtained by TWI from series 3.1 transverse MAG fillet welded
Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens containing solidification cracks, TIG dressed
Specimen
No.
3.1-1
3.1-2
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
24
244
220
20
200
180
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
940.565
1,987,710
Comments
3.1-3
15
155
140
0.1
3,705,665
Strain gauge
indicated stress
of 123 MPa
3.1-4
3.1-5
3.1-6
28
10
13
288
110
133
260
100
120
0.1
0.1
0.1
194,495
10,000,000
10,000,000
Unbroken
3.1-6a
28
288
260
0.1
8,724
3.1-7
14
144
130
0.1
3,394,440
3.1-8
24
244
220
0.1
742,060
76
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Re-test; suspect
fatigue cracked
in original test.
Unbroken
(specimen bent)
Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, as-welded, tested in 3% NaCl
Specimen
No.
3.2-1
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
39
389
350
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
42,929
Comments
3Hz ; toe radius
= 1.5mm
3Hz
8Hz ; toe radius
= 1.9mm
8Hz
8Hz
12Hz
12Hz
12Hz,
unbroken ; toe
radius = 1.8mm
3.2-2
39
389
350
0.1
46,362
3.2-3
28
278
250
0.1
206,902
3.2-4
3.2-5
3.2-6
3.2-7
3.2-8
28
28
17
17
11
278
278
167
167
111
250
250
150
150
100
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
103,708
161,465
1,013,402
734,357
10,000,000
3.2-9
14
139
125
0.1
1,869,968
12Hz ; toe
radius = 2.1mm
3.2-10
14
139
125
0.1
4,716,449
12Hz
3.2-11
11
111
100
0.1
4,039,399
12Hz
Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes ground, tested in 3% NaCl
Specimen
No.
3.3-1
3.3-2
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
39
389
350
39
389
350
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
99,546
90,688
3.3-3
33
333
300
0.1
139,602
3.3-4
3.3-5
3.3-5'
(re-test)
3.3-6
28
17
278
167
250
150
0.1
0.1
1,082,259
9,384,609
28
278
250
0.1
693,621
17
167
150
0.1
11,681,681
3.3-6'
(re-test)
3.3-7
3.3-7
(re-test)
3.3-8
19
194
175
0.1
2,615,521
19
25
194
250
175
225
0.1
0.1
8,617,147
638,048
25
250
225
0.1
875,074
3.3-9
33
333
300
0.1
250,113
77
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Comments
3Hz
3Hz; toe radius
= 6.3mm
6Hz; toe radius
= 4.7mm
8Hz
10Hz, unbroken
6Hz
10Hz,
unbroken; toe
radius = 5.2mm
6Hz ; toe radius
= 5.2mm
6Hz, unbroken.
6Hz
6Hz ; toe radius
= 5.5mm
3Hz
Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes PPAW dressed, tested in 3% NaCl
Specimen
No.
3.4-1
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
33
333
300
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
105,020
Comments
8Hz; toe radius
= 3.7mm
8Hz
8Hz
8Hz
8Hz
8Hz; toe radius
= 5.05mm
8Hz
8Hz
3.4-2
3.4-3
3.4-4
3.4-5
33
28
28
22
333
278
278
222
300
250
250
200
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
133,250
96,590
306,680
427,900
3.4-6
22
222
200
0.1
506,940
3.4-7
3.4-8
17
17
167
167
150
150
0.1
0.1
1,132,060
556,535
3.4-9
14
139
125
0.1
1,656,425
12Hz; toe
radius = 4.8mm
3.4-10
11
111
100
0.1
2,421,800
12Hz
3.4-11
11
111
100
0.1
8,349,290
12Hz,
unbroken; toe
radius = 5.6mm
3.4-12
11
111
100
0.1
2,507,975
12Hz
78
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes PPAW dressed, tested in 3% NaCl
Specimen
No.
3.5-1
3.5-2
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
39
389
350
39
389
350
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
3.5-3
33
333
300
0.1
3.5-4
3.5-5
3.5-6
3.5-7
3.5-8
33
28
28
19
19
333
278
278
194
194
300
250
250
175
175
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
3.5-9
17
167
150
0.1
3.5-10
17
167
150
0.1
3.5-11
14
139
125
0.1
3.5-12
14
139
125
0.1
3.5-13
11
111
100
0.1
3.5-14
11
111
100
0.1
79
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance,
cycles
Comments
97,492 2Hz
86,715 2Hz; toe radius
= 5.5mm
3Hz; toe radius
192,316
= 5.9mm
187,319 3Hz
452,764 6Hz
504,515 6Hz
3,375,137 6Hz
2,188,693 6Hz
4,652,596 10Hz
3,600,933 10Hz
6,333,040 10Hz; toe
radius = 5.8mm
5,085,764 10Hz
13,419,737 10Hz,
unbroken; toe
radius = 7.3mm
5,509,253 10Hz; failed
where plasma
dressing had
missed part of
weld toe
Table 42 Fatigue test results obtained by TWI from series 3.6, transverse MAG fillet welded
Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes TIG dressed, tested with Smax ~
constant
Specimen
No.
3.6-1
Applied stress, MPa

10
250
240
Stress
ratio, R
0.04
Endurance,
cycles
500,000
3.6-2
3.6-3
3.6-4
25
10
15
250
250
250
225
240
235
0.10
0.04
0.06
11,000,000
107
708,810
3.6-5
20
250
230
0.08
7,403,890
3.6-6
3.6-7
10
15
250
250
240
235
0.04
0.06
1,010,757
7,450,200
3.6-8
3.6-9
10
24
260
244
250
220
0.04
0.1
308,914
2,221,150
Comments
Unbroken
Unbroken
Failed in plate
from surface flaw
Failed from
0.4mm diameter
pore in weld
Failed in jaws
Failed from weld
root
Failed from top of
TIG dressed zone
Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes treated by UIT, tested with Smax ~
constant
Specimen
No.
3.7-1
3.7-2
3.7-3
3.7-4
3.7-5
3.7-6
3.7-7
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
11
246
235
11
253
242
41
244
203
40
245
205
45
10
43
255
245
254
210
235
211
Stress
ratio, R
0,04
0,04
0,17
0,16
Endurance,
cycles
2,140,938
491,693
1,043,787
618,691
0,18
0,04
0,17
1,536,363
614,748
2,058,505
80
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Comments
Unbroken
Failed in plate
Failed from
weld spatter
Failed in plate
Failed in plate
Unbroken
Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes TIG dressed, tested with Smax ~
constant
Specimen
No.
3.8-1
3.8-2
3.8-3
3.8-4
3.8-5
3.8-6
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
180
360
180
276
298
240
176
258
476
478
480
476
478
200
180
240
300
220
Stress
ratio, R
0.50
Endurance,
cycles
782,492
0.58
0.62
0.50
0.37
0.54
1,346,500
107
795,921
588,134
1,363,380
Comments
Failed where
TIG dressing
had missed part
of weld toe
Unbroken
Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes treated by UIT, tested with Smax ~
constant
Specimen
No.
3.9-1
3.9-2
3.9-3
3.9-4
3.9-5
3.9-6
3.9-7
3.9-8
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum Maximum
Range
201
400
199
101
400
299
200
400
200
101
400
299
199
400
201
219
400
181
58
400
342
75
400
325
Stress
ratio, R
0.50
0.25
0.50
0.25
0.50
0.55
0.15
0.19
81
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance,
cycles
951,992
558,032
781,878
242,771
1,021,313
1,179,724
273,329
303,649
Comments
Failed in plate
Table 46 Fatigue test results obtained by TNO from series 3.11, transverse MAG fillet
welded Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes TIG dressed
Specimen
No.
3.11-1
3.11-2
3.11-2'
(re-test)
3.11-2"
(re-test)
3.11-3
3.11-4
3.11-5
3.11-5'
(re-test)
3.11-5"
(re-test)
3.11-6
3.11-6'
(re-test)
3.11-7
3.11-8
Applied stress, MPa

Minimum
60
Maximum
600
Range
540
Stress
ratio,
R
0.1
25
225
250
450
225
225
0.1
0.5
392,510
2,000,000
45
450
405
0.1
283,767
210
210
238
143
420
420
476
476
210
210
238
333
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.3
210,929
1,910,276
2,000,000
2,000,000
Failed in grips
Failed in grips
Unbroken
Unbroken
48
476
428
0.1
150,870
Failed in plate
250
150
500
500
250
350
0.5
0.3
2,000,000
410,211
125
420
295
0.3
662,400
125
420
295
0.3
5,039,249
Endurance
cycles
22,432
Comments
Specimen
yielded
Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken
Failed from plate
edge
Unbroken
Notes: Specimens 1 & 2 100mm wide, 2, 2 and 5 75mm wide, remainder 50mm wide
Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes treated TIG dressed, tested under
spectrum loading
Specimen
No.
3.12-1
3.12-2
3.12-3
3.12-4
Applied stress, MPa

Equivalent
constant
Maximum stress amplitude stress
range,
range in
eq
spectrum, max
430
161
400
150
400
150
500
187
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
7,088,881
5,789,010
12,429,672
6,078,803
3.12-5
500
187
0.1
1,472,639
3.12-6
430
161
0.1
9,233,443
82
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Comments
Failed in weld
Weld flaws (not
associated with
fatigue failure
Weld flaws (not
associated with
fatigue failure
Type S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, weld toes treated by UIT, tested under
spectrum loading
Specimen
No.
3.13-1
3.13-2
3.13-3
3.13-4
3.13-5
3.13-6
3.13-7
Applied stress, MPa

