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Repair Welding Effects on the Bending Fatigue Strength of AISI 4130

Aeronautical Steel Used in a Critical to the Flight-Safety Structure

Article  in  Materials Science Forum · January 2010

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.636-637.1451

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Materials Science Forum Vols. 636-637 (2010) pp 1451-1458
Online available since 2010/Jan/12 at www.scientific.net
© (2010) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.636-637.1451

Repair Welding Effects on the Bending Fatigue Strength of AISI 4130

Aeronautical Steel used in a Critical to the Flight-Safety Structure

M.P. Nascimento1, a, H.J.C. Voorwald1,b, J.C.P. Filho2,c, C.P.M. Pereira1,d

1
Department of Materials and Technology - State University of São Paulo – UNESP/FEG/DMT
333, Ariberto Pereira da Cunha Ave.; Guaratinguetá City, São Paulo State, Brazil
2
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – Department of Metallurgy – COPPE/UFRJ
Rio de Janeiro City, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil
a
marcelino.nascimento@gmail.com , bvoorwald@feg.unesp.br , cjpayao@metalmat.ufrj.br ,
d
celpin@feg.unesp.br

Keywords: Fatigue, AISI 4130 steel, Welding repairs on aeronautic structures, GTAW process.

Abstract. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of successive TIG (tungsten inert gas)
welding repairs on the reverse bending fatigue strength of AISI 4130 steel, which is widely used in
components critical to the flight-safety. In order to simulate the abrupt maneuvers, wind bursts,
motor vibration and helixes efforts, which generate cyclic bending loadings at the welded joints of a
specific aircraft component called "motor cradle", experimental reverse bending fatigue tests were
carried out on specimens made from hot-rolled steel plate, 1.10 mm (0.043 in) thick, by mean of a
SCHENK PWS equipment, with load ratio R = -1, under constant amplitude, at 30 Hz frequency
and room temperature. It was observed that the bending fatigue strength decreases after the TIG
(Tungsten Inert Gas) welding process application on AISI 4130 steel, with subsequent decrease due
to re-welding sequence as well. Microstructural analyses and microhardness measurements on the
base material, heat-affected zone (HAZ) and weld metal, as well as the effects of the weld bead
geometry on the obtained results, have complemented this study.

Introduction
All over the world the flight safety has been the main concern for aeronautical authorities. As a
result, the accidents index for one million of aircrafts landing/take-off has been at 1.2 for the
occidental world. In general, structural failures during flight are usually attributed to fatigue of
materials, project errors or aerodynamic overloads [1]. Since the catastrophic accidents which
occurred with the English model “Comet” in the 1950’s decade, the fatigue process has been the
most important project and operational consideration for both civil and military aircrafts [2]. Many
fractures of materials are caused by fatigue due to inadequate project or any notch produced during
manufacturing or maintenance of aircrafts [2, 3]. For several aircraft models (e.g. agricultural,
military training and acrobatic) the most solicited and repaired component is the one that supports
the motor, called “Motor Cradle” (Fig. 1). This component presents a complex geometric structure
made from AISI 4130 tubular steel of different dimensions that is TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welded
in several angles [4, 5]. For the Brazilian aircraft models T-25 Universal, T-27 Tucano and Ipanema
(alcohol moved), for example, besides supporting the motor in balance, the motor-cradle also
maintain fixed the nose landing gear in the other extremity. Since the motor cradle is a component
critical to the flight safety, the aeronautic standards are extremely rigid in its manufacturing by
imposing a "zero-defect index" on the final weld seam quality (Safe-Life philosophy), which is
100% inspected by non-destructive testing/NDT. For this reason, welded aeronautic structures are
frequently subjected to successive repairs in attendance to current standards. As a consequence,
welded components approved by NDT may contain a historic record of welding repairs whose
effects on their structural integrity are not computed. In addition, these structures are also submitted
to weld repairs along their useful life, turning this question more complex. As part of this research
work, an investigation on 157 motor-cradle fracture reports indicates that all of them occurred at

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1452 Advanced Materials Forum V

welded joints as a result of fatigue cracks, by reducing the “Time-Before-Fail” from 4.000 h to 50 h.
Motivated by high fracture incidence of this particular component, an extensive research program to
evaluate the fabrication and maintenance weld repair effects on the structural integrity, mechanical
properties and microstructural changes has been developed. The aim of this study was to analyze the
effect of successive TIG welding repairs on the reverse bending fatigue strength of AISI 4130 steel
carried out on specimens made from hot-rolled steel plate, 1.10 mm (0.043”) thick. It was observed
the bending fatigue strength decrease after the TIG welding process application on AISI 4130 steel,
with subsequent decrease due to re-welding sequence as well. Microstructural analyses and
microhardness measurements on the base material, heat-affected zone (HAZ) and weld metal, as
well as the effects of the weld bead geometry on the results obtained complemented the study.

