18. ‐ 20. 5.

 2010, Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Česká Republika 

CREEP RESISTANCE OF WELD JOINT OF TUBE MADE OF P92 STEEL

Josef KASL a, Dagmar JANDOVÁ a, Eva CHVOSTOVÁ a, Petr MARTÍNEK b

a
ŠKODA VÝZKUM s.r.o., Tylova 1/57, 316 00 Plzeň, Česká republika, josef.kasl@skodavyzkum.cz
b
ZČU Plzeň, FS, KMM, Univerzitní 22, 316 04 Plzeň

Abstract

One-side weld joint of W type was prepared from P92 type steel using GTAW & SMAW method. Creep
testing of smooth cross-weld samples at temperatures ranging from 575 to 650 °C and at stresses from 70 to
240 MPa was carried out. Ruptured samples were undergone fractographic analysis and extended
metallographic investigation including scanning and transmission electron microscopy. After creep tests at
temperatures above 575 °C increase in size of secondary phases and cavities formation were evident. Voids
were concentrated in fine prior austenite grain heat affected zones. In addition, sporadic occurrence of
individual cavities was found out in the base material and the weld metal after tests at 625 and 650 °C.
During creep exposures at temperatures above 600 °C Laves phase precipitated and their particles grew.
Critical zone from the point of view of the creep failure is located in the fine prior austenite grain heat affected
zone and in the overheated zone of the base material.

Keywords: Steel P 92, weldments, creep test, microstructure, TEM

1. INTRODUCTION

Turbines, boilers and steam piping belong to the most exposed parts of steam power plants. They have been
operating under severe service conditions for several decades. Therefore high mechanical strength, good
corrosion/oxidation resistance and high structural stability of materials used for their production are desired.
Several new grades (P91, P92, P911) were developed in the last decades and they are currently used for
producing various parts of high efficiency power plants.

Grade P92 (X10CrWMoVNb9-2, ASME SA 335) is ferritic 9Cr - 1.75W - 0.5Mo steel micro-alloyed with
vanadium and niobium and with controlled boron and nitrogen contents. Due to excellent creep properties
and high corrosion/oxidation resistance, which is equal to other high chromium ferritic steels, it is used for
production of headers, boiler superheater and reheater tubes and main steam pipes for extremely severe
steam conditions (temperatures exceeding 600 °C and pressures of over 25 MPa) of advanced power plants
[1]. Steel P92 reaches creep strength from 110 to 120 MPa at the temperature of 600 °C for 105 hours. This
steel contains only a small amount of nitrogen to reduce formation of boron nitrides. Low speed of
coarsening of M23C6 particles positively influences microstructure stability of this material. During tempering
and/or creep exposure an intensive precipitation of Laves phase occurs, which leads to tungsten depletion of
solid solution. However, it does not tend to more prominent decrease of creep strength. In spite of the fact
that the amount of MX particles is rather low, only a moderate recovery as well as slow growth of subgrain
occurred.

It is well known that notwithstanding design for plant is based on creep strength of base materials, operating
experience shows welds as the most critical parts of high temperature operating plants. So every producer of
steam turbines needs to know the behaviour of weld joints at various parts of turbines, such as pipelines,
casings, valves and so on during operation. Welded joints are commonly susceptible to fracture. Rupture is
usually initiated in a specific region either during fabrication or during service as a result of structural
heterogeneity of the weldment [2]. Since cyclic thermal and stress loading after each weld pass effects the
    18. ‐ 20. 5. 2010, Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Česká Republika 

steel structure, great attention has to be paid to welding technologies and selection of convenient filler
materials. This paper deals with the study of microstructure evaluation in the similar weld joints of P92 steel
fabricated in industrial conditions after creep tests.

2. EXPERIMENTAL MATERIAL AND PROCEDURES

Trial weld joints were prepared from segments of tubes of wrought ASME SA 335 Gr. P92 steel. Their outer
diameter and wall thickness were 219 mm and 40 mm respectively. Normalising of the base material was
done at 1,060 °C and after cooling to room temperature tempering at 770 °C for 2 hours was applied. Tubes
were joined in both PC (longitudinal axis of tubes was vertical) and PF positions (longitudinal axis of tubes
was horizontal). One-side welds of W type were carried out using manual welding; the root pass was done in
internal protection by argon and filling passes using covered electrode (method 141 + 111 according to EN
ISO 4063, GTAW & SMAW according to ASME). Inductive heating with thermal insulation ensured
a preheating temperature ranging from 200 to 250 °C. The welding interpass temperature was kept below
300 °C. The post weld heat treatment (PWHT) temperature of 760 °C for 2 hours was applied. Thermanit
616 was used for root pass as well as for filler material. The chemical composition of the base metal and the
consumable used is given in Table 1.

