• Special Issue of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• 2007.09a
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• pp.118-127
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• 2007

SAW(Submerged Arc Welding) process is generally applied to a wide range of welding area in the fabrication of steel structure. This process has a good characteristic properties such as the high quality of welds and the high deposition rates, but in case of welding on a thick steel plate, it also has higher cold crack susceptibility than that of a thin steel plate. The purpose of this research is to find the main factor of crack generation and clarify the countermeasure for crack prevention, and then establish the optimum welding condition in a heavy thick steel plate. The results of this study are as follows, 1. The cause of crack generation is found the diffusible hydrogen penetrated into weld metal by decomposition of the remained moisture in SAW flux during welding. 2. For the removal of diffusible hydrogen, the raw materials of SAW flux are to be dehydrated at the high temperature in the initial manufacturing stage. 3. Mechanical properties of weld metal welded with the dehydrated SAW flux were evaluated very excellent, furthermore the weld metal has been proved to have low diffusible hydrogen content with 3.1ml /100g. 4. The weldability and quality welded with thick steel plates were improved by establishing the new optimum welding condition.