• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2020

For microstructural analysis of a friction stir welded (FSWed) joint of advanced high-strength steels, dual phase (DP) and complex phase (CP) steels, are studied. FSWed joints are successfully fabricated in the following four cases: (i) DP/DP; (ii) CP/CP; (iii) DP/CP, where the advancing side is DP and the retreating side is CP; (iv) CP/DP, where the advancing side is CP and the retreating side is DP. The stir zone (SZ) of (i) the DP/DP joint mainly consists of lath martensite, while the stir zone of (ii) the CP/CP joint consists not only of lath martensite but also of bainite. In the case of (iii) DP/CP and (iv) CP/DP, they exhibit a similar microstructure including acicular-shaped phases in the joints; however, cross-sections of the joints show differences in material mixing in each case. In (iv) the CP/DP joint, temperature towards the CP steel is sufficient to cause softening, thus leading to better mixing than that in (iii) DP/CP. The phases of the SZ in each of the four cases are formed by phase transformation during the FSWed process; however, the transformed phase volume fraction of CP steel is lower than that of DP steel, indicating that dynamic recrystallization occurs mainly in CP steel. The hardness values of the SZ are significantly higher than those of the base materials, especially, the SZ of (iii) the DP/CP joint has the highest value due to highest fraction of lath martensite.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.459-465
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• 2013

In the manufacturing process of steel plates, materials at high temperatures above $800^{\circ}C$ are rapidly cooled by using a circular impinging water jet to determine their strength and toughness. In this study, the basic heat and fluid flow is solved by using the existing numerical model for boiling heat transfer. Actually, steel undergoes a phase change from austenite to ferrite or bainite during the cooling process. The phase change induces changes in its thermal properties. Instead of directly solving the phase change and the material cooling together, we solve the heat transfer only by applying the thermal properties that vary with temperature, which is already known from other studies. The effects of the changes in the thermal properties on the cooling of steel and the necessity of calculating the phase change are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2012

Research into the development of high strength (1 GPa) and superior formability, such as total elongation (10%), and stretch-flangeability (50%) in hot-rolled steel was conducted with a thermomechanically controlled hot-rolling process. To improve the overall mechanical properties simultaneously, low-carbon steel using precipitation hardening of Ti-Nb-V multimicroalloying elements was employed. And, ideal microstructural characteristics for the realization of balanced mechanical properties were determined using SEM, EBSD, and TEM analyses. The developed steel, 0.06C-2.0Mn-0.5Cr-0.2(Ti + Nb + V), consisted of ferrite as the matrix phase and second phase of granular bainite with fine carbides (20-50 nm) in both phases. The significant factor of the microstructural characteristics that affect stretch-flangeability was found to be the microstructural homogeneity. The microstructural homogeneity, manifest in such characteristics as low localization of plastic strain and internally stored energy, was identified by grain average misorientation method, analyzed by electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and hardness deviation between the phases. In summar, a hot-rolled steel having a composition 0.06C-2.0Mn-0.5Cr-0.2(Ti + Nb + V) demonstrated a tensile strength of 998 MPa, a total elongation of 19%, and a hole expansion ratio of 65%. The most important factors to satisfy the mechanical property were the presence of fine carbides and the microstructural homogeneity, which provided low hardness deviation between the phases.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.781-789
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• 2019

The prediction of Jominy hardness curves and the effect of alloying elements on the hardenability of boron steels (19 different steels) are investigated using multiple regression analysis. To evaluate the hardenability of boron steels, Jominy end quenching tests are performed. Regardless of the alloy type, lath martensite structure is observed at the quenching end, and ferrite and pearlite structures are detected in the core. Some bainite microstructure also appears in areas where hardness is sharply reduced. Through multiple regression analysis method, the average multiplying factor (regression coefficient) for each alloying element is derived. As a result, B is found to be 6308.6, C is 71.5, Si is 59.4, Mn is 25.5, Ti is 13.8, and Cr is 24.5. The valid concentration ranges of the main alloying elements are 19 ppm < B < 28 ppm, 0.17 < C < 0.27 wt%, 0.19 < Si < 0.30 wt%, 0.75 < Mn < 1.15 wt%, 0.15 < Cr < 0.82 wt%, and 3 < N < 7 ppm. It is possible to predict changes of hardenability and hardness curves based on the above method. In the validation results of the multiple regression analysis, it is confirmed that the measured hardness values are within the error range of the predicted curves, regardless of alloy type.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.263-269
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• 1983

Underwater welding by a gravity arc welding process was investigated by using six types of coated electrodes and SM41A steel plates of 10 mm thickness as base metal and it was ascertained that this process may be put to practical use. Main results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. Angle of electrode affects no influence on bead appearance and the proper range of welding current and diameter of electrode for the high titanium oxide type is relatively wider than that for the ilmenite type. And the lime titania type, high titanium oxide type and ilmenite type of domestic coated arc welding electrodes of .phi.4 mm could attain the soundest underwater welded joints which contain no welding imperfection. 2. According to macro-structure, micro-structure and hardness distribution inspectionson underwater welded joint, the area between the HAZ and the surface of the weld in neighbourhood of the bond has the maximum hardness value. The structure of these parts is martensite and bainite. Other parts contain mocro-ferrite, micro-pearlite structure, which contain soundness of welded joint free from weld imperfection. 3. On consideration of both tensile strength of more than 100% joint efficiency and sufficient impact value, the welding condition which can get optimal welding strength is heat input of 1,400-1,500 J/mm, current of 200-215 ampere (voltage of 32-33 volts) in the case of lime titania type electrode. 4. Underwater welding strength (tensile strength, impact strength) depends on heat input (or current) quantitatively and they have the relationship of parabolic function. Each experimental equation has a high reliability and its percent of mean error is 4.14%. 5. It is suggested that the optimal design of weld strength by welding condition (current, heat input) could be utilized for a quality control of underwater welding.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 2011

