Papers by Author: Thomas Kannengiesser

Abstract: Welding using low transformation temperature (LTT) filler materials is an innovative approach to mitigate detrimental welding residual stresses without cost-intensive post weld-treatments [1, 2]. Due to the local generation of compressive residual stresses in the weld line by means of a delayed martensite transformation a significant enhancement of the cold cracking resistance of highly stressed welded components can be expected. For the effective usage of these materials a deeper understanding of the microstructural evolution inside the weld material is necessary to determine the complex processes that cause the residual stress formation during welding. Solid-state phase transformation kinetics and the evolution of strain in LTT weld filler materials are monitored in-situ at the instrument ID15A@ESRF in Grenoble. The transferability to real components is implemented by using a realistic MAG welding process under consideration of structural restraint. During welding of multilayer joints, the phase transformation and phase specific strain evolution of each individual layer is investigated in transmission geometry by means of energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction EDXRD using high energy synchrotron radiation with a counting rate of 2.5 Hz. The measurement results of a 10% Cr / 10% Ni LTT weld filler are compared to data monitored for the conventional weld filler material G89. The in-situ data clearly indicate a strong effect on the local strain evolution and the formation of compressive strain. This results from the restraint volume expansion during the postponed austenite to martensite transformation of the LTT weld filler, which counteracts the thermal shrinkage. In contrast, for the conventional weld filler material the thermal contraction strains lead to tensile residual strain during welding. Furthermore, the results of in-situ observation during welding show that the transformation kinetic is dependent on the welding sequence.

Abstract: Beside quenched and tempered (QT) high strength steels advanced technologies in steel manufacturing provide steels produced by the thermo-mechanical controlled process (TMCP) with yield strength of 960 MPa. These steels differ in the carbon and micro-alloying element content. With variation of heat control TIG-welded dummy seams on both steel types were performed. Analyses concerning microstructure and residual stress evolution due to welding showed typical stress distributions according to common concepts. Yet, the TMCP-steel shows higher residual stresses than the QT-steel.

Abstract: Results obtained from laboratory tests mostly need to be verified under fabrication conditions in order to incorporate design specifics (joint configuration and restraint), which effect the residual stress state considerably. For this purpose, multi-pass sub merged arc welding was performed in a special large-scale testing facility. The impact of varying interpass temperatures could be proven in-situ by means of a pronounced stress accumulation during welding and subsequent heat treatment accompanied by stress determination using X-ray diffraction.

Abstract: Today high-strength structural steels (yield strength ≥ 960 MPa) are increasingly applied. Therefore, weldments have to achieve equal strength. Yet, high residual stresses in those welds diminish the components safety. Especially high restraint intensities can lead to crack-critical stress-levels. A special 2-MN-test facility allowed online-measurements of global reaction forces under defined restraint conditions during welding and cooling of multilayer-component MAG-welds. Local residual stresses were measured via X-ray diffraction before and after relief of the restraint. Local and global stresses were highly affected by heat control.

Abstract: TRIP-steels offer a good combination between strength and ductility. Therefore TRIP-steels are widely used in the automobile industries. The aim of this work is to study the stability of involved phases during heating and to identify the kinetics of the occuring phase transformations. For that purpose, in-situ diffraction measurements, using high energy synchrotron radiation were conducted. The analysis revealed the decomposition of the metastable austenitic phase into carbide and ferrite along the heating process and the regeneration of the austenite by further heating of the sample.

Abstract: The residual stress state in a material has an important role in the mechanism of cracking, induced or assisted by hydrogen. In this contribution, the beamline EDDI in BESSY II instrument in Berlin was used in order to investigate the influence of hydrogen upon the residual stresses state existing in a Supermartensitic stainless steel sample. The method used for investigating the residual stresses is the “sinus square ψ” method. This method involves the usage of high energy X-ray diffraction in order to measure the residual stress state and magnitude. It was found that hydrogen presence has a significant influence upon the magnitude of the residual stresses, as its value decreases with high hydrogen content. This effect is reversible, as hydrogen desorbs from the sample the residual stress magnitude gains its initial value before hydrogen charging.