Equivalent
constant
Maximum stress amplitude stress
range in
range,
spectrum, max
eq
600
216
450
162
400
144
500
180
540
194
480
173
540
194
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
491,530
4,781,250
20,000,000
4,597,280
2,348,270
6,077,080
3,216,620
Comments
Failed in plate
Unbroken
Failed in plate
Failed in plate
Failed in plate;
flaws in welds
Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes TIG dressed, tested under spectrum
loading
Specimen
No.
3.14-1
3.14-1'
(Re-test)
3.14-2
3.14-3
3.14-4
3.14-5
3.14-6
3.14-7
3.14-8
Applied stress, MPa

Equivalent
Maximum
constant
stress range
amplitude
in spectrum, stress range,
eq
max
240
116
400
194
300
400
380
360
340
360
360
145
194
184
174
165
174
174
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
22,000,000
3,843,370
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
20,000,000
3,840,000
6,210,000
20,000,000
22,100,000
6,514,000
19,887,200
83
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Comments
Unbroken
Failed in plate
Unbroken
Failed in plate
Failed in plate
Unbroken
Failed in plate
Type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes treated by UIT, tested under
spectrum loading
Specimen
No.
3.15-1
3.15-2
3.15-3
3.15-4
3.15-5
Applied stress, MPa

Equivalent
Maximum
constant
stress range
amplitude
max
eq
400
150
340
127
300
112
320
120
280
105
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
632,974
2,260,960
7,840,350
5,797,137
20,000,000
3.15-6
3.15-7
360
300
135
112
0.1
0.1
8,284,790
27,194,000
3.15-8
320
120
0.1
5,471,370
3.15-9
360
135
0.1
1,402,720
Comments
Unbroken, but
found to be cracked
Unbroken, but
found to be cracked
Weld flaw but
failure still from toe
Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel specimens, weld toes TIG dressed, tested under spectrum
loading
Specimen
No.
3.16-1.1
Applied stress, MPa

Equivalent
Maximum
constant
stress range
amplitude
in spectrum,
stress range,
max
eq
378
181
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
22,000,000
Comments
Unbroken
3.16-1.1'
(Re-test)
3.16-1.2
3.16-1.3
3.16-2.1
3.16-2.2
3.16-2.3
3.16-3.1
560
268
0.1
3,843,370
Failed in plate
500
500
500
560
460
500
239
239
239
268
220
239
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
2,361,304
3,725,744
5,477,150
2,675,275
8,183,975
10,638,428
3.16-3.2
3.16-3.3
460
440
220
210
0.1
0.1
12,100,000
20,000,000
Failed in plate
Failed in grips
From weld spatter
From weld spatter
Failed in plate
Edge cracking
repaired during test.
Finally failed in plate
Failed in plate
Unbroken
84
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Cr-Mn austenitic stainless steel specimens, as-welded, tested under spectrum loading
Specimen
No.
3.18-1
3.18-2
3.18-3
3.18-4
3.18-5
3.18-6
Applied stress, MPa

Equivalent
constant
Maximum
amplitude
stress range
stress range,
in spectrum,
eq
max
260
106
260
106
410
168
340
139
378
155
300
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
6,178,371
5,995,588
1,249,947
3,221,930
1,674,453
0.1
8,606,000
123
Comments
Weld flaws but

failure still from toe
Table 53 Fatigue test results obtained by LBF from series 3.19 as-welded transverse MAG
fillet welded S31803 duplex stainless steel specimens, tested under spectrum loading
Applied stress, MPa
Equivalent
Maximum
constant
stress range
amplitude
max
eq
430
163
480
182
Specimen
No *.
3.19-1.2-6
3.19-1.2-4
(re-test)
* Previously series 1.2 specimens
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
Endurance,
cycles
2,550,028
1,486,711
Comments
Table 54 Fatigue test results obtained by LBF from series 3.20 as-welded transverse MAG
fillet welded type 304L austenitic stainless steel specimens, tested under spectrum loading
Applied stress, MPa
Equivalent
Maximum
constant
stress range
amplitude
Specimen
No. *
max
eq
3.20-3.14-9
380
143
3.20-3.14-10
320
120
* Previously series 3.14 specimens
Stress
ratio, R
0.1
0.1
85
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Endurance,
cycles
898,019
2,579,598
Comments
40
600
10
10
100
Fig.1 Transverse fillet welded specimen
13631.01/2005/1257.3
10
150
650
150
Fig.2 Longitudinal fillet welded specimen
13631.01/2005/1257.3
40
Fig.3 Transverse fillet welded pad specimen
13631.01/2005/1257.3
a) MAG fillet-welded panel in 10mm thick type

304L austenitic steel
b) TIG fillet-welded panel in 10mm thick type

c) Longitudinal fillet-welded specimen in type

304L austenitic steel welded by MAG
d) Longitudinal fillet-welded specimen in type

S31803 duplex steel welded by PPAW
e) PPA welded transverse pad specimen in Cr-Mn

austenitic steel
Fig. 4 Examples of welded panels and specimens

13631.01/2005/1257.3
1.15-4
P5952
f) Section of MAG fillet weld in 10mm
type S31803 duplex steel
g) Section of TIG fillet weld in 10mm type 304L

austenitic steel
h) Section of MAG fillet weld in 10mm type 304L austenitic steel
1.10
i) Section of PPAW fillet weld in 10mm type 304L austenitic steel

Fig. 4 (continued) Examples of welded panels and specimens
13631.01/2005/1257.3
j) Section of MAG fillet weld in Cr-Mn austenitic steel transverse pad

specimen (weld toe crack produced when fatigue tested)
2004-12-22-11-1-9-
2004-12-22-11-21-
k) Examples of solidification cracks produced in FCAW welded

series 3.1 transverse fillet welded specimens in type 304L austenitic
Fig. 4 (continued) Examples of welded panels and specimens
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Equipment:
Pneumatic drill
Pressure: 7 Bar
Speed:
24,000r.p.m.
First passage:
- Tungsten carbine burr, diameter: 12mm (hemispherical end with 2mm
radius)
Second and final grinding:
- Abrasive burr, diameter: 19 mm (hemispherical end with 2.5mm radius)
12mm
2mm radius
19mm
19mm
Dressing conditions:
-
Tool inclined at 45 to weld direction in both vertical and horizontal planes

Grinding speed: 100mm/minute
2.5mm radius
a)
b)
c)
Fig.5 Details of the weld toe burr grinding:

a) Grinding equipment and conditions for treating fillet welds in 10mm thick specimens;
b) As-welded 10mm type 304L fillet welded joint;
c) Toe ground 10mm type 304L fillet welded joint;
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Equipment:
Pneumatic drill
Power: 7 Bar
Speed: 20,000 r.p.m.
6mm
Tool:
- Tungsten carbine burr, 6mm diameter, hemispherical end with 1.5
mm radius
Dressing conditions:
-
Single pass
Tool inclined at 45 to weld direction in both vertical and
horizontal planes
Grinding speed: 100mm/minute
1.5mm radius
d)
e)
Fig.5 (continued) Details of the weld toe burr grinding:

d) Grinding equipment and conditions for treating fillet welds in 3mm thick specimens.
e) Toe ground 3mm Cr-Mn austenitic steel fillet welded joints (millimetre scales shown).
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Fig. 6 Examples of TIG and plasma dressed specimens
2005-4-14-8-48-21-002
2004-3-24-14-18-49-002
a) TIG dressed type S31803 duplex specimen
b) TIG dressed type 304L austenitic specimen
c) TIG dressed type 304L austenitic steel fillet weld with solidification cracks
13631.01/2005/1257.3
d) Plasma dressed Cr-Mn austenitic specimen
As-welded
TIG dressed area
Original weld
e) TIG dressed Cr-Mn austenitic transverse fillet welded pad specimen

Fig. 6 (continued) Examples of TIG and plasma dressed specimens
13631.01/2005/1257.3
a)
b)
Fig. 7 Ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) of fillet weld toes:
a)
Equipment in use;
b)
Treated Cr-Mn austenitic transverse pad specimen (LUT reference number)
13631.01/2005/1257.3
0.16
As Welded 304L
0.14
fi - Relative Frequency
0.12
0.10
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0.00
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
3.0
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4.0
Radius of Curvature at Weld Toe [mm]
a)
0.20
Data for Weld Toe Ground 304L
0.18
fi - Relative Frequency
0.16
0.14
0.12
0.10
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0.00
3.0
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4.0
4.2
4.4
4.6
4.8
5.0
5.2
Radius of Curvature at Weld Toe [mm]
b)
Fig.8 Survey of weld toe radii before and after burr grinding the toes of fillet welds in
austenitic type 304L steel
13631.01/2005/1257.3
a. Amplitude distribution
Normalized amplitude x i /x max
1.0
i=3
0.8
i=4
0.6
n3
0.4
n4
Ls = 5* 104
0.2
0.0
100
101
102
103
104
Cumulative frequency
b. Steps in the spectrum
i
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
xi
1.000
0.938
0.817
0.704
0.600
0.504
0.417
0.337
0.267
0.204
0.150
0.104
0.067
0.037
0.017
0.004
ni
1
12
87
418
1377
3256
5768
7964
8859
8156
6325
4158
2285
997
299
38
ni = Ls = 50000
Fig.9 Details of Gaussian variable amplitude loading spectrum
13631.01/2005/1257.3
105
106
Normalized amplitude Sa / Sa
c. Cumulative distribution:
1,0
L = LS e
0,8
0,6
0,4
Sa(RMS) = 0,215
0,2
4
Ls = 510
0,0
0
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Cumulative distribution of exceeding L (log)
Extract from time history:

Factor of 100
in chart speed
Fig.9 (continued) Details of Gaussian variable amplitude loading spectrum
13631.01/2005/1257.3
S
a
Sa
ln (LS )
a)
b)
c)
d)
Fig.10 Examples of fatigue failures in test specimens:
a) Toe failure in transverse fillet welds in 10mm thick steel;
b) Toe failure in longitudinal fillet welds in 10mm thick steel;
c) Failure by crack growth from weld root or welding flaw through plate thickness;
d) Toe failure in transverse pad specimen.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
350
Type S31803 duplex steel