Table 1. Chemical composition of base and filler materials (in wt. %)

C Mn Si P S Cr Mo V W Ni Nb N B Al
P92 - tube 0.12 0.41 0.25 0.015 0.003 8.6 0.47 0.17 1.75 0.11 0.06 0.045 0.002 0.029
Thermanit 616 0.13 0.61 0.24 0.007 0.002 8.93 0.99 0.18 1.55 0.67 0.07 0.041 0.005 0.005

Integrity and mechanical properties of weld joints have been evaluated according to the welding standards
EN 288-2,3. All results were satisfactory. Selected mechanical properties of the base material as well as of
the weld joints after PWHT are summarized in Table 2.

Smooth cross-weld specimens with the length of 92 mm and the diameter of 8 mm were fabricated from the
middle part (outside of the weld root) of the weld joint made in PC position. Creep tests to the rupture of
these specimens were carried out at temperatures ranging from 575 °C to 650 °C and stresses from 70 MPa
to 240 MPa. Fracture surfaces of ruptured samples were observed using scanning electron microscope
(SEM). Then specimens were cut along their longitudinal axis. Macrostructure was revealed using Vilella-
Bain´s reagent and location of fracture in the weldment was specified. Hardness measurement along the
specimen axis was performed. Microstructure on longitudinal sections was observed using light microscopy
(LM) and scanning electron microscopy. The substructure was evaluated in transmission electron
microscope (TEM). Both thin foils and extraction replicas were prepared from the selected most important
parts of weld joint. The foils were thinned by a jet polishing in 6 percent solution of perchloric acid in
methanol at -40 °C. Energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) and electron diffraction were used for the
identification of secondary phases.

Table 2. Mechanical properties of weld joints

Weld Rp0,2 Fracture KV [J]

Rm [MPa] A [%] Z [%]
position [MPa] location HAZ WM HAZ WM - root
PC 540 698 16.4 66.4 BM 185,193,172 49,42,36 137,96,44 32,37,29
PF 527 689 15.6 68.6 BM 94,185,179 19,16,22 200,182,181 33,33,37
    18. ‐ 20. 5. 2010, Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Česká Republika 

3. RESULTS

The creep testing was carried out. Summary of samples, conditions of tests as well as obtained results are
given in Table 3. Time to the rupture ranged from 100 to 17,000 hours. Creep rupture strength was
evaluated using Larson-Miller parametric equation

P = T * [C + log τ]

where T represents temperature given in degree Kelvin, C is a specific constant for the given material (C =
36 for P92 steel) and τ means time to fracture in hours. Results of creep tests compared with the
standardized creep rupture strength data of P92 steel [3] are graphically represented in Fig. 1.

Up to 600°C the creep strength of the weld joint falls into the usually permitted scatter band ± 20 percent of
the creep strength of the base material used for production of piping. For the testing temperature of 625 °C
the creep strength of the weld joint decreases below the scatter band for sample tested at stress below 80
MPa and lies on the boundary of the scatter band for sample tested at stress 90 MPa while for higher
stresses falls into the scatter band. For the testing temperature of 650 °C the creep strength of the weld joint
decreases below the scatter band only for sample tested at the lowest stress 70 MPa. Differences between
he creep strength of the weld joint and the creep strength of the base material are shown in Table 3.

Table 3. List of samples.