Microstructural characteristics of two high strength (600 MPa & 800 MPa) weld metals produced by flux-cored arc welding process (FCAW) were evaluated. The 600 MPa grade weld metal was consisted of 75% acicular ferrite and 25% ferrite which was formed at relatively high temperature (grain boundary ferrite, widmanstatten ferrite, polygonal ferrite). However, the 800 MPa grade weld metal was composed of about 85% acicular ferrite and 15% low temperature forming phases (bainite, martensite). The prior austenite grain size of 800 MPa grade weld metal was decreased by solute drag force. The compositions and sizes of inclusions which are the dominant factors for the formation of acicular ferrite were analyzed by a transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In both 600 MPa and 800MPa grade weld metals, the inclusions were mainly consisted of Ti-oxide and Mn-oxide, and the average size of inclusions was $0.7{\mu}m$. The 800 MPa grade weld metal exhibited higher tensile strength and similar toughness compared with the 600 MPa grade weld metal. This result is mainly due to a higher fraction of low temperature products and a lower fraction of grain boundary ferrite in the 800 MPa grade weld metal.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.70-70
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• 2010

In the present study, to estimate the mechanical properties of 800 MPa grade weld metal, welding was carried out using 800 and 600 MPa grade flux cored arc welding (FCAW) consumable and characteristics of the weld metals were investigated. The chemical composition of weld metals was investigated by an optical emission spectroscopy (OES) method. The microstructure of weld metals was analyzed by optical microscopy (OM) and secondary electron microscopy (SEM). The compositions and sizes of inclusions which are the dominant factors for the nuclei of acicular ferrite were analyzed by an transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In addition, mechanical properties of the weld metals were evaluated through tensile tests and charpy impact tests. Mostly the acicular ferrite phase which has high strength and toughness was observed. The 600 MPa grade weld metal was consisted of 75% acicular ferrite and 25% ferrite which was formed at high temperature (grain boundary ferrite, widmanstatten ferrite, polygonal ferrite). However, the 800 MPa grade weld metal was composed of about 73% acicular ferrite and 27% low temperature phase (bainite, martensite). Toughness was considerably decreased due to the increase of tensile strength (from 600 MPa to 800 MPa). The sizes of inclusions which were observed in both weld metal were $0.4{\sim}0.8\;{\mu}m$, it is effective size to form acicular ferrite.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.524-529
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• 2017

The effect of strain aging on the tensile properties of API X70 linepipe steel was investigated in this study. The API X70 linepipe steel was fabricated by controlled rolling and accelerated cooling processes, and the microstructure was analyzed using optical and scanning electron microscopes and electron backscatter diffraction. Strain aging tests consisting of 1 % pre-strain and thermal aging at $200^{\circ}C$ and $250^{\circ}C$ were conducted to simulate U-forming, O-forming, Expansion(UOE) pipe forming and anti-corrosion coating processes. The API X70 linepipe steel was composed of polygonal ferrite, acicular ferrite, granular bainite, and bainitic ferrite whose volume fraction was dependent on the chemical composition and process conditions. As the thermal aging temperature increased, the steel specimens showed more clearly discontinuous type yielding behavior in the tensile stress-strain curve due to the formation of a Cottrell atmosphere. After pre-strain and thermal aging, the yield and tensile strengths increased and the yield-to-tensile strength ratio decreased because yielding and aging behaviors significantly affected work hardening. On the other hand, uniform and total elongations decreased after pre-strain and thermal aging since dislocation gliding was restricted by increased dislocation density after a 1 % pre-strain.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2013

The spot welds of Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steels are prone to interfacial failure and narrow welding current range. Hard microstructures in weld metal and heat affected zone arenormally considered as one of the main reason to accelerate the interfacial failure mode. There fore, detailed observation of weld microstructure for TRIP steels should be made to ensure better weld quality. However, it is difficult to characterize the microstructure, which has similar color, size, and shape using the optical or electron microscopy. The atomic force microscope (AFM) can help to analyze microstructure by using different energy levels for different surface roughness. In this study, the microstructures of resistance spot welds for AHSS are analyzed by using AFM with measuring the differences in average surface roughness. It has been possible to identify the different phases and their topographic characteristics and to study their morphology using atomic force microscopy in resistance spot weld TRIP steels. The systematic topographic study for each region of weldments confirmed the presence of different microstructures with height of 350nm for martensite, 250nm for bainite, and 150nm for ferrite, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.390-396
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• 2000

The dynamic elastic constants of the simulated weld HAZ (heat-affected zone) of SA 508 Class 3 reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steel were investigated by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS). The resonance frequencies of rectangular parallelepiped samples woe calculated from the initial estimates of elastic stiffness $c_{11},\;c_{12}\;and\;c_{44}$ with an assumption of isotropic property, dimension and density. Through the comparison of calculated resonant frequencies with the measured resonant frequencies by RUS, very accurate elastic constants of SA 508 Class 3 steel were determined by iteration and convergence processes. Clear differences of Youngs modulus and shear modulus were shown from samples with different thermal cycles and microstructures. Youngs modulus and shear modulus of samples with fine-grained bainite were higher than those with coarse-grained tempered martensite. This tendency was confirmed from other results such as micro-hardness test.