300
10mm
Stress range, MPa
250
Best-fit to
combined results
200
C-Mn steels (22)

150
Series 1.2, R = 0.1

Series 1.3, Smax = 400 MPa
! Unbroken
100
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.11 Fatigue test results obtained from type S 31803 duplex steel plates with transverse
MAG fillet welded attachments
350
Type 304L austenitic steel

300
250
10mm
Mean and mean

2SD from published
data (Fig.12(b))
200
Stress range, MPa
p
p
Present results
Series 1.7, R=0.1
Extra series 1.7, R = 0.1
(R=0.04 - 0.44)
Extra series 1.8, Smax = 250 MPa
Previous ECSC project (1)
R=0.1
R=0.5
r Re-test of unfailed specimen
g Failed in grips
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
150
100
g
g
Mean fitted to all results for weld toe failure

60
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.12a) Fatigue test results for 304L austenitic steel plates with transverse MAG fillet
welded attachments
13631.01/2005/1257.3
350
Austenitic steel
300
250
10 -15mm
Stress range, MPa
200
95% confidence intervals
enclosing C-Mn steel data (22)
150
Published data
R=0.1, Mang (23)
R=0.1, Grutke and Mobius (24)
R=0, Lahti, Niemi and Hanninen (25)
100
Mean and mean 2SD

! Unbroken
60
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.12b) Published fatigue test results obtained from type 304L austenitic steel specimens
with transverse fillet welds
400
Austenitic Cr-Mn steel
300
3mm
Stress range, MPa
250
r
200
g
r
Published data for

transverse fillet
welds in austenitic
steels (from Fig.12(b))
150
100
Series 1.11, as-welded, R = 0.1

Series 1.12, as-welded, Smax = 420 MPa
(R = 0.53 - 0.85)
r Re-tested unfailed specimen
g Failed in grips
! Unbroken
60
4
10
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.13 Fatigue test results for Cr-Mn austenitic steel plates with transverse MAG fillet
welded pad attachments.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
300

250
10mm
Stress range, MPa
200
95% confidence intervals

enclosing data from failed
specimens
150
100
Present results
Series 1.15, MAG welded, R=0.1
Published data
R = 0.1, presented in (26)
R=0.1 - 0,6 (27)
! Unbroken
60
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.14 Fatigue test results obtained from type S31803 duplex steel plates with longitudinal
MAG fillet welded attachments
300
MAG welded
R = 0.1
250
10mm
Stress range, MPa
Mean and mean 2SD

fitted to all toe failures
200
g
g
150
Series 1.2, S31803 duplex

Series 1.7, 304L austenitic
g Failed in grips
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
110
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.15(a) Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from transverse fillet welded specimens
in both S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steel tested with R = 0.1.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
MAG welded
300
10mm
Stress range, MPa
250
200
S31803 Duplex
(R=0.25-0.63)
304L Austenitic
(R=0.04-0.44)
! Unbroken
150
130
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.15(b) Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from transverse fillet welded specimens
in both S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steel tested under loading that cycled down from
a constant maximum tensile stress close to yield.
300
MAG welded
Stress range, MPa
250
10mm
Mean 2SD enclosing

series 1.2, 1.3,1.7 and extra
data obtained at R = 0.1 - 0.63
(toe failures only)
200
S31803 Duplex
Series 1.2, R=0.1
Series 1.3, R=0.25-0.63
304L Austenitic
Series 1.7, R=0.1
150
g Failed in grips
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
110
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.16 Fatigue test results obtained from both S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steel
specimens selected as the reference data for as-welded transverse MAG fillet welds
13631.01/2005/1257.3
450
400
300
Stress range, MPa
10mm
250
Reference data for

present MAG welds
(from Fig. 16)
200
w
w
Present results
Series 1.1, TIG welded, R=0.5
Series 1.4, PPAW, R=0.1
Series 1.5, PPAW, Smax = 400MPa
R=0.1 } TIG welded
R=0.5
p Failed in plate
w Failed from weld root
! Unbroken
150
100
PPAW
(All R values)
TIG
(R=0.5)
60
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.17(a) Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from type S31803 duplex steel plates
with transverse MAG, TIG or PPA fillet welded attachments.
600
500
PPAW
(All R values)
400
Stress range, MPa
10mm
300
w
p
250
w
w
Reference data for

present MAG welds
(from Fig. 16)
200
w
w
Present results
Series 1.1, TIG welded, R=0.5
Local stress
Series 1.4, PPAW, R=0.1
Series 1.5, PPAW, Smax = 400MPa } allowing for
misalignment
R=0.1 } TIG welded
R=0.5
p Failed in plate
w Failed from weld root
! Unbroken
150
100
60
10
10
TIG
(R=0.5)
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.17(b) Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from type S31803 duplex steel plates
with transverse MAG, TIG or PPA fillet welded attachments, with PPAW results in terms of
local stress allowing for misalignment.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
300
pw
250
10mm
Stress range, MPa
200
150
Present results
Series 1.16, PPA welded, R=0.1
Published data
R=0.1
TIG welded, previous
R=0.5
ECSC project (1)
R=0.1, presented in (26)
R=0.1 - 0.6, Burgan et al (27)
pw Failed in plate from weld root
! Unbroken
100
95% confidence intervals enclosing

results from all failed specimens
60
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.18(a) Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from type S31803 duplex steel plates
with longitudinal MAG, TIG or PPA fillet welded attachments
300
pw
250
10mm
Stress range, MPa
200
Present results
(in terms of local stress, allowing
for misalignment)
Published data
R=0.1
TIG welded, previous
R=0.5
ECSC project (1)
R=0.1, presented in (26)
R=0.1 - 0.6, Burgan et al (27)
! Unbroken
150
100
95% confidence intervals enclosing

results from all failed specimens
60
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.18(b) Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from type S31803 duplex steel plates
with longitudinal MAG, TIG or PPA fillet welded attachments, with PPAW results in terms
of local stress allowing for misalignment.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
300

250
Stress range, MPa
10mm
200
Mean 2SD
enclosing published
data (from Fig. 12(b))
Reference data
for as-welded
austenitic and
duplex MAG welds
(from Fig. 16)
g
150
Series 1.6, TIG welded,

Smax = 250 MPa (R=0.1 - 0.5)
Series 1.10, PPAW welded,
Smax = 250 MPa (R=0.06 - 0.6)
g Failed in grips
! Unbroken
TIG
PPAW
100
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.19 Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from austenitic type 304L steel plate with
transverse MAG, TIG or PPA fillet welded attachments for load cycling down from 250MPa
300

250
Stress range, MPa
10mm
Reference data for

as-welded austenitic
and duplex MAG
welds (from Fig. 16)
200
p
150
Mean 2SD enclosing

published data (from Fig. 12(b))
Series 1.9, PPAW welded, R=0.1

p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
100
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.20 Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from austenitic type 304L steel plate with
transverse MAG or PPA fillet welded attachments under a stress ratio of R = 0.1.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
400

3mm
300
Stress range, MPa
R = 0.1
250
MAG welds
r
200
150
Series 1.11, MAG welded

Series 1.13, PPA welded
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
110
10
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.21 Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from austenitic Cr-Mn steel plates with
transverse MAG or PPA fillet welded pad attachments tested with R = 0.1.
350
300

3mm
250
Stress range, MPa
200
r
Smax = constant
r
r
Mean fitted to all

(identical if only
MAG analysed)
150
100
Series 1.12, MAG welded, Smax = 420 MPa

Series 1.14, PPA welded, Smax = 350 MPa
! Unbroken
80
60
4
10
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.22 Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from austenitic Cr-Mn steel plates with
transverse MAG or PPA fillet welded pad attachments for cycling down from Smax = constant
13631.01/2005/1257.3
250
TIG welded
Stress range, MPa
200
10mm
Mean and mean 2SD

enclosing all results
150
Series 1.1, S31803 duplex, R=0.5

Series 1.6, 304L austenitic, R=0.1-0.5
g Failed in grips
! Unbroken
100
80
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.23 Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from TIG welded transverse fillet welds in
S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steels.
400
PPA Welded
300
10mm
Stress range, MPa
250
200
Mean 2SD enclosing

TIG weld results obtained
at R = 0.1 - 0.5 (Fig. 23)
150
S31803 Duplex
Series 1.4, R=0.1
Series 1.5, R=0.25-0.84
304L Austenitic
Series 1.9, R=0.1
Series 1.10, R=0.06-0.6
100
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
70
60
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.24(a) Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from PPA welded transverse fillet
welds in S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steels
13631.01/2005/1257.3
600
500
PPA Welded
400
10mm
Stress range, MPa
300
250
200
Mean 2SD enclosing TIG

weld results obtained at
R = 0.1 - 0.5 (Fig. 23)
150
S31803 Duplex
Series 1.4, R=0.1
Series 1.5, R=0.25-0.84
304L Austenitic
Series 1.9, R=0.1
Series 1.10, R=0.06-0.6
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
100
} In terms of local stress
allowing for misalignment
60
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.24(b) Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from PPA welded transverse fillet
welds in S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steels, with duplex results in terms of local stress
allowing for misalignment.
300
pw
S31803 duplex or
250
Stress range, MPa
200
10mm
Mean and mean 2SD

fitted to all results for
toe failure
150
Present results (Duplex)

(in terms of local stress, allowing
for misalignment)
Duplex, TIG welded, R=0.1 or 0.5
Austenitic, MIG,TIG or MMA welded, R=0.1 or 0.5
! Unbroken
100
pw
60
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.25 Comparison of fatigue test results obtained from longitudinal fillet welded specimens
in S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steel.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
500
Type S31806 duplex
450
10mm
400
Stress range, MPa
R = 0.1
300
250
Factor of 1.3 on
fatigue strength
from mean S-N
curve for as-welded
200
Weld toes ground