σBM- Average hardness HV
Temp. Stress Fracture
Sample Duration [h] A [%] Z [%] σWM)/σBM
[°C] [MPa ] Location BM HAZ WM
[%]
1 - - - - - - - 226 248 262
3 575 200 9,674 6.0 25.6 8 BM/HAZ IC 224 231 251
4 575 240 100 15.5 82.9 -4 BM 222 232 242
6 600 120 17,022 2.9 4.9 -16 HAZ FG/IC 218 224 244
7 600 140 15,904 1.4 4.9 -2 HAZ FG/IC 219 233 242
5 600 160 7,715 5.5 14.4 5 HAZ FG 226 232 249
8 600 160 4,796 2.6 9.3 1 HAZ FG/IC 207 215 236
15 600 180 2,160 13.3 59.4 6 BM 216 218 241
2 600 210 262 16.7 76.2 6 BM 216 221 235
11 625 80 16,493 1.7 4.9 -27 HAZ FG 213 215 235
12 625 90 12,306 4.0 2.0 -20 HAZ FG 212 219 235
9 625 100 6,732 - 12.1 -17 HAZ FG 217 229 240
10 625 120 5,380 6.0 7.4 -3 HAZ FG 216 217 229
16 625 140 2,116 2.9 12.1 3 HAZ IC 214 228 234
14 650 70 5,960 5.6 12.1 -23 HAZ FG 215 215 234
13 650 80 3,228 6.0 7.4 -19 HAZ FG 219 226 242
18 650 100 2,052 3.8 12.1 -4 HAZ FG 205 209 220

Fig 1. Creep rupture strength in dependency on Larson-Miller parameter; full line represents creep strength
for base material, dashed line represents creep strength of base material minus 20 percent).
    18. ‐ 20. 5. 2010, Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Česká Republika 

Fractographic analysis and observation of longitudinal sections of the ruptured cross-weld specimens show
that samples tested at lower temperatures and higher stresses failed in the base material (BM) unaffected by
welding while those tested at higher temperatures and lower stresses ruptured in the heat-affected zone
(HAZ) of the base material (in the grain refined part or in the intercritically reheated part of the zone).
Fracture locations of samples are given in Table 3.

In the first above mentioned group ductile fracture occurred after very short durations of creep tests (up to
two thousands hours). The fractures are transcrystalline ductile with considerable macroplastic deformation
(elongation about 15%) and with the dimple morphology of the fracture surface. The second one includes
samples ruptured by transgranular creep fracture. Longitudinal elongations of these specimens were usually
a few percent. Individual small cracks formed of growing cavities joined and spread step by step across the
sample. Finally the shear lips were formed on the sides of the test bar. Intercrystalline facets were not
observed. Fracture surfaces of samples tested at temperatures above 625 °C are covered with an oxide
layer, so in some cases it is rather difficult to determine real fracture micro-mechanism.

Particles of BN and fine (Al,Ca)-oxides with diameter about one micrometer were found on the fracture
surfaces using ED microanalysis.

Hardness profiles across the weld joints were determined on the longitudinal sections. Average values of
hardness HV10 of the different parts of weld joins are summarized in Table 3. Before creep testing hardness
of the BM was 226 and hardness of the weld metal (WM) 260. Local maxima in the coarse grained (CG) part
of the HAZ near the fusion line and local minima in the fine (FG) grained or in the overheated part of the HAZ
of HAZ were found. During creep testing hardness decreased in all regions of the weld joint already after
short durations and hardness differences among individual areas become smaller. The biggest drop was
found for sample tested at 650 °C/100 MPa in both the WM (220 HV10) and in the BM (205). The minimum
value of hardness about 190 HV10 was found in the FG HAZ.

Microstructure of the BM, which was used for production of trial weld joint, corresponds to tempered
martensite with a small amount of δ-ferrite. Isolated particles of δ-ferrite occurred rarely in central parts of
metallograpfic sample in the cross section of the ring segments while rows of δ-ferrite particles were
observed in the surface layers of rings (the region of top pass and root).

Severely tempered martensitic structures were observed in all parts of weld joints – the lath like structures in
the BM, the WM and coarse austenite grain heat affected zone (CG HAZ), and the fine featureless structure
in the fine prior austenite grain heat affected zone (FG HAZ). In the BM and also in the WM some particles of
boron nitride were observed in size of a few micrometers. They usually originated at the surface of oxides –
aluminium oxides in the BM and silicon oxides in the WM. Comparing the chemical composition of
experimental materials with the solubility diagram of BN in 9-11% Cr steels [4, 5] the presence of BN
particles can be expected.

