Creep rupture behaviour of low alloy ferritic steel weldments

Abstract

To establish differences in rupture lives and ductilities between parent metal, weld metal and weldjoint, a commercial heat of lCrMoV cast steel welded with 21/4Cr1M0 steel electrodes was creep tested over a range of stresses at 550°C using constant load creep testing units. The results indicate that, while there is no significant variation in rupture lives, ductility in the weldjoint showed a decreasing trend over longer periods of testing. In weldjoint specimens that comprised parent metal, heat affected zone (HAZ) and weld metal, fracture occurred in the weld metal quite near to the fusion boundary over the entire range of stresses. The rupture ductility in the weldjoint was found to be lower than in parent or weld metal.Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the fracture surfaces of parent and weld metal to be heavily dimpled, the dimples originating mostly around carbide precipitates, whereas the fracture surfaces of the weldjoint were found to be somewhat faceted.The results of the present work suggest that weldments made with 2114CrlMo steel deposits possess comparable creep lives to the parent metal of 1CrMoV steel, and the weld metal in the weldjoint near the fusion boundary exhibits a tendency to embrittle over longer periods of testing.