Series 2.1
g Failed in grips
! Unbroken
150
Reference data for as-welded

duplex and austenitic (from Fig. 16)
120
4
3x10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.26 Effect of weld toe grinding on the fatigue performance of type S31803 duplex steel
plates with transverse fillet welded attachments.
500
Mean, assumed to be
parallel to as-welded
450
Type S31806 duplex

10mm
400
R = 0.1
Stress range, MPa
300
Factor of 1.3 on
fatigue strength
from mean S-N
curve for as-welded
250
200
150
Reference data for

as-welded duplex
and austenitic (from Fig. 16)
Improvement technique applied
Series 2.2, TIG dressed
Series 2.4, plasma dressed
! Unbroken
100
4
5x10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.27 Effect of weld toe TIG or plasma dressing on the fatigue performance of type S31803
duplex steel plates with transverse fillet welded attachments
13631.01/2005/1257.3
450
Factor of 1.3 on fatigue strength

from mean S-N curve for as-welded
400
Type S31806 duplex

10mm
Stress range, MPa
300
R = 0.1
250
p
200
150

of weld toes
Series 2.3
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
duplex and austenitic (Fig. 16)
100
4
5x10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.28 Effect of weld toe ultrasonic impact treatment on the fatigue performance of type
S31803 duplex steel plates with transverse fillet welded attachments.
400

r
300
Stress range, MPa
250
Type 304L austenitic
g g
10mm
200
R = 0.1
150
Weld toes ground

Series 2.5
R Re-test of unfailed specimen
p Failed in plate
g Failed in grips
! Unbroken
austenitic and duplex (Fig. 16)
100
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.29 Effect of weld toe burr grinding on the fatigue performance of type 304L austenitic steel
plates with transverse fillet welded attachments.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
350

300
p
250
rp
Stress range, MPa
200
R = 0.1
10mm
150
Weld toes TIG dressed

Series
2.6
Series
2.6
Series
3.1,
weldwith
withmicro-fissures
flaws
Series
3.1,
weld
Re-test
unfailed
specimen
r Re-test
of of
unfailed
specimen
Failed
plate
p Failed
in in
plate
Unbroken
! Unbroken
100

90
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.30 Effect of weld toe TIG dressing on the fatigue performance of type 304L austenitic steel
plates with transverse fillet welded attachments
350

300
Stress range, MPa
250
200
10mm
R = 0.1
150

of weld toes
Series 2.7
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
100
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.31 Effect of weld toe ultrasonic impact treatment on the fatigue performance of type
304L austenitic steel plates with transverse fillet welded attachments
13631.01/2005/1257.3
300

250
Stress range, MPa
rp

200
10mm
R = 0.1
Weld toes dressed

Series 2.8, Plasma dressed
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
150

120
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.32 Effect of weld toe plasma or TIG dressing on the fatigue performance of type 304L
austenitic steel plates with transverse fillet welded attachments
600

500
R=0.1
400
3mm
Stress range, MPa
300
r
250
Mean, as-welded
200
Series 1.11, as-welded

Series 2.9, weld toe ground
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
150
100
4
10
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.33 Effect of weld toe grinding on the fatigue performance of austenitic Cr-Mn steel plates
with transverse fillet welded pad attachments.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
600

500

R = 0.1
3mm
400
Stress range, MPa
p pr
pw
pw
pw
300
250
Mean, as-welded
200

p Failed in plate
g Failed in grips
! Unbroken
150
100
4
10
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.34 Effect of weld toe TIG or plasma dressing on the fatigue performance of austenitic CrMn steel plates with transverse fillet welded pad attachments.
400
Type S31803 duplex
pw
250
Stress range, MPa
10mm
300
200
pw
Reference data from present

and previous ECSC projects
for as-welded duplex and
austenitic steel specimens
(Fig.25)
150
R = 0.1
pp
pw
Factor of 1.3 on
present as-welded
(series 1.15)
As-welded
Series 1.15
Weld toes treated by
improvement technique
Series 2.13, UIT
pw Failed in plate from root
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
100
70
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.35 Effect of plasma dressing or ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) of weld toes on the
fatigue performance of type S31803 duplex steel plates with longitudinal fillet welded
attachments
13631.01/2005/1257.3
400
Factor of 1.3 on
mean as-welded
10mm
R = 0.1
300
Stress range, MPa
250
p p
200
ps
ps
Reference data from present

and previous ECSC projects for
as-welded austenitic and duplex
steel specimens (Fig. 25)
150
Weld toes treated by

improvement technique
Series 2.15, UIT, R=0.1
Series 2.16, plasma dressed, R=0.1
p Failed in plate
ps Failed in plate from weld spatter
! Unbroken
100
80
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.36 Effect of weld toe ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) or plasma dressing on the fatigue
performance of type 304L austenitic steel plates with longitudinal fillet welded attachments
500
400
r
300
Stress range, MPa
250
g g
MAG welded
200
10mm
R = 0.1
150
Weld toe ground

g Failed in grips
! Unbroken
100

70
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.37 Comparison of the fatigue performance of weld toe ground transverse fillet welds in
S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steels.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
500
MAG welded
400
10mm
r
R = 0.1
Stress range, MPa
300
250
r
200
S31803 duplex
304L austenitic
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
150
rp

100
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.38 Comparison of the fatigue performance of weld toe TIG or plasma dressed transverse
fillet welds in S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steels
500
MAG welded
400
10mm
Stress range, MPa
300
R = 0.1
p
p
250
200
Weld toes UIT

p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
150

100
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.39 Comparison of the fatigue performance of weld toe ultrasonic impact treated (UIT)
transverse fillet welds in S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steels
13631.01/2005/1257.3
400
MAG welded
10mm
300
Stress range, MPa
250
R = 0.1
p
Reference data for

as-welded duplex and
austenitic (Fig. 25)
200
ps
ps
150
Weld toes plasma dressed

Series 2.14, S31803 Duplex
Series 2.16, 304L Austenitic
p Failed in plate
ps Failed in plate from weld spatter
w Failed in weld
! Unbroken
100
80
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.40 Comparison of the fatigue performance of weld toe plasma dressed longitudinal fillet
welds in S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steels
400
MAG welded
R = 0.1
p
300
10mm
pw
Stress range, MPa
250
Reference data for

200
pp
pw
150
Weld toes ultrasonic impact treated (UIT)

Series 2.13, S31803 Duplex
Series 2.15, 304L Austenitic
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
100
80
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.41 Comparison of the fatigue performance of weld toe ultrasonic impact treaed (UIT)
longitudinal fillet welds in type S31803 duplex and type 304L austenitic steels
13631.01/2005/1257.3
2004-2-2-9-18-40-002
2004-2-5-11-1-21-002
Fig.42 Fatigue cracking in series 3.1 specimens, TIG dressed type 304L austenitic steel
welds containing solidification cracks: a) Section showing both fatigue crack and solidification
cracking; b) Fracture surface showing fatigue crack growth from solidification crack.
500
Factor of 1.3 on fatigue strength from

mean S-N curve for as-welded in 3% NaCl
400
Type S31806 duplex

R=0.1
Toe ground, air
Stress range, MPa
300
10mm
250
Toe ground, 3% NaCl

200

duplex and austenitic steels
tested in air (Fig. 16)
150
Series 3.2, as-welded, 3% NaCl

Series 2.1, toe ground, air
Series 3.3, toe ground, 3% NaCl
g Failed in grips
! Unbroken
100
As-welded,
tested in 3% NaCl
80
4
3x10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.43 Effect of immersion in 3% NaCl solution on the fatigue performance of as-welded and
weld toe ground type S31803 duplex steel plates with transverse fillet welded attachments.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
T ype S31806 duplex
500
Plasm a dressed,
in air
400
R=0.1
10mm
Stress range, MPa
300

from m ean curve for as-w elded
in 3% NaCl
250
200
Plasm a
dressed,
3% NaCl
Reference data for as-w elded

duplex and austenitic steels
tested in air (Fig. 16)
150
Series 3.2, as-welded, 3% NaCl

Series 2.4, plasm a dressed, air
Series 3.5, plasm a dressed, 3% NaCl
m Dressing missed part of toe
! Unbroken
100
As-w elded,
tested in 3% NaCl
80
3x10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.44 Effect of immersion in 3% NaCl solution on the fatigue performance of as-welded and
weld toe plasma dressed type S31803 duplex steel plates with transverse fillet welded
attachments.
500
Weld toes plasma dressed
Duplex, air
400
R=0.1
10mm
Stress range, MPa
300
250
Duplex, 3% NaCl
200
Reference data for

austenitic tested in air (Fig. 16)
150

Series 2.8, tested in air
Series 3.4, tested in 3% NaCl
Type S31803 duplex
Series 2.4, tested in air
Series 3.5, tested in 3% NaCl
! Unbroken
100
Austenitic,
3% NaCl
80
4
3x10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.45 Effect of immersion in 3% NaCl solution on the fatigue performance of weld toe
plasma dressed type 304L austenitic and type S31803 duplex steel plates with transverse fillet
welded attachments.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
300

250
pp
Stress range, MPa
10mm
200

austenitic and duplex,
R = 0.1 - 0.63 (Fig. 16)
Series 2.6, R=0.1 (Smax = 200 - 280 MPa)
Series 3.6, Smax = 250 MPa (R =0.04 - 0.1)
p Failed in plate
d Failed from weld defect
! Unbroken
150
130
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.46 Effect of tensile mean stress on the fatigue performance of type 304L austenitic steel
plates with transverse fillet welded attachments with TIG dressed weld toes.
400
Type S31803 duplex
300
Stress range, MPa
10mm
Factor of 1.3 on fatigue

strength from mean S-N
curve for as-welded
200
Reference data for

150

Series 2.2, R = 0.1 (Smax = 222 - 377 MPa)
Series 3.8, Smax = 360 - 480 MPa (R = 0.37 - 0.62)
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
100
4
5x10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.47 Effect of tensile mean stress on the fatigue performance of type S31803 duplex steel
plates with transverse fillet welded attachments with TIG dressed weld toes.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
700
600
Cr-Mn austenitic
3mm
500
p
400
pwr
Stress range, MPa
p p
300
pwr
250
r
g
200
Weld toe TIG dressed