Fig. 1. Motor-cradle detail of the Brazilian aircraft T-25 Universal [6, 7, 8].

Experimental Procedure
Material. For the present research-work flat welded specimens from hot-rolled AISI 4130
aeronautic steel, 1.10 mm (0.043”) thick, were used. The chemical compositions (%wt) are as
follow: 0.33C; 0.53Mn; 0.010P; 0.003S; 0.28Si; 0.17Mo; 1.04Cr; 0.02Cu; 0.02% Ni; 0.058% Al
and Fe in balance for the base material, and 0.30C; 0.50Mn; 0.004P; 0.003S; 0.25Si; 0.18Mo;
0.91Cr; 0.042Cu for the weld metal with the filler metal. The mechanical properties obtained from
smooth flat samples, in accordance with ASTM E 8M, were: 745.97 MPa for yielding stress (0.2%
offset); 843.35 MPa for ultimate strength; 655.17 MPa for rupture stress; 9.80% for elongation (in
25 mm length), 0.88 for yielding stress/ultimate strength ratio and 65 HRA hardness in the “as-
received” condition. The monotonic tensile tests were performed by means of a servo-hydraulic
INSTRON test machine by applying 0.5 mm/min displacement rate and a pre load equal to 0.1 kN.

Welding and Re-welding Procedures. The commonly employed welding process for
manufacturing of aeronautical structures is Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG), or Gas-Tungsten Arc-Welding
(GTAW), which is appropriate to weld thin thickness materials and allows the necessary control of
the variables, resulting in high-quality and defect-free weld beads. The TIG welding process was
carried out in accordance with EMBRAER NE 40-056 TYPE 1 Standard (for components critical to
the flight-safety), with a protective 99.95% purity argon gas and filler metal AMS 6457 B –
Turballoy 4130. A Square Wave TIG 355 – Lincon equipment was manually employed by an expert
aeronautic welder. All the welding parameters were controlled, and the principal ones are indicated
in Table 1. All the welded joints were subjected to X-ray non-destructive analysis which proved the
acceptable quality of the welds.
 Materials Science Forum Vols. 636-637 1453

Table 1. TIG Welding Parameters.

direct current DCEN
welding position PLANE
welding voltage 12 V
welding current 23-25 A
welding average speed 10.0 cm.min-1
flow rate 4-12 L.min-1
theoretical heat input 1.8 kJ.cm-1
filler metal diameter 1.6 mm

The welding direction was always perpendicular to the hot-rolling process (direction) of the
plate. Before welding, the samples were fixed on a device (backing bar) to avoid contamination and
porosity in the weld root and cleaned with chlorinated solvent to oxide removal. After the
welding/re-welding process neither subsequent heat treatment to residual stresses relief nor
subsequent removal of the weld bead was carried out, in order to simulate the real condition of the
original aeronautic structure. As a consequence of thin plates, only one weld single-pass was
required. For re-welding process, a manual grinding machine capable to reach 22,000 rpm was used
for removing the previous weld metal. The heat input applied was the same for all the welded and
re-welded specimens.

Reversal Bend Fatigue Tests. For bend fatigue experimental tests specimens were manufactured
according to SCHENCK model PWS requirements (Fig. 2), following the LT direction of the plate.
The specimens were fatigue tested upon a sinusoidal load, constant amplitude, load ratio R = -1, at
30 Hz frequency and room temperature. The average superficial roughness, obtained by means of a
Mitutoyo 301 equipment, applying cut-off equal to 0.8 mm x 5 mm, was Ra = 0.73 m  0.12 m.
Ø8,5 (4x)
40

22

20

50

80

110

Fig. 2. Bending fatigue specimen dimensions [mm].