Substructure of samples was investigated using TEM. The microstructure of tempered martensite consisted
of ferrite laths divided into subgrains, coarse particles at grain and subgrain boundaries and fine
intragranular precipitate. Some differences in dislocation density and distribution of precipitates were
observed in individual zones. Microstructure in the FG HAZ exhibited a subgrain structure often of polygonal
shape instead of typical martensitic lath-like structure observed in others parts of the weld joint. Post-weld
heat treatment at 760 °C resulted in precipitation of M23C6 carbides especially at boundaries of prior
austenite grains and ferrite laths and vanadium/niobium carbonitrides spread at boundaries and also within
laths.
    18. ‐ 20. 5. 2010, Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Česká Republika 

An increase in size of M23C6 particles, Laves phase particles precipitation and cavities formation were
observed after creep tests at 575 °C and lower stresses and at temperatures above 600 °C. Growth occurred
especially in the WM. Laves phase formed the largest observed particles (Fig. 2, 3). No important changes in
size and distribution of fine precipitates were found out among sample after PWHT and samples after creep
testing. A lot of cavities were indicated in FG HAZ, where fracture occurred. Some cavities were also present
in the BM and the WM. Quantity and size of cavities increased with increasing temperature of creep testing.

a b c d

Fig 2. SEM micrographs of FG HAZ: sample after PWHT a) - secondary electron image, b) – back-scattered
electron image; sample tested at 625 °C/80 MPa c) - secondary electron image, d) – back-scattered electron
image; new particles of Laves phase are visible in Fig d).

Table 4. Particle sizes

Quantitative evaluation of secondary phase particles in both

the WM and the BM was performed for weld joint after PWHT
and selected crept specimens using carbon extraction
replicas. All particles observed were assigned to fine
intragranular particles of a diameter from up to 40 nm or to
coarse particles with a diameter higher than 40 nm. Coarse
and fine particles were evaluated separately using image

analysis software and type of phase was

not taken into account. Results are given in
table 4. After creep test at
575°C/240MPa/100hrs any changes in size
and distribution of secondary phases were
observed. After test at
600°C/160MPa/7,715hrs slight growth of
coarse particles was found out. Significant
increase was evident after test at
625°C/100MPa/6,732hrs.

a b c
d e f

Fig 3. TEM micrographs of sample after PWHT - (a) BM, (b) FG HAZ, (c) WM and of sample tested at 625
°C, 80 MPa - (d) BM, (e) FG HAZ, (f) WM.
    18. ‐ 20. 5. 2010, Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Česká Republika 

4. CONCLUSIONS

This paper deals with creep properties of the weld joint of pipilines fabricated from P92 steel using welding
technology developed for industry praxis.
Up to 600 °C the creep strength of the weld joint falls into usually permitted scatter range ± 20 percent of the
creep strength of the base material used for production of piping. At higher temperatures it decreases below
this scatter range.
Critical zone from the point of view of the creep failure is located in the fine prior austenite grain heat affected
zone and in the overheated zone of the base material where cavitation failure was evident.
Chemical composition of used steel and filler material lead to a formation of coarser particles of boron
nitrides causing a decrease of ability of boron to inhibit coarsening of M23C6 carbides. Coarsening of these
particles together with precipitation and coarsening of new particles of Laves phase were observed after
relatively short duration of creep tests at temperatures above 600°C.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was supported by Grant projects MSM 4771868401 and OC09041 from the Ministry of
Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic.

LITERATURE

[1] “The T92/P92 Book”. Vallourec & Mannesmann Tubes, edition 2000.

[2] Mythili, R.- Thomas, P. V. – Saroja, S. – Vijayalakshmi, M. – Raughunathan, V. S.: Microstructural modification due to reheating in
multipass manual arc welds of 9Cr-1Mo steel. J. Nucl. Mater., 312, 199 – 206 (2003).

[3] Creep strength of steel X10CrWMoVNb 9-2 according the ECC data sheet.

[4] Sakuraya, K - Okada, H. – Abe, F.: Coarse Size BN type inclusions formed in boron bearing high Cr ferritic heat resistant steel. In
th
Proc. of the 4 International Conference of Advances in Materials Technology for Fossil Power Plants. 2004 Hilton Head Island, SC,
United States: ASM International.
th
[5] Abe, F.: Effect of boron on creep deformation behaviour of 9Cr steel for USC boilers at 650 °C. In Proc. of the 7 International
Charles Parsons Turbine Conference, Glasgow, 2007.