Heat Affected Zone Welding

Concerns

Heat Affected Zone Welding

Concerns
Changes in Structure Resulting
in Changes in Properties
Cold Cracking Due to Hydrogen

Welding
Precipitation
Hardened Alloys
Without Allotropic
Phase Changes
Welded In:
Full Hard
Condition
Solution
Annealed
Condition

Introductory Welding Metallurgy,

AWS, 1979

Precipitation Hardened Alloy Welded in Full Hard Condition

Introductory Welding Metallurgy,

AWS, 1979

Precipitation Hardened Alloys Welded in Solutioned Condition

Introductory Welding Metallurgy,

AWS, 1979

Carbon and Low-Alloy Steels

Why Preheat?
Preheat reduces the temperature differential
between the weld region and the base metal
Reduces the cooling rate, which reduces the
chance of forming martensite in steels
Reduces distortion and shrinkage stress
Reduces the danger of weld cracking
Allows hydrogen to escape

0.1.1.5.1.T9.95.12

Steel

Using Preheat to Avoid Hydrogen

Cracking
If the base material is preheated, heat flows more
slowly out of the weld region
Slower cooling rates avoid martensite formation

Preheat allows hydrogen to diffuse from the metal

T base

Cooling rate T - Tbase)3

Cooling rate T - Tbase)2

T base

Carbon and Low-Alloy Steels

Why Post-Weld Heat Treat?

The fast cooling rates associated with welding often
produce martensite
During postweld heat treatment, martensite is
tempered (transforms to ferrite and carbides)

Reduces hardness
Reduces strength
Increases ductility
Increases toughness

Residual stress is also reduced by the postweld heat

treatment
0.1.1.5.1.T10.95.12

Postweld Heat Treatment and

Hydrogen Cracking

Steel

Postweld heat treatment (~ 1200F) tempers any

martensite that may have formed
Increase in ductility and toughness
Reduction in strength and hardness

Residual stress is decreased by postweld heat

treatment
Rule of thumb: hold at temperature for 1 hour per
inch of plate thickness; minimum hold of 30
minutes

Cracking in Welds

Reheat Cracking
Mo-V and Mo-B steels susceptible
Due to high temperature embrittlement of the heataffected zone and the presence of residual stress
Coarse-grained region near fusion line most susceptible
Prevention by

Low heat input welding

Intermediate stress relief of partially completed welds
Design to avoid high restraint
Restrict vanadium additions to 0.1% in steels
Dress the weld toe region to remove possible areas of stress
concentration
0.1.1.5.2.T15.95.12