Microstructural and Microhardness Analyses. The chemical etching was performed with Nital
2% during 5 seconds. Vickers microhardness measurements were obtained at 0.0254 mm intervals
throughout the regions under analysis (base material, HAZ regions and weld metal) using 1 N load.
1454 Advanced Materials Forum V

Results and Discussion

Reverse Bending Fatigue Tests. Fig. 3 presents the SN curves of all the specimen conditions
tested. The horizontal line indicates the nominal stress value (σn = 247.40 MPa), which corresponds
to yielding stress divided by the safety-factor equal to 3 (for welded components critical to the
flight-safety), in accordance with the EMBRAER NE 40-056 TYPE 1 Standard.

500 BASE-MATERIAL (#1,10mm)

ORIGINAL WELDING
1 REPAIR OF WELDING
450
2 REPAIR OF WELDING

400
STRESS [MPa]

350

300 37% y

250

32% y
200

20% y
150

5 6 7
10 10 10

CYCLES [N]
Fig. 3. S vs. N reverse bending fatigue curves of base-material and welded specimens subjected to
one and two welding repairs.

From Fig. 3, one can observe the significant decrease in bending fatigue strength of the AISI
4130 steel, whose endurance limit was about 37% of its yielding stress. However, the endurance
limit is still above the nominal stress (horizontal line). It is also verified the larger dispersion of the
fatigue results obtained from both welded and re-welded specimens. This is due to the volume
variations of the deposited weld metal, higher heating/cooling rate and the stress concentration at
the weld toe region. Nevertheless, the subsequent reduction in bending fatigue strength from welded
specimens is observed, in comparison with specimen of base material, mainly in the low-cycle
fatigue region. In the high-cycle fatigue, it is possible to verify the endurance limit is located close
to the horizontal line, corresponding to specified nominal stress. On the other hand, with the first re-
welding application, no subsequent reduction in bending fatigue strength is observed; for both
original and first time re-welded specimens, one can observe practically equal fatigue behaviour.
However, the second re-welding repair resulted in a decrease of the fatigue strength, with the
endurance limit below the nominal stress value (horizontal line). It is important to mention that all
the fatigue specimens tested fractured at the CGHAZ / weld metal interface, or at the weld toe, as
illustrate in Fig. 4.
 Materials Science Forum Vols. 636-637 1455

Fig. 4. Fracture region at weld toe (typical for all the bending fatigue specimens tested).
Since aircrafts are submitted to high fatigue cycles during flight, resulting of abrupt maneuvers,
wind bursts, motor vibration and helixes efforts, it is not recommended, or favourable to the flight
safety, the second weld repair application. This behaviour is also due to the increase in volume of
the weld bead with consequent increase of the stress concentration factor at the weld toe. In
addition, the re-welding process can increase the HAZ dimensions and its coarse-grain region
(CGHAZ), which is located exactly at the weld-toe and by considerable hardness and low fracture
toughness. Table 2 presents the microhardness values measured in the three areas of interest.
Table 2. Vickers microhardness values (HV).
Microstructure Original Weld 1-Repair 2-Repairs
BASE-MATERIAL 267.7  16.4 285.5  15.8 286.5  19.7
CGHAZ 362.9  55.7 373.4  22.8 477.80  59.15
WELD METAL 573.2  69.8 507.5  47.4 399.9  22.8
From Table 2, one can observe that for both the original weld and the first welding repair the
microhardness values were close and coherent with each other. This can explains the bending
fatigue behaviour presented in Fig. 3. However, it is also important to pay attention to the great
dispersion of microhardness results in both CGHAZ and weld metal (standard-deviation). It is also
possible to observe the highest microhardness value from the original weld metal than for all the
other conditions. This implicate that probably the second welding repair promoted the tempering of
the previous microstructure, but with no improvement on their bending fatigue strength, as verified
in Fig. 3. After the second welding repair it is also possible to observe higher microhardness value
for the CGHAZ, implicating a grain size reduction in that region, but again with no improvement on
the bending fatigue strength, as illustrate in Fig. 3. It is well-known that the lower the grain size, the
higher the material toughness. In the same way, the higher the grain size, the lower the
hardness/mechanical strength.
Fig. 5 and Table 3 present the principal geometric factors that compose a butt-weld joint,
measured by image analysis tool.
W HAZ
 RADIUS
T

ROOT

Fig. 5. Main geometry features from a butt welded joint.

1456 Advanced Materials Forum V

Table 3. Geometric factor values obtained from the welded joints.