Series 2.10, R=0.1
Series 3.11, R=0.1
Series 3.11, Smax = 420 - 500 MPa
(R = 0.3 - 0.5)
p Failed in plate
g Failed in grips
pw Failed in plate from
weld root
! Unbroken
150
100
Mean, as-welded, R=0.1 (from Fig.13)

Factor of 1.3 on fatigue strength, R=0.1
Mean, as-welded, R>0.5 (from Fig.13)
Factor of 1.3 on fatigue strength, R>0.5
50
10
10
10
10
2x10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.48 Effect of tensile mean stress on the fatigue performance of austenitic Cr-Mn steel
plates with fillet welded pad attachments with TIG dressed weld toes.
300

250
p
Stress range, MPa
200
10mm

Weld toes treated by UIT
Series 2.7, R=0.1
Series 3.7, Smax= 250 MPa (R =0.04 - 0.18)
p Failed in plate
s Failed in plate from weld spatter
! Unbroken
150
130
4
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.49 Effect of tensile mean stress on the fatigue performance of type 304L austenitic steel
plates with transverse fillet welded attachments with ultrasonic impact treated (UIT) weld
toes.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
400
Type S31803 duplex

p
300
10mm
Stress range, MPa
Factor of 1.3 on
fatigue strength
from mean S-N
curve for as-welded
200
Reference data for

as-welded austenitic and
duplex, R = 0.1 - 0.63 (Fig. 16)
150
Weld toes treated by UIT

Series 2.3, R = 0.1
Series 3.9, Smax = 400 MPa (R = 0.15 - 0.55)
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
100
4
5x10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.50 Effect of tensile mean stress on the fatigue performance of type S31803 duplex
steel plates with transverse fillet welded attachments with ultrasonic impact treated (UIT)
weld toes.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
600
Maximum stress range in spectrum, MPa
Spectrum loading
500
R = 0.1
10mm
Previous ECSC project
400
r
Series 3.19, type S31803 duplex

Series 3.20, type 304L austenitic
Type 304L austenitic (1)
! Unbroken
300
5
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
a)
300
Spectrum loading
R = 0.1
Stress range, MPa
10mm
200
Constant amplitude reference

data for as-welded duplex
and austenitic (from Fig. 16)
150
r
Series 3.19, type S31803 duplex

Series 3.20, type 304L austenitic
Type 304L austenitic (1)
! Unbroken
In terms of
} equivalent
constant
amplitude
stress range
100
4
10
b)
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.51 Fatigue test results obtained from as-welded transverse fillet welded specimens in
types S31803 duplex and 304L austenitic steel under spectrum loading:
a) Plotted in terms of maximum stress range in the spectrum;
b) Plotted in terms of the equivalent constant amplitude stress range.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
600

R = 0.1
500
3mm
400
As-welded,
spectrum
300
As-welded,
constant amplitude
200
150
Series 1.11, constant amplitude
Series 3.18, spectrum loading
! Unbroken
100
4
10
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
a)
500
400
3mm
R = 0.1
Stress range, MPa
300
200
Constant amplitude and

spectrum loaded combined
150
Series 1.11, constant amplitude

Series 3.18, spectrum loading (in terms
of equivalent constant amplitude stress)
! Unbroken
100
4
10
b)
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.52 Fatigue test results obtained from as-welded transverse fillet welded pad specimens in
austenitic Cr-Mn steel under spectrum loading:
13631.01/2005/1257.3
700
600
Type S31803 duplex
500
yield
10mm
400
r
w
R = 0.1
r
300
Constant amplitude
Spectrum loaded
w Failed in weld
! Unbroken
200
Constant amplitude reference data for

as-welded duplex and austenitic(Fig.16)
100
4
10
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
a)
500
Type S31803 duplex

from mean constant amplitude
S-N curve for as-welded joints
400
R = 0.1
10mm
Stress range, MPa
300
Mean fitted to all TIG

dressed failures
Constant amplitude
reference data for
austenitic (Fig.16)
200
100
4
10
b)
Constant amplitude
Spectrum loaded
Extra tests, as-welded } Equivalent constant
amplitude stress
w Failed in weld
! Unbroken
5
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.53 Fatigue test results obtained from weld toe TIG dressed transverse fillet welded
specimens in type S31803 duplex steel under spectrum loading:
13631.01/2005/1257.3
600
500
R = 0.1
400
10mm
p
p
300
yield
250
p
200
Constant amplitude
Series 2.6 and 3.6, TIG dressed
Spectrum loading
p Failed in plate
as-welded duplex and austenitic (Fig.16)
! Unbroken
150
100
4
10
a)
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
500

Factor of 1.3 on fatigue strength from mean
constant amplitude S-N curve for as-welded
400
R = 0.1
Stress range, MPa
10mm
300
p
250
Constant amplitude
reference data for
as-welded duplex
and austenitic (Fig.16)
200
pp
Constant amplitude
Series 2.6 & 3.6, TIG dressed
Spectrum loading
p Failed in plate
! Unbroken
150
All TIG dressed
p
p
r
100
4
10
b)
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.54 Fatigue test results obtained from weld toe TIG dressed transverse fillet welded
specimens in type 304L austenitic steel under spectrum loading:
13631.01/2005/1257.3
600
TIG dressed,
constant amplitude
500
r,p
p
yield
p
p p
pw
p
pw
pw
300
As-welded,
spectrum
200
3mm
150
R = 0.1
Constant amplitude
Series 2.10 & 3.11 (R=0.1), TIG dressed
Specrum loaded
p Failed in plate
g Failed in grips
! Unbroken
100
10
As-welded,
constant amplitude
10
10
a)
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
All TIG dressed
600
3mm
500
R = 0.1
400
p p
300
Stress range, MPa
400
50
Factor of 1.3 on
fatigue strength from
mean constant amplitude
S-N curve for as-welded
200
pw
pw
pw
r,p
s
p
p
p
As-welded,
constant amplitude
150
Constant amplitude
Series 2.10 & 3.11 (R=0.1), TIG dressed
Spectrum loaded
Equivalent constant
amplitude stress
p Failed in plate
g Failed in grips
! Unbroken
100
50
10
b)
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.55 Fatigue test results obtained from weld toe TIG dressed transverse fillet welded pad
specimens in austenitic Cr-Mn steel under spectrum loading:
13631.01/2005/1257.3
700
600
Type S31803 duplex
500
yield
10mm
400
R = 0.1
300
Factor of 1.3 on fatigue

strength from mean
constant amplitude S-N
curve for as-welded
Constant amplitude
Series 2.3, UIT
Spectrum loaded
Series 3.13, UIT
! Unbroken
200

as-welded duplex and austenitic steels (Fig.16)
100
4
10
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
a)
500

from mean constant amplitude
S-N curve for as-welded
400
Type S31803 duplex

R = 0.1
10mm
Stress range, MPa
300
Fitted to all UIT failures

(except lowest spectrum
loading result)
Constant amplitude
reference data for
as-welded duplex
200
Constant amplitude
Series 2.3, UIT
Spectrum loaded
Series 3.19, as-welded Equivalent constant
amplitude stress
Series 3.13, UIT
! Unbroken
100
4
10
10
10
10
3x10
Endurance, cycles
b)
Fig.56 Fatigue test results obtained from weld toe ultrasonic impact treated (UIT) transverse
fillet welded specimens in type S31803 duplex steel under spectrum loading:
13631.01/2005/1257.3
600
500
Reference constant amplitude data for

as-welded duplex and austenitic (Fig.16)
UIT, spectrum loading
400
r
300
c
250
200
150
100
yield
p
p
Constant amplitude
Series 2.7 and 3.7, UIT
Spectrum loaded
Series 3.15, UIT
p Failed in plate
c Cracked but unbroken
! Unbroken
10mm
R = 0.1
70
4
5x10
10
10
a)
10
10
Endurance, cycles
300
Factor of 1.3 on fatigue strength from mean constant

amplitude S-N curve for as-welded
250
p
Stress range, MPa
200
150

p
10mm
p
s
p
R = 0.1
Constant amplitude
reference data for
as-welded duplex
r
Constant amplitude
Series 2.7 and 3.7, UIT
Spectrum loaded
Series 3.20, as-welded Equivalent constant
amplitude stress
Series 3.15, UIT
p Failed in plate
c Cracked but unbroken
! Unbroken
100
80
5x10
b)
10
10
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.57 Fatigue test results obtained from weld toe ultrasonic impact treated (UIT) transverse
fillet welded specimens in type 304L austenitic steel under spectrum loading:
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Type S31803
duplex
Weld toe radius (mean 1SD), mm
PPAW*
(one
macro)
Type 304L
austenitic
Cr-Mn
austenitic
MAG
PPAW
PPAW*
(one
macro)
MAG
1
MAG
TIG
0
* Measurements made on only one macro-section; variation from weld to weld not known.
Fig.58 Variation in measured weld toe radii in as-welded specimens
450
400
Stress range, MPa
300
Target S-N curve for

improved weld toes
200
Fatigue failure in plate

10mm S31803 duplex
10mm 304L austenitic
10mm 304L austenitic,
failed from spatter
3mm Cr-Mn austenitic
! Unbroken
Mean S-N curve fitted to

reference data for as-welded joints
100
5
10
10
Endurance, cycles
Fig.59 Fatigue test results obtained from specimens that failed in the parent plate.
13631.01/2005/1257.3
5x10
ANNEX 1
Fatigue Testing Programme
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table A1.1 Phase I Testing of untreated welded specimens

