• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.44-51
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• 1998

It is well known that the fine bainitic microstructure obtained by TMCP(thermo-mechanical control process) secures the high toughness of base metal. Besides, TMCP steel is very suitable for high heat input in welding as it has low carbon equivalent. In HAZ, however, the accelerated cooling effect imparted on the matrix by the weld thermal cycles is relieved and thus the weldment of TMCP steel has softening zone which shows low fracture toughness compared with base metal. Therefore, PHWT of weldment is carried out to improve the fracture toughness in weldment of TMCP steel which has softening zone. In this study, the effects of PWHT on the weldment of AH36-TMCP steel are investigated by the small punch (SP) test. From the several results such as SP energy and displacement at room temperature, the behavior of transition curves, the fracture strength at -196$^{\circ}C$, distribution of (DBTT)sp and (DBTT)sp, the PWHT condition of A.C. after 85$0^{\circ}C$-1 sec W.C. was suitable condition for recovering a softening zone of HAZ as welded.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.40-47
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• 2004

The influence of heat input on fracture toughness was investigated in SAW weldments, which were prepared at two different welding conditions in API 2W Gr.50 and EN10225 5420. By examining the fracture initiation point, refined areas(ICHAZ and SCHAZ) in weld metal was identified as local brittle zone, in which M-A constituents and coarsed grain size were observed. Impact values showed the most significant difference at root portion, and CTOD transition temperature was related with impact values obtained at root portion. Hardness values in refined area were less than columnar microstructure about 20 HV5.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.8
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• pp.1732-1741
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• 2020

The structural integrity of welded joints in the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) is directly related to the safety of nuclear power plants. The RPV is made from SA508-III steel in a pressurized water reactor. In this study, we investigated the effects of temperature on the tensile and fracture toughness properties of Chinese SA508-III welded joint in different sampling areas in order to provide reference data for structural integrity assessments of RPVs. The specimens used in tensile and fracture toughness tests were fabricated from the base metal (BM), weld metal (WM), and the heat-affected zone (HAZ) in the welded joint. The representative testing temperatures included the ambient temperature (20 ℃), upper shelf temperature (100 ℃), and service temperature (320 ℃). The results showed that temperature greatly affected the fracture toughness (JIC) values for the SA508-III welded joint. The JIC values for BM and HAZ both decreased remarkably from 20 ℃ to 320 ℃. The fracture morphologies showed that the BM and HAZ in the welded joint exhibited fully ductile fracture at 20 ℃, whereas partial cleavage fracture was mixed in ductile fracture mode at 100 ℃ and 320 ℃. The WM exhibited the ductile and cleavage fracture mixed mode at various temperatures, and the JIC values showed slight changes.

• International Journal of Korean Welding Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.40-45
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• 2003

A series of experiments has been carried out to investigate the effect of titanium, boron and nitrogen on the microstructure and toughness of simulated heat affected zone (HAZ) in quenched and tempered (QT) type 490MPa yield strength steels. For acquiring the same strength level, the carbon content and carbon equivalent could be lowered remarkably with a small titanium and boron addition due to the hardenability effect of boron during quenching process. Following the thermal cycle of large heat input, the coarsened grain HAZ (CGHAZ) of conventional quenched and tempered (QT) type 490MPa yield strength steels exhibited a coarse bainitic or ferrite side plate structure with large prior austenite grains. While, titanium and boron bearing QT type 490MPa yield strength steels were characterized by the microstructure in the CGHAZ, consisting mainly of the fine intragranular ferrite microstructure. Toughness of the simulated HAZ was mainly controlled by the proper Ceq level, and the ratio of Ti/N rather than titanium and nitrogen contents themselves. In the titanium­boron added QT steels, the optimum Ti/N ratio for excellent HAZ toughness was around 2.0, which was much lower than the known Ti/N stoichiometric ratio, 3.4. With reducing Ti/N ratio from the stoichiometric ratio, austenite grain size in the coarse grained HAZ became finer, indicating that the effective fine precipitates could be sufficiently obtained even with lower Ti/N level by adding boron simultaneously. Along with typical titanium carbo­nitrides, various forms of complex titanium­ and boron­based precipitates, like TiN­MnS­BN, were often observed in the simulated CGHAZ, which may act as stable nuclei for ferrite during cooling of weld thermal cycles

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.88-93
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• 2001

In this paper, joints of Cu-1Cr-0.1Zr alloy to STS316L were performed by friction welding method. Particularly, Cu-1Cr-0.1Zr alloy is attractive candidate as nuclear power plant material and exibit the best combination of high strength and good electrical and thermal conductivity of any copper alloy examined. The stainless steel is a structural material while copper alloy acts as a heat sink material for the surface heat flux in the first wall. So, in this paper, not only the development of optimizing of friction welding with more reliability and more applicability but also the development of in-process real-time weld quality (such as strength and toughness) evaluation technique by acoustic emission for friction welding of such nuclear reactor component of Cu-1Cr-0.1Zr alloy to STS316L steel sere performed.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.69-76
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• 2016