Group W [mm] T [mm] Root [mm]  [angle] Radius [mm] HAZ [mm] Kt
OR 3.75  0.35 0.89  0.20 0.77  0.19 141.95o  14.40 o 1.03  0.36 2.89  0.25 1.290
1R 4.49  0.33 1.17  0.32 0.82  0.27 146.09 o  8.62 o 0.75  0.21 3.11  0.12 1.305
2R 4.80  0.23 0.96  0.20 0.79  0.30 138.64 o  7.52 o 0.93  0.40 3.22  0.23 2.178
where:
Kt 1
Kf 1 (1)
1 a
r
a = 0.1659 (Peterson’s material parameter for steel); r = notch-root; Kf = fatigue-notch factor [9].
From Table 3 it is possible to verify the effect of welding repairs on the bending fatigue
behaviour of AISI 4130 steel. It can be observed that the welding repairs reduced both the angle ()
and the radius on the weld toe (considered the principal geometric factors controlling the fatigue
behaviour of welded components and structures [6, 10]). In addition, the high scatter on the
geometric factors measured is in consonance with the high scatter of the fatigue results presented by
the welded specimen groups. Nevertheless, from Table 3, we can observe: the increase of the
theoretical stress concentration factor, Kt [9], at the weld toe with the successive welding repairs;
the largest extension of HAZ due to the successive heat-input applied and, consequently, the
increase of the CGHAZ as well; the effect of both weld bead (T) and weld root dimensions, again,
on the angle () and radius reduction and, consequently, on the bending fatigue strength of welded
specimens.
Figs. 6 and 7 present the base-material, HAZ and weld metal microstructures for all the proposed
conditions.

(a) Base-material (typical) (b) One welding repair (c) Two welding repairs
Fig. 6. Base-material and base-material/HAZ transition microstructures. Nital 2%.

Fig. 6(a) shows the normal products of transformation from austenite, i.e. ferrite (F) and perlite
(P). In Figs. 6(b) and 6(c) the beginning of the transformation from perlite to austenite and to
martensite (M), in subsequent cooling, is observed.
Fig. 7(a, b and c) presents the microconstituents of the weld metal (original, one and two re-
welding, respectively), which is basically constituted by martensite (M). It is observed, however, in
Fig. 7(c), the presence of the ferrite with aligned second phase – FS(A) - that certainly contributed
to the fatigue crack propagation initiated at weld toe region, due to high local stress concentration,
in accordance with Table 3 values and the fatigue curves presented in Fig. 3.
 Materials Science Forum Vols. 636-637 1457

(a) Original welding (b) One weld repair. (c) Two weld repairs.
Fig. 7. Weld metal microconstituents. Nital 2%.

It is well-known that the martensite is a very hard constituent (fragile) and that the larger the
hardness, the larger the resistance to the crack nucleation; stage that corresponds up to 90% of the
whole fatigue life of mechanical components. It is possible that the successive thermal cycles from
the welding repairs can have contributed to temper the previous martensite and allying high
mechanical strength with good toughness. Although the matrix is constituted by martensite, the
presence of FS(A) implicates that the cooling rate from the second weld repair was lower [11],
which is corroborated by the lower hardness verified in Table 2. Consequently, the austenitic grain
size of the second weld repair is higher than that of original weld bead, as mentioned previously.

Conclusions
Motivated by high fracture incidence at welded joints of a specific component critical to the flight
safety, called “motor-cradle”, experimental bending fatigue tests on welded and re-welded
specimens were carried out. Based on the results obtained, the following conclusions can be drawn:
1. The AISI 4130 steel has good mechanical properties, but low elongation and endurance limit
when subjected to bending fatigue in the “as-received” condition (not heat-treated).
2. The TIG welding process decreases the bending fatigue strength of the AISI 4130 steel, mainly in
the low-cycle of fatigue (LCF) region.
3. Similar bending fatigue behaviour was observed after the first welding repair when compared
with that one presented by originally welded specimens, whose endurance limits on fatigue were
closed to the nominal stress (σn) specified by the EMBRAER NE-40-056 Aeronautic Standard.
4. After the second welding repair a new decrease in the bending fatigue strength was observed in
the high-cycle of fatigue (HCF) region, below of the nominal stress (σn) specified, committing the
structural integrity of the component and the flight-safety of the aircraft.
5. High scatter on the fatigue strength values obtained with the (re-) welded specimens, was
observed.
6. The bending fatigue behaviour of the (re-)welded specimens is affected by the microstructural
and microhardness variations and by the geometry of the weld bead, typically the angle and radius at
the weld toe.
7. It was verified that there was an increase of the stress concentration factor, Kt, at the weld toe
with the successive welding repairs.
8. All the welded specimens have fractured at the weld toe.