Series
Specimen
type
Steel
Welding
process
Fabricator
1.1
Transverse
S31803
TIG
TWI
Smax =
constant
IST
1.2
Transverse
S31803
MAG
KTN
0.1
LBF
1.3
Transverse
S31803
MAG
KTN
Smax =
constant
LUT
1.4
Transverse
S31803
PPAW
TNO
0.1
TNO
1.5
Transverse
S31803
PPAW
TNO
Smax =
constant
TWI
1.6
Transverse
304L
TIG
TWI
Smax =
constant
LUT
1.7
Transverse
304L
MAG
TWI
0.1
LUT
1.8
Transverse
304L
MAG
TWI
Smax =
constant
LBF
1.9
Transverse
304L
PPAW
TNO
0.1
TNO
1.10
Transverse
304L
PPAW
TNO
Smax =
constant
TWI
1.11
Transverse pad
Cr-Mn
MAG
KTN
0.1
TWI
1.12
Transverse pad
Cr-Mn
MAG
KTN
Smax =
constant
LUT
1.13
Transverse pad
Cr-Mn
PPAW
TNO
0.1
IST
1.14
Transverse pad
Cr-Mn
PPAW
TNO
Smax =
constant
IST
1.15
Longitudinal
S31803
MAG
TWI
0.1
TWI
1.16
Longitudinal
S31803
PPAW
TNO
0.1
TNO
* IST:
KTN:
LBF:
LUT:
TNO:
TWI:
University of Lisbon, Portugal

Krupp Thyssen Nirosta, Germany
Fraunhofer Institut Betriebsfestigkeit, Germany
Lappeenranta University ofTechnology and Avesta Polarit, Finland
TNO Institute of Industrial Technology, The Netherlands
TWI Ltd, UK
A1.1
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Test
laboratory*
Table A1.2 Phase 2 Testing of toe treated MAG welded specimens at R=0.1
Toe treatment
Test
laboratory.*
IST
Toe ground
IST
KTN
LBF
TIG dressing
LBF
S31803
KTN
LUT
UIT
LUT
Transverse
S31803
KTN
TNO
plasma dressing
TNO
2.5
Transverse
304L
TWI
IST
Toe ground
IST
2.6
Transverse
304L
TWI
TWI
TIG dressing
LBF
2.7
Transverse
304L
TWI
LUT
UIT
LUT
2.8
Transverse
304L
TWI
TNO
plasma dressing
TNO
2.9
Transverse pad
Cr-Mn
KTN
IST
Toe ground
IST
2.10
Transverse pad
Cr-Mn
KTN
TWI
TIG dressing
TWI
2.12
Transverse pad
Cr-Mn
KTN
TNO
plasma dressing
IST
2.13
Longitudinal
S31803
TWI
LUT
UIT
LUT
2.14
Longitudinal
S31803
TWI
TNO
plasma dressing
TNO
2.15
Longitudinal
304L
TWI
LUT
UIT
LUT
2.16
Longitudinal
304L
TWI
TNO
plasma dressing
TNO
Specimen production
Welding
Post-weld toe
treatment
Series
Specimen type
Steel
2.1
Transverse
S31803
KTN
2.2
Transverse
S31803
2.3
Transverse
2.4
* IST:
KTN:
LBF:
LUT:
TNO:
TWI:

TWI Ltd, UK
A1.2
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table A1.3 Phase 3 Fatigue tests on toe treated MAG welds under conditions that could reduce the benefit
Series
Steel
3.1
Transverse
304L
3.2
3.3
3.4
Transverse
Transverse
Transverse
S31803
S31803
304L
KTN
KTN
TWI
IST
IST
TNO
3.5
Transverse
S31803
KTN
TNO
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
3.11
304L
304L
S31803
S31803
Cr-Mn
TWI
TWI
KTN
KTN
KTN
3.12
Transverse
Transverse
Transverse
Transverse
Transverse
pad
Transverse
S31803
3.13
Transverse
3.14
Toe treatment
Testing conditions
Test laboratory*
R = 0.1
TWI
R = 0.1, 3%NaCl
R = 0.1, 3%NaCl
R = 0.1, 3%NaCl
IST
IST
IST
R = 0.1, 3%NaCl
IST
TWI
LUT
LBF
LUT
TWI
TIG dressed
with welding
flaws
None
Toe ground
PPAW
dressed
PPAW
dressed
TIG dressed
UIT
TIG dressed
UIT
TIG Dressed
Smax = constant
Smax = constant
Smax = constant
Smax = constant
Smax = constant
TWI
LUT
LBF
LUT
TNO
KTN
LBF
TIG dressed
LBF
S31803
KTN
LUT
UIT
Transverse
304L
TWI
TWI
TIG dressed
3.15
Transverse
304L
TWI
LUT
UIT
3.16
Cr-Mn
KTN
LBF
TIG Dressed
Cr-Mn
KTN
As-welded
3.19
Transverse
pad
Transverse
pad
Transverse
S31803
TWI
As-welded
3.20
Transverse
304L
TWI
As-welded
R = 0.1 spectrum
loading
R = 0.1 spectrum
loading
R = 0.1 spectrum
loading
R = 0.1 spectrum
loading
R=0.1 spectrum
loading
R=0.1, constant
amplitude
R=0.1 spectrum
loading
R=0.1 spectrum
loading
3.18
Specimen production
Welding
Post-weld
toe
treatment
TWI
TWI
Specimen
type
IST:
KTN:
LBF:
LUT:
TNO:
TWI:

TWI Ltd, UK
A1.3
13631.01/2005/1257.3
LBF
LBF
LBF
LBF
LBF
LBF
LBF
ANNEX 2
Spot-Heating Trials
13631.01/2005/1257.3
A2.1
BACKGROUND
One of the objectives of the proposed tests on welds treated by UIT, to introduce compressive
residual stress, is to ensure that such treatment is still beneficial in the presence of high
tensile residual stresses. Such residual stresses can be expected to be present in virtually any
real as-welded structure. However, relatively narrow specimens with transverse fillet welds
of the types shown in Fig.1 and 3 are not expected to contain high levels of residual stress.
Past experience with structural C-Mn steels has shown that high tensile residual stresses,
representative of those in real welded structures, can be introduced into some welded
specimens by local spot heating (A2.1). Therefore, trials were performed to see if high tensile
residual stresses could be induced by spot heating.
However, one issue of concern in relation to the duplex steel was the metallurgical effect of
such spot heating, particularly the possibility that it might precipitate undesirable phases.
These could influence the corrosion resistance and fracture toughness of the steel, although
such factors would not be relevant to the fatigue testing in air. Nevertheless, the trials
included detailed examination of the microstructure of the spot-heated duplex steel to check
for the phase balance.
A2.2
TEST SPECIMENS
Spot heating trials were performed on specimens of the type shown in Fig.1, made from both
austenitic type 304L steel and type S31803 duplex stainless steel. In both cases, the
specimens were left over from the previous project (A2.2) and details of their chemical
compositions can be found in Ref.A2.2. Their mechanical properties are of particular
relevance here. The 0.2% proof strength of the 304L austenitic steel (plate no. 2B171) was
327 MPa, while that of the S31803 duplex steel (Plate no. 2B172) was 527 MPa.
A2.3
EFFECT OF SPOT HEATING
A2.3.1
METHOD
OF SPOT HEATING
Spot heating was performed by two operators using propane gas heating torches. The area
adjacent to the weld toe on opposite surfaces of the plate was heated for approximately eight
seconds until the steel glowed cherry red. Previous experience with C-Mn steels indicates that
achieving the temperature corresponding to this colour is sufficient to introduce residual
stresses. However, as far as the authors are aware, this technique has never been used before
on stainless steels. Local spot heating introduces compressive residual stresses around the
circumference of the spot but tensile residual stress acts in a radial direction. Thus, the area to
be heated was chosen on the basis that the weld toe would be within the heat spot and hence
left in residual tension. The resulting spot heated area in one of the specimens is shown in
Fig.A2.1. Two specimens in both steels were treated.
A2.3.2
METALLURGICAL EFFECT OF SPOT HEATING ON DUPLEX
The microstructure of the spot-heated duplex steel was examined in detail after etching
electrolytically in 20% H2SO4 with 0.1g/l NH4CNS to check for the presence of second
phases. However, this failed to reveal any detrimental effects of spot heating. Figure A2.2
shows the microstructure of the parent plate remote from the spot-heated area in comparison
with that within a spot-heated region of the plate. The dark spots are present in both cases and
A2.1
13631.01/2005/1257.3
are unlikely to be second phase particles, either chi or sigma phase, but are more likely to be
non-metallic inclusions, nitrides or carbides. However, it is important to note that they are
evenly distributed through the material, not just in the spot-heated region. In other words, the
spot-heated area does not contain either an increased or decreased amount of these particles.
It is also relevant to note that the grain size and shape was not changed in the spot-heated
region. However, they did vary through the thickness of the plate, being longer and thinner
near the surfaces and shorter and fatter at mid-thickness. This is a result of the rolling
process. More work is applied to the surface of the plate during rolling than is applied to the
centre.
A2.3.3
METHOD OF RESIDUAL STRESS MEASUREMENT
The effect of spot heating was checked by measuring residual stresses in the heat spots close
to the weld toe. Residual stresses were also measured in an as-welded duplex specimen, for
comparison. An as-welded austenitic specimen was not available at the time of the trials.
However, in view of the similarity in geometry it is expected that the level of residual stress
would be a similar proportion of proof strength for both steels. Measurements were made
using the centre-hole drilling method, whereby a special three element strain gauge rosette is
fixed to the plate surface and a small hole drilled in the centre using special air abrasive
drilling equipment which does not itself introduce residual stresses. The residual stress level
is then calculated on the basis of the change of strain resulting from drilling. A gauge with a
hole drilled in it can be seen in Fig.A2.1. Measurements were made close to the weld toe on
diagonally opposite sides of each specimen.
A2.3.4
RESULTS OF RESIDUAL STRESS MEASUREMENTS
The results of the measurements are given in Table A2.1. The relevant residual stresses from
the point of view of the fatigue behaviour of this particular weld detail are those acting
transverse, or near to transverse, to the weld, that is along the length of the specimen. As will
be seen, the results indicate that indeed high tensile residual stresses were introduced by spot
heating, acting both transverse and parallel to the weld. The magnitude was rather similar for
both steels and, as intended, higher than those measured in the as-welded specimen.
Considering those acting transverse to the weld, the average in the 304L austenitic steel was
200MPa, 61% of proof, while that in the S31803 duplex was 211MPa, 40% of proof. Even
higher residual stresses can be expected in real structures, but these should be sufficiently
high compared with those introduced by UIT to investigate any interaction.
A2.4
CONCLUSIONS
In view of the fact that spot heating introduced relatively high tensile residual stresses
without having any detrimental effect on the properties of the duplex steel, it is decided to
apply the technique to the specimens that were to be improved by UIT.
A2.5
REFERENCES
A2.1. Maddox SJ: Influence of tensile residual stresses on the fatigue behaviour of welded
joints in steel, In Residual Stress Effects in Fatigue, ASTM STP 776, 1982, pp63-9.
A2.2. Moura Branco C, Maddox S J and Sonsino C M: Fatigue design of welded stainless
steels. Report No.EUR 19972, ECSC Steel Publications, European Commission,
Brussels, 2001
A2.2
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table A2.1 Results of residual stress measurements
Steel
Proof
strength, Specimen
No.
MPa
Spotheated
327
304L
austenitic
Spotheated
S31803
duplex
527
As-welded
527
S31803
duplex
Residual stress, MPa
Location
Side 1
2B171/1
Side 2
Side 1
2B171/2
Side 2
Side 1
2B171/2W7
Side 2
Side 1
2B172/1
Side 2
Side 1
2B172/2
Side 2
2B172/1B Side 1
Side 2
Side 1
2B172/D
Side 2
Maximum
223
293
208
160
324
324
217
176
327
263
257
297
360
Minimum
183
245
193
88
189
192
158
112
221
223
187
223
135
Transverse
to weld
187
250
207
154
195
205
161
162
222
259
230
230
147
Parallel to
weld
219
288
195
93
319
311
214
126
327
228
214
290
348
180
140
150
170
A2.3
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Drilled hole in strain gauge rosette

