Effects of low-temperature transformation and transformation-induced plasticity on weld residual stresses: Numerical study and neutron diffraction measurement

Abstract

In this study, the weld residual stresses (RS) in a 25mm thick ferrite steel plate with newly developed low-temperature transformation (LTT) welding wire were investigated by finite element method and neutron diffraction (ND) measurement. A thermo-elastic–plastic finite element model coupled with solid-state phase transformation (SSPT) was developed to investigate the distribution and formation mechanism of RS, which has been verified by ND measurement. The results demonstrate that the developed LTT alloy can significantly reduce the RS and even generate compressive RS in the weld zone, due to the interrupted cooling shrinkage caused by the LTT. The higher inter-pass temperatures related to the microstructure evolution result in an increased region of compressive stress within the weldment. Moreover, the longitudinal RS in the weld zone gradually changes to tension as the initial temperature of martensitic transformation increases. Notably, the relaxation effect of transformation-induced plasticity on RS and its influence on model accuracy were discussed.