Wear resistance and microstructural evaluation of a hardfacing welded S355J2 steel pipe piles

Abstract

Abstract Steel pipe piles are used to reinforce the grounds. Due to high hardness of the rocky materials, in some cases, the tip surface should be developed with new designs in terms of geometry, material and heat treatment. In this study, a hardfacing welding, which reinforces the application point of the tip surface, was applied on the steel pipe pile shoe tip which was manufactured from S355J2 steel. Wear tests were applied and hardness measurements were made to explain wear behavior. According to the results, the hardened surface of the 3rd layer which was welded with FCH-360 flux cored wire showed higher hardness than other layers. Similarly, the highest wear resistance was obtained in this layer. Martensitic and bainitic structures with ferrite islets were observed from the first layer to the second layer. The bainite and ferrite isles were gradually transformed to martensite and maintained itself from first to third layer. The martensitic structure mainly controlled the hardness and wear resistance. The sizes of the martensite highly affected the hardness and wear resistance of the layer itself.