for measuring residual stress
Heat spot
Fig. A2.1 Transverse fillet welded specimen spot heated to induce tensile residual stresses.
a)
2003-3-19-11-6-43 b)
2003-3-19-10-55-3
Fig. A2.2 Effect of spot heating on microstructure of S31803 duplex stainless steel plate:
a) Remote from spot heated region;
b) In spot heated region.
A2.4
13631.01/2005/1257.3
ANNEX 3
Investigation of the Effect of Weld Toe TIG- or Plasma Dressing on the Ferrite Level in
Duplex Stainless Steel
13631.01/2005/1257.3
A3.1
INTRODUCTION
The toes of welds are often dressed to improve fatigue performance by removing any stress
concentrating features that may be present. Dressing may either be performed mechanically,
or by running an autogenous weld along the toe using a TIG or plasma welding torch; this is
known as TIG or plasma dressing. Autogenous welds in duplex and superduplex stainless
steels may contain unacceptably high levels of ferrite. This can be avoided by the addition of
nitrogen, which is an austenite stabiliser, to the shielding gas. The purpose of this
investigation was to determine if the same approach could be used to ensure that TIG
dressing did not produce unacceptable levels of ferrite.
At the same time the opportunity was taken to check the ferrite levels in plasma dressed
duplex specimens. These had already been produced by TNO, using the Plasma Powder Arc
Welding equipment, before it was realised that the influence of weld toe re-melting on the
austenite-ferrite balance should be investigated. A sample from series 2.4 was provided by
TNO.
A3.2
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
In order to investigate TIG dressing, two fillet welds were made in a duplex stainless steel
T-joint using a standard filler material; the toes of these welds were then TIG dressed. 1.0%
nitrogen was added to the shielding gas for one TIG dressing and 2.5% for the other. A single
transverse metallographic section was taken through each weld, including the TIG dressed
toe area. These sections were prepared using standard metallographic techniques and then
etched using electrolytic sulphuric acid solution (10% H2SO4 and 0.1 g/l NH4CNS in distilled
water). The sections were examined using a reflected light microscope; photographs and
photomicrographs of these sections were recorded. Point counting was used to determine the
ferrite content in the TIG dressed weld toe and adjacent parent metal HAZ for both welds.
This was done according to a modified version of TWI standard practice 5632/18/93 in which
an electrolytic sulphuric acid etch was used in place of a sodium hydroxide etch.
Measurements were taken at a magnification of 1400 over 16 fields with 25 points per field.
A section from the plasma dressed sample supplied by TNO was also cut out, mounted,
polished and etched using an electrolytic sulphuric acid solution, to reveal the microstructure.
This sample was then also point counted using TWIs recommended practice 5632/18/93.
A3.3
RESULTS
Images from the metallographic sections from the TIG dressed samples are given in Fig.A3.1
to A3.6. A table of results from the point counting is given in Table A3.1. These were similar
in both cases, with the TIG dressed weld metals having a ferrite content of 43 to 44% and
both parent material HAZs being 73% ferrite.
The generally accepted allowable range for ferrite content within a duplex stainless steel is 35
to 65%. Welds made with both 1.0 and 2.5% nitrogen in the shielding gas therefore have
acceptable levels of ferrite in the weld material (43 to 44%). The HAZs near the dressed weld
toe both contain 73% ferrite; for comparison, the ferrite contents of the parent materials and
also the HAZ in the parent material adjacent to the original welds were measured. These were
67 and 65% for the original HAZ and 39 and 42% in the parent material (also summarised in
A3.1
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table A3.1). Therefore, the parent material was within the typical range of 35 to 65%, but the
HAZ of the original weld was on or above the upper limit of this typical range.
The results from the point counting of the section through a plasma dressed sample are given
in Table A3.2. In contrast to the TIG dressing HAZs, the ferrite content of 63% in the plasma
dressing HAZ was within the acceptable range. However, by contrast, whereas the TIG
dressed weld metals were within the desired ferrite range, the 68% ferrite content in the
plasma dressed weld metal was slightly above it.
The difference in ferrite content between the plasma dressed and TIG dressed weld metals is
likely to be due to the addition of nitrogen to the shielding gas in the TIG dressing, which
would tend to reduce nitrogen loss and raise the austenite content. The variations in HAZ
ferrite content are, assuming that base material condition and chemistry are similar in both
cases, likely to be due to differences in heat input, higher heat inputs and slower cooling
giving a decrease in HAZ ferrite content.
A3.4
DISCUSSION
It is apparent that the TIG dressed weld metals produced using both 1.0% and 2.5% nitrogen
had microstructures containing acceptable levels of ferrite. There appears to be no significant
difference, in terms of ferrite content, between the welds produced using different levels of
nitrogen in the shielding gas. Thus, variations in shielding gas nitrogen levels between 1.0
and 2.5% should be acceptable for TIG dressing welds of this type. The ferrite content of the
parent metal HAZ regions from the TIG dressing was significantly above the typically
specified range at 73%; by contrast, the parent material HAZ regions from the original welds
were 65 and 67%. HAZ regions in duplex stainless steels typically contain elevated levels of
ferrite if heat inputs have been low; therefore, to produce an acceptable ferrite level in the
TIG dressing HAZs, heat input of the TIG dressing procedure may have to be increased.
A3.5
CONCLUSIONS
Additions of both 1.0 and 2.5% nitrogen to the shielding gas during TIG dressing of
duplex stainless steels have resulted in welds with acceptable phase balances.
Higher levels of ferrite were found in the TIG dressing HAZs than in the original
weld HAZs. This is likely to be due to differences in heat input between the TIG
dressing and the original weld.
The opposite was found in a plasma dressed duplex sample, with the ferrite content of
the plasma dressed weld being slightly outside the acceptable range but the plasma
dressing HAZ being within it.
Overall, it will be prudent to perform the TIG dressing with 1 to 2% nitrogen in the
shielding gas. However, the absence of nitrogen in the plasma dressing operation
already performed did not produce entirely unacceptable microstructures.
A3.2
13631.01/2005/1257.3
Table A3.1. Summary of ferrite contents in TIG dressed weld toe and adjacent HAZ with
differing levels of nitrogen added to the shielding gas. Results were obtained by point
counting, using TWI recommended practice 5632/18/93.
Sample ID
W1
W1
W1
W1
W2
W2
W2
W2
N2 in shielding gas
1.0 %
1.0 %
0.0 %
N/A
2.5 %
2.5 %
0.0 %
N/A
Location
Dressed weld toe
TIG dressing HAZ
Original weld HAZ
Parent material
Dressed weld toe
TIG dressing HAZ
Original weld HAZ
Parent material
% Ferrite
44
73
67
39
43
73
65
42
95% CI
5
8
8
6
7
7
6
6
CI, in this instance is an abbreviation for confidence interval, which is calculated as (2 /