Abstract: Welding residual stress is of major concern for structural integrity assessment in industrial components. Shear and volume strains resulting from the austenite-martensite-transformation affect the development of residual stress during welding. Controlling the phase transformation allows adjustment of the welding residual stress. Low transformation temperature (LTT) weld filler materials exhibiting reduced MS-temperatures allow postponing the phase transformation. The associated strain arising from the delayed transformation compensates for the thermal contraction strains and as such may reduce tensile or even introduce compressive residual stress. In this article we discuss the tri-axial residual stress distribution in 15 mm S690Q steel plates joined with LTT filler materials with 10 wt% Cr and a Ni-content that varies from 8 to 12 wt%. Using complementary synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction stress analysis the macroscopic residual stress was derived from the phase specific lattice strain and phase fraction of martensite and retained austenite, respectively. The local phase specific unstrained lattice parameters were determined using stress relieved combs. The investigation revealed increasing phase fraction of retained austenite with increasing Ni-content. Further, independent of the Ni-content in each weld in the fusion zone, significant compressive residual stresses were found in the longitudinal direction, which are balanced by tensile residual stresses in the heat affected zone (HAZ). In the weld transverse and normal direction the stress distribution is qualitatively similar but less in magnitude. The increased amount of retained austenite reduces the compressive stress arising from shear and volume strains during the delayed phase transformation and therefore no significant increase in compression was observed for decreasing M_S-temperatures.

Abstract: Innovative low transformation temperature (LTT) welding filler materials are featuring a characteristic chemical composition which favors the formation of martensite at comparatively low temperatures. This permits deliberate adjustment of welding residual stresses. Even though numerous investigations can be found in the literature on this issue, they provide only little insight into the interaction between phase transformation and resulting welding residual stresses. For this purpose, a component weld test was performed in a special large-scale testing facility. The results illustrate that the desired residual stress control by using LTT alloys is actually feasible. With increasing shrinkage restraint, however, higher tensile residual stresses are formed in transverse direction of the weld. By contrast, the residual stress level in longitudinal weld direction is nearly independent of the restraint conditions. On-line stress analysis revealed that the amount of stress reduction during cooling of the individual weld runs is dependent on the weld volume undergoing phase transformation. Overall, evidence was furnished that the approach of residual stress engineering by LTT alloys is suitable even in the case of large-scale multilayer welding.

Abstract: The development of high-strength structural steels with yield strengths up to 1000 MPa results in the requirement of suitable filler materials for welding. Recently designed low transformation temperature (LTT) alloys offer appropriate strength. The martensitic phase transformation during welding induces compressive residual stress in the weld zone. Therefore, the mechanical properties of welded joints can be improved. The present paper illustrates numerical simulation of the residual stresses in LTT-welds taking into account the effect of varying M_s/M_f-temperatures, and therefore different retained austenite contents, on the residual stresses. Residual stress distributions measured by synchrotron diffraction are taken as evaluation basis. A numerical model for the simulation of transformation affected welds is established and can be used for identification of appropriate M_s-temperatures considering the content of retained austenite.

Abstract: Low Transformation Temperature (LTT) alloys were developed in order to control the residual stress development by the martensitic phase transformation already during cooling of the weld metal. The positive effect of such LTT alloys on the mitigation of detrimental tensile residual stresses during welding has already been confirmed on the basis of individual laboratory tests. Within the current project it was experimentally investigated whether the phase transformation mechanisms are effective under increased restraint due to multi-pass welding of thicker specimens. The local residual stress depth distribution was analyzed non-destructively for V-type welds processed by arc welding using energy dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction (EDXRD). The use of high energy (20 keV to 150 keV) EDXRD allowed for the evaluation of diffraction spectra containing information of all contributing phases. As the investigated LTT alloy contains retained austenite after welding, this phase was also considered for stress analysis. The results show in particular how the constraining effect of increased thickness of the welded plates and additional deposited weld metal influences the level of the residual stresses in near weld surface areas. While the longitudinal residual stresses were reduced in general, in the transition zone from the weld to the heat-affected zone (HAZ) compressive residual stresses were found.