Strain Aging in Weld Metal

As described earlier in this report, strain-aging embrittlement is

a general term applied to the continued change in physical properties when
a cold-worked steel is allowed to stand at room temperature or is heated
at a low temperature for a short time. A number of investigators have
studied strain aging in weld metal. Weld metal deposited with bare-wire
electrodes was shown to be susceptible to strain-aging effects, believed
to be caused by nitrogen pickup during welding(H80, H118) H132, H205).
Nitrogen was also found to cause strain-aging embrittlement in coated-
electrode deposits(H80, H 162). Various investigators(H47, H48, H96, H98)
have used notched-bend tests and Charpy vee-notch tests to study strain-
aging behavior of AWS Classes E6010, E6012, E6020, and E6016 electrodes
in connection with transition-temperature studies.

Since it is an embrittlement phenomenon, strain aging was included

in this survey. However, in no instance did any investigator suggest
that it was related to weld-metal cracking. Therefore, the discussion
on the effects of strain aging was kept to a minimum.

Temperature at Which Weld-Metal Cracking Occurs

The mechanism of hot cracking might be better understood if the

temperature of its occurrence were known. Most investigators agree
that hot cracking in ferritic weld metal occurs at very high temperatures,
but there is some question as to whether it initiates above or below the
solidus temperature. Cracking in austenitic weld metal was generally
believed to occur very soon after solidification of the deposit. So far,
apparently, no one has succeeded in measuring the actual temperature of
weld-metal cracking.

Several German investigators have studied the problem of base-metal

hot cracking encountered in the gas welding of thin aircraft steel sheet.
Bardenheuer and Bottenberg(H26-) attached thermocouple wires 3 mm from
the weld and measured temperatures in the range 1110°F to 1365OF when
cracks were first observed. The authors assumed that the temperatures
were too low. They were probably correct in this assumption, since it has
been shown that surface temperatures cannot be accurately measured with
exposed thermocouples. Muller(H184) made similar measurements and
concluded that the cracks developed at least above 1830*F.

Antonioli(H18) used a rather unique setup to measure the temperature

at which the same type of base-metal hot cracking occurred. A schematic
diagram of his setup is shown in Figure 44.

WADO TR 52-143 102