n-1), where is the standard deviation and n the number of field counts.
Table A3.2. Summary of ferrite contents in plasma dressed duplex stainless steel weld toes.
Results were obtained by point counting, using TWI recommended practice 5632/18/93.
Region
Parent
Plasma dressed weld toe
Plasma dressing HAZ
Original weld HAZ
Original weld metal
% Ferrite
42
68
63
66
34
95% CI
8
6
6
5
9
A3.3
13631.01/2005/1257.3
2004-3-24-13-47-49-002
Fig.A3.1 Photograph of the metallographic section through weld 1 with toe dressed using
1.0% nitrogen in the shielding gas.
2004-3-24-14-18-49-002
Fig.A3.2 Photograph of the metallographic section through weld 2 with toe dressed using
2.5% nitrogen in the shielding gas.
A3.4
13631.01/2005/1257.3
2004-3-24-11-56-13-003
Fig.A3.3 Digital photomicrograph of weld metal from the TIG dressed toe of weld 1.
Shielding gas contained 1.0% nitrogen.
2004-3-24-12-0-15-003
Fig.A3.4 Digital photomicrograph of HAZ from the TIG dressed toe of weld 1. Shielding gas
contained 1.0% nitrogen.
A3.5
13631.01/2005/1257.3
2004-3-24-12-9-7-003
Fig.A3.5 Digital photomicrograph of weld metal from the TIG dressed toe of weld 2.
Shielding gas contained 2.5% nitrogen.
2004-3-24-12-5-18-003
Fig.A3.6 Digital photomicrograph of HAZ from the TIG dressed toe of weld 2. Shielding gas
contained 2.5% nitrogen.
A3.6
13631.01/2005/1257.3
ANNEX 4
Investigation of Plain Plate Failure in Type 304L Austenitic Steel Specimen
13631.01/2005/1257.3
A4.1
INTRODUCTION
One of the series 3.6 TIG dressed type 304L MAG fillet welds, specimen number 3.6-4,
failed in the parent plate some 75mm from the weld toe. The resulting fatigue life was
considerably less than expected for a TIG dressed specimen. It was observed that the fatigue
crack appeared to have initiated at a blemish on the plate surface. Therefore, the origin of the
fatigue cracking was examined in detail in order to identify its cause and significance.
A4.2
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Careful visual examination of the test specimen revealed that the fatigue crack had initiated
from a surface feature, which was covered by paint. A detailed fractographic examination
was performed on the fracture surface to reveal the fatigue crack origin morphology and the
cause of failure. A sample for scanning electron microscopy examination was cut off at a
distance of 25mm from the fracture surface and subsequently cleaned ultrasonically in
acetone to remove any surface paint.
A metallographic section was taken perpendicular to the fracture at the failure origin, in the
middle of the surface feature, to examine the microstructure at the fatigue crack origin and in
the parent material. The sample was mounted and prepared by using standard metallographic
preparation techniques. To reveal the microstructure, electrolytic etching was carried out in
20% sulphuric acid, 80% distilled water and 0.1g/1 litre ammonium thiocyanate at 2.4V for
20 second etching time. The metallographic sample was studied under a light optical
microscope. Digital photomicrographs were taken at different magnifications to record
relevant features.
A4.3
RESULTS
A4.3.1 VISUAL EXAMINATION

The fatigue crack had clearly initiated from a surface blemish covered by paint. The blemish
was situated approximately 35mm from the edge of the specimen.
A4.3.2 METALLOGRAPHY
The results of the metallographic examination are recorded in digital photomicrographs in
Fig.A4.1 to 4. Fig.A4.1 shows a plastically deformed austenitic microstructure, resulting in
secondary lap or micro-crack development, in the vicinity of the fatigue crack origin. The
lesser extent of plastic deformation in the subsurface microstructure at the end of the blemish
area was also sufficient to initiate secondary surface flaws, as is evident from Fig.A4.2. An
example of undeformed austenitic microstructure in the parent steel is documented in
Fig.A4.3, while Fig. A4.4 shows a detail of that microstructure. The test specimen had a
homogenous annealed austenitic microstructure with twins and a small amount of ferrite
phase, distributed parallel to the sample surface.
A4.3.3 FRACTOGRAPHY
The fracture surface morphology was examined directly on a bulk specimen in a scanning
electron microscope. The results of the fractographic analysis are recorded in Fig.A4.5 to 8.
A macrograph of the fatigue fracture origin area and the adjacent surface blemish is shown in
Fig.A4.5. Figure A4.6 represents a top view of the surface blemish morphology, which
A4.1
13631.01/2005/1257.3
created a notch in the region of fatigue crack initiation. A higher magnification view of the
fatigue crack origin is shown in Fig.A4.7. A detail of the fatigue surface morphology,
decorated by secondary surface cracks, taken in the vicinity of the fatigue crack origin is
documented in Fig.A4.8.
A4.4
DISCUSSION
The fatigue crack initiated at a surface blemish covered by paint. This was found to be an
indentation that introduced a notch on the plate surface. Metallographic sectioning revealed a
plastically-deformed austenitic microstructure in the vicinity of the fatigue crack origin,
developed as a consequence of the surface deformation, Fig. A4.1. Furthermore, the severity
of that notch was intensified by the presence of secondary flaws in the form of laps or cracks,
as seen in Fig. A4.8. The fatigue crack initiated at such a flaw. The most likely cause of this
deformation was mechanical damage to the surface, from an impact or a scratch. No changes
in microstructure that could have been a consequence of heating by the welding were
observed.
A4.5
CONCLUSION
A detailed optical and scanning electron microscope investigation of the fatigue crack in the
parent metal of specimen 3.6-4 revealed that the cause of the failure away from the weld was
the presence of mechanical surface damage. This resulted in a highly deformed austenitic
microstructure and micro-crack development, from which fatigue cracking readily initiated.
2004-12-8-14-49-20-003
Fig.A4.1 Plastically-deformed austenitic microstructure and associated laps and secondary
microcracks in the vicinity of the fatigue crack origin marked by arrow A. Undeformed
austenitic microstructure, further from the origin is marked by arrow B.
A4.2
13631.01/2005/1257.3
2004-12-8-14-55-7-003
Fig.A4.2 Lower extent of plastic deformation with a secondary crack at one end of the indent
area.
2004-12-8-14-56-23-003
Fig.A4.3 An example of undeformed parent steel austenitic microstructure.
A4.3
13631.01/2005/1257.3
2004-12-8-15-1-10-003
Fig.A4.4 Homogeneous parent steel austenitic microstructure with twins and a small amount
of -ferrite phase, distributed parallel to the sample surface.
43377
Fig.A4.5 SEM macrograph recording fatigue fracture origin area, marked by arrow B and
surface blemish is marked by arrow A.
A4.4
13631.01/2005/1257.3
43382
Fig.A4.6 SEM macrograph recording top view of the surface blemish morphology and the
fatigue crack origin area, marked by arrow A.
A4.5
13631.01/2005/1257.3
43378
Fig.A4.7 Higher magnification image of fatigue crack origin fracture surface morphology.
43379
Fig.A4.8 A detail of the fatigue fracture surface morphology decorated by secondary surface
cracks, in the vicinity of the fatigue crack origin.
A4.6
13631.01/2005/1257.3

Fatigue of Welded ST ST

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This Research Report is for the exclusive use of

Industrial Members of The Welding Institute, and

TWI Ltd 2006

APPLICATION OF IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

CHARACTERISATION OF TEST SPECIMENS

FATIGUE TESTING CONDITIONS

FATIGUE TEST RESULTS

BASIC FATIGUE STRENGTH OF MAG WELDED SPECIMENS

TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL

TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC STEEL

TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED AUSTENITIC CR-MN STEEL

LONGITUDINAL FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL

SIGNIFICANCE OF STEEL TENSILE STRENGTH

INFLUENCE OF WELDING PROCESS ON FATIGUE STRENGTH

FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL

FILLET WELDED TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC STEEL

TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED AUSTENITIC CR-MN STEEL

SIGNIFICANCE OF STEEL TENSILE STRENGTH

APPLICATION OF WELD TOE IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL

TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC STEEL

TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED AUSTENITIC CR-MN STEEL

LONGITUDINAL FILLET WELDED JOINTS IN TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEELS

SIGNIFICANCE OF STEEL TENSILE STRENGTH

INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS THAT COULD REDUCE THE

TIG DRESSING OF TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC FILLET WELDS WITH FLAWS

INFLUENCE OF A CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENT

EFFECT OF HIGH TENSILE MEAN STRESS

BENEFIT OF IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES UNDER SPECTRUM LOADING

INFLUENCE OF WELDING PROCESS

BENEFIT FROM IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Measures that improve fatigue performance in air

TIG or plasma dressing

Ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT)

Factors that might limit the benefit from improvement techniques

Immersion of unprotected specimens in 3% NaCl solution reduced the fatigue

Influence of type of stainless steel

Practical issues concerned with the use of improvement techniques

Weld detail and

Fatigue strength improvement *

x1.3, or x2 near fatigue

None; failure from

None due to sharp plasma

Weld detail and

Fatigue strength improvement *

10mm thick type 1.4301 (referred to as 304L austenitic);

APPLICATION OF IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

TIG or Plasma Dressing of Duplex

Ultrasonic Impact Treatment (UIT)

CHARACTERISATION OF TEST SPECIMENS

Residual Stress Measurements

FATIGUE TESTING CONDITIONS

FATIGUE TEST RESULTS

BASIC FATIGUE STRENGTH OF MAG WELDED SPECIMENS

TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL

TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED TYPE 304L AUSTENITIC STEEL

TRANSVERSE FILLET WELDED AUSTENITIC CR-MN STEEL

LONGITUDINAL FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL

SIGNIFICANCE OF STEEL TENSILE STRENGTH

INFLUENCE OF WELDING PROCESS ON FATIGUE STRENGTH

FILLET WELDED TYPE S31803 DUPLEX STEEL

Duplex Plates with Transverse Fillet Welded Attachments