Acknowledgement: The authors are grateful to FAPESP/process number 99/11948-6, CNPq and
FUNDUNESP.
1458 Advanced Materials Forum V

References
[1] Information on: http://www.anac.gov.br
[2] Goranson, U. G., International Journal of Fatigue Vol. 19 (1993), p. S3
[3] Payne, A. O., Engineering Fracture Mechanics Vol. 8 (1976), p. 157
[4] Wenner, C. A., Drury, C. G., Inter. Journal of Industrial Ergonomics Vol. 26 (2000), p. 177
[5] Latorella, K. A., Prabhu, P. V., Inter. Journal of Industrial Ergonomics Vol. 26 (2000), p.133
[6] Nascimento, M.P., Effects of TIG Welding Repair on the Structural Integrity of AISI 4130
Aeronautical Steel. PhD Thesis in Mechanical Engineering. State University of São
Paulo/UNESP-FEG (in Portuguese), Code CDU 620.92, p.240 (2004)
[7] Nascimento, M.P., Voorwald H. J. C., In: Eighth International Fatigue Congress/FATIGUE
2002. Stockholm-Sweden. Vol. 5 (2002), p. 3463
[8] Nascimento, M. P., Ribeiro, R. B., Voorwald, H. J. C., In: 14th European Congress on
Fatigue/ECF 14, Cracow, Poland. Vol. 2, p. 1-3116 (2002)
[9] Peterson, R. E., Stress Concentration Design Factors, fifth ed., John Wiley & Sons
Incorporation, New York, 1966, 155p
[10] Lancaster, J. F., Metallurgy of Welding, ed., Chapman & Hall Incorporation, London, 1993,
389p
[11] Vishnu, P. R., Solid-State Transformations in Weldments. Welding, Brazing and Soldering.
American Society of Metals, ASM Handbook, Metals-Park, Ohio. Vol. 6 (1984), p.70
 Advanced Materials Forum V
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.636-637

Repair Welding Effects on the Bending Fatigue Strength of AISI 4130 Aeronautical
Steel Used in a Critical to the Flight-Safety Structure
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.636-637.1451

References
1] Information on: http://www.anac.gov.br

[2] Goranson, U. G., International Journal of Fatigue Vol. 19 (1993), p. S3

[3] Payne, A. O., Engineering Fracture Mechanics Vol. 8 (1976), p. 157

doi:10.1016/0013-7944(76)90085-0

[4] Wenner, C. A., Drury, C. G., Inter. Journal of Industrial Ergonomics Vol. 26 (2000), p.
177

[5] Latorella, K. A., Prabhu, P. V., Inter. Journal of Industrial Ergonomics Vol. 26 (2000),
p.133

[6] Nascimento, M.P., Effects of TIG Welding Repair on the Structural Integrity of AISI 4130
Aeronautical Steel. PhD Thesis in Mechanical Engineering. State University of São
Paulo/UNESP-FEG (in Portuguese), Code CDU 620.92, p.240 (2004)

[7] Nascimento, M.P., Voorwald H. J. C., In: Eighth International Fatigue

Congress/FATIGUE 2002. Stockholm-Sweden. Vol. 5 (2002), p. 3463

[8] Nascimento, M. P., Ribeiro, R. B., Voorwald, H. J. C., In: 14th European Congress on
Fatigue/ECF 14, Cracow, Poland. Vol. 2, p. 1-3116 (2002)

[9] Peterson, R. E., Stress Concentration Design Factors, fifth ed., John Wiley & Sons
Incorporation, New York, 1966, 155p

[10] Lancaster, J. F., Metallurgy of Welding, ed., Chapman & Hall Incorporation, London,
1993, 389p

[11] Vishnu, P. R., Solid-State Transformations in Weldments. Welding, Brazing and

Soldering. American Society of Metals, ASM Handbook, Metals-Park, Ohio. Vol. 6 (1984),
p.70

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