Local uniform heat treatment and its effects on the toughness of welded C-Mn pressure vessel steel

Abstract

The present paper gives the results of a research programme on the influence of a local postweld heat treatment on the toughness of welded joints in a C-Mn pressure vessel steel. The welded test plates, 50 mm thick, were locally heat treated using electrical resistance heating over a width of about 200 mm. The influence of the local heat treatment on the toughness of the welded joints was evaluated using wide plate test specimens. The results indicate that an important improvement in toughness is obtained by the local heat treatment, resulting in toughness levels which are comparable to those obtained by a furnace stress relief heat treatment.