Characteristics of dissimilar metal welds between ASTM Type 316L and carbon steel ASTM A516 Gr.70 made with FCAW were evaluated in terms of microstructure, ferrite content, EDS analysis, hardness, tensile strength, impact toughness and corrosion resistance. Three heat inputs of 10.4, 16.9, 23.4kJ/cm were employed to make joints of dissimilar metals with E309LMoT1-1 wire. Microstructure of dissimilar weld metals consisted of mostly vermicular type of ${\delta}$-ferrite and some lathy type of ${\delta}$-ferrite, and ${\delta}$-ferrite was transformed into globular type in reheated zone. In all conditions, weld metals were solidified on FA solidification mode. Based on the EDS analysis of weld metals, All Creq/Nieq values were in the range of FA solidification mode, and it was decreased with increasing heat inputs whereas it was increased with increasing layers. The amount of ${\delta}$-ferrite was decreased with increasing heat input due to the difference of cooling rate, and it was increased with increasing layers. Accordingly, hardness and tensile strength of dissimilar metals weld joints was decreased with increasing heat input while impact energy was increased with increasing heat input. Corrosion test of dissimilar metals weld joints showed that weight gain rate of heat input 10.4kJ/cm was the greatest, and that of three heat inputs became constant after certain time.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 1985

Hot straining embrittlement is one of the most important factors which cause the brittle fracture initiation even in the service temperature in the case of mild steel and high tensile steel. Therefore it is necessary to analyze thoroughly the hot straining embrittlement occurred in weld HAZ of the structural steels. The behaviors of plastic deformation and fracture toughness at the notch tip of the hot strained weld HAZ in structural steels (SB 41 KS, SA 588-Grade A ASTM) have been studied by the recrystallization technique and crack opening displacement (COD) test method. The obtained results are summarized as follows; 1. The plastic zone is formed at the notch tip of weld HAZ owing to nomotonic and cyclic hot stran, and the maximum plastic strain increases with the accumulated hot straining amounts. 2. The distribution of the effective strain at the plastic deformed zone in HAZ can be determined as follows; (.epsilon. over bar $_{p}$ )$_{\chi}$=.epsilon. over bar $_{cr}$ ( $R_{/chi}$/.chi.)$^{m}$ where, .epsilon. over bar $_{cr}$ : (SB 41; .epsilon. over bar $_{cr}$ = 0.2, SA 588; .epsilon. over bar $_{cr}$ = 0.1) 3. The embrittlement of weld HAZ in SB 41 and SA 588 is influenced by hot strain, and the degree of embrittlement becomes deeper with hot straining amounts. 4. The embrittlement of weld HAZ of SB 41 is not influenced by the hot straining amounts until .epsilon. over bar $_{max}$ = 0.36, $R_{\chi}$ = 0.065mm, however the embrittlement of structure in SA 588 is considerably influenced even by a small quantity of the hot straining amounts.s.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2013

Recently the primary water stress corrosion cracking(PWSCC) has occurred in the dissimilar metal weld region between pressurizer nozzle and safe-end in nuclear power plants(NPPs). As material of the pressurizer nozzle, SA508 Gr. 3 low alloy steel was used. F316L stainless steel and Alloy 82/182 were used as safe-end and weld metal, respectively. Although mechanical properties are needed for evaluation of the structural integrity against flaw in the material, material specification and standard don't supply those properties. Therefore, the present study conducted tensile and fracture toughness tests on SA508 Gr.3 and F316L stainless steel at ambient temperature and operating temperature of NPPs and reported the tested results.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.50-57
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• 2013

Characterization of microstructures and cryogenic mechanical properties of electro beam (EB) welds between cast and forged Inconel 718 superalloys has been investigated. Optimal EBW condition was found in the beam current range of 36~39 mA with the constant travel speed of 12 mm/s and arc voltage of 120 kV for 10 mm-thick specimens. Electron beam current lower than 25 mA caused to occur the liquation microfissuring in cast-side heat affected zone (HAZ) of EB welds. The HAZ liquation microfissure was found on the liquated grain boundaries with resolidified ${\gamma}/Laves$ and ${\gamma}/NbC$ eutectic constituents. EBW produced welds showing a fine dendritic structure with relatively discrete Laves phase due to fast cooling rate. After post weld aging treatment, blocky Laves phase and formation of ${\gamma}^{\prime}+{\gamma}^{{\prime}{\prime}}$ strengtheners were observed. Presence of primary strengthener and coarse Laves particles in PWHT weld may cause to reduce micro-plastic zone ahead of a crack, leading to a significant decrease in Charpy impact toughness at $-196^{\circ}C$. Fracture initiation and propagation induced by Charpy impact testing were discussed in terms of the dislocation structures ahead of crack arisen from the fractured Laves phase.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.116-125
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• 2018

Modified 9Cr-1Mo ferritic steel is a preferred material for steam generators in nuclear power plants for their creep strength and good corrosion resistance. Austenitic stainless steels, such as type 316LN, are used in the high temperature segments such as reactor pressure vessels and primary piping systems. So, the dissimilar joints between these materials are inevitable. In this investigation, dissimilar joints were fabricated by the Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) process with Inconel 82/182 filler metals. The notch tensile properties and Charpy V-notch impact toughness properties of various regions of dissimilar metal weld joints (DMWJs) were evaluated as per the standards. The microhardness distribution across the DMWJs was recorded. Microstructural features of different regions were characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Inhomogeneous notch tensile properties were observed across the DMWJs. Impact toughness values of various regions of the DMWJs were slightly higher than the prescribed value. Formation of a carbon-enriched hard zone at the interface between the ferritic steel and the buttering material enhanced the notch tensile properties of the heat-affected-zone (HAZ) of P91. The complex microstructure developed at the interfaces of the DMWJs was the reason for inhomogeneous mechanical properties.