Journal of Materials Processing Technology 138 (2003) 2227

Effect of residual stress on thermal fatigue in a type 420 martensitic stainless steel weldment
Y.C. Lin*, S.C. Chen
Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua 50058, Taiwan, ROC

Abstract This paper aimed at the investigation of the effect of residual stress on thermal fatigue in martensitic stainless steel. In this study, a submerged arc welding was utilized. In order to obtain the different magnitude of residual stresses, the parallel heat welding, vibration stress relief, shot peening, and controlled low temperature stress relief processes were used for reduction of residual stresses due to welding. During welding, the thermal cycle of different locations in weldment were recorded. The residual stresses were determined by using the hole-drilling strain-gage method of ASTM standard E837. The retained ferrite content was determined with a digital optical microscope and image process software. The experimental results showed that the residual stresses decrease with increase of thermal fatigue cycle number. This is because that the formation of crack relieves residual stresses of specimen. Because of solidication structure difference, at low thermal fatigue cycle, the density of cracks on near fusion line is the higher than centerline. At high thermal fatigue cycle, the density of crack from near fusion line is lower than centerline, but very longer crack is found easily. The retained ferrite content and thermal fatigue crack tendency exist a critical value. The retained ferrite less than about 31.5 vol.% will increase crack propagation tendency. The retained ferrite become a harmful factor for crack propagation tendency when the retained ferrite more than this critical content. It is because that too much ferrite content in martensitic matrix may result in a lower strength structure and crack can propagate easily. In addition, the dual phase structure may introduce more harmful interior stress due to different volume shrinkage between retained phase and matrix. # 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Welding; Residual stress; Thermal fatigue; Retained ferrite

1. Introduction Detrimental residual stresses commonly result from differential heating and cooling. A weld is a common example. Due to contraction of metal along the length of the weld is partially prevented by the large adjacent body of cold metal. Hence residual tensile stresses are set up along the weld. The residual stresses that arrive during welding can reach the yield strength of base metal [13]. Such high residual stress will inuence the mechanical and/or corrosion properties of materials in service [4,5]. Therefore, various thermal and mechanical treatments were performed on weldments to reduce residual stresses [6]. They included: preheat, thermal stress relief, controlled low temperature stress relief, peening, proofstressing, and vibratory stress relief, and so forth. Because of martensitic stainless steels have good mechanical strength and corrosion resistance, they form an important material in hardfacing deposit of rolling mill. The rollers suffered the corrosion, erosion, and thermal fatigue crack
* Corresponding author. Tel.: 886-4727-6207; fax: 886-4721-1149. E-mail address: ielinyc@cc.ncue.edu.tw (Y.C. Lin).

damages in operating environment. The thermal fatigue in martensitic stainless steels were a complex process, they might include a period tensile-compressive thermal stresses action, residual stress alternation, interior stress induced by dual phase structure (say retained ferrite within martensitic matrix) [7], and metallurgical structure may changed during the cyclic heating-cooling. This paper aimed at the investigation of the effect of residual stress on thermal fatigue in martensitic stainless steel. Also, the relationship between retained ferrite within martensitic matrix and thermal fatigue crack tendency was investigated in this study.

2. Experimental The effect of residual stress on thermal fatigue was studied with submerged arc welding using type 1018 low carbon steel as based metal and type 420 martensitic stainless steel as the ller metal, which has the chemical composition Fe 0.21C0.45Si1.32Mn0.02P0.01S12.1Cr0.08Cu, yield strength 790 MPa, and tensile strength 920 MPa. The diameter of ller wire was 3.2 mm. To obtain the same initial

0924-0136/03/$ see front matter # 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/S0924-0136(03)00043-8

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stress state, all base metal specimens, each with identical dimensions of 200 mm 120 mm 30 mm, were annealed at 600 8C for 2 h. The welding conditions used included: voltage 30 V, current 500 A, travel speed 30 cm/min, heat input 300 kJ/ cm, and preheating temperature 200 8C. To obtain varying magnitudes of residual stress, during or after welding, the parallel heat welding, vibration stress relief, shot peening, and controlled low temperature stress relief processes respectively were used for reducing residual stresses due to welding. The test specimens were unconstrained during welding to avoid the inuence of reaction stress. After welding, the surface of fusion zone was machined carefully to form a 15 mm 15 mm area, and a three-element straingauge rosette was attached, then a hole of 1.6 mm diameter in the center of the rosette was drilled to measure the residual stresses, according to ASTM standard E837 [8]. In the thermal fatigue test, the tested specimen was heated up to 650 8C with an air furnace, then quenched with pure water immediately during 3 s, while surface temperature of tested specimen cooling down to 200 8C. The thermal cycle recorded of thermal fatigue test is plotted in Fig. 1. To analyze the thermal stress during thermal fatigue process, ve thermocouples of k type were introduced separately at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 mm from the surface of fusion zone and along the direction of thickness. An optical microscope was used to observe cracking during a period of thermal fatigue cycles. The observed region of cracking was at center of weld with 8 mm 8 mm. The residual stress and crack induced by thermal fatigue were measured and observed during a period of thermal fatigue cycles. In addition, in order to study the relationship between the retained ferrite and thermal fatigue crack tendency, ve different preheating conditions was used to control different cooling rates and to obtain different content of retained

ferrite. The preheating conditions included: water cooling, non-preheating, preheating 100 8C, preheating 200 8C, and preheating 300 8C, and so forth. The other welding conditions were same to mentioned conditions. A digital optical microscope and image process software were used to determine the content of retained ferrite within the martensitic stainless steel matrix.

3. Results and discussion 3.1. Reduction of residual stresses from various processes Fig. 2 shows the measured results of maximum and minimum principal residual stresses using various reducing residual stress processes. The experimental results show that the residual stresses can be decreased using by all of testing conditions. The shot peening and controlled low temperature stress relief processes have better result for reducing residual stresses, which original tensile residual stresses is replace by compressive residual stresses. 3.2. Thermal stress analysis during thermal fatigue cycles Fig. 3 shows the measured result of thermal cycles from various locations on cross-section of tested specimen. As results shown, the temperature difference between fusion zone top (location A) and bottom (location E) of tested specimen is 73 8C before water quenching. The thermal stress can be calculated with the Manson formula [9] (st EaDT= 1 u, where E is the Youngs modulus, a the thermal expansion coefcient, DT the temperature difference, u the Poisons ratio) is 211.8 MPa. Just by water quenching, the

Fig. 1. Thermal cycle history for the thermal fatigue test.

Fig. 2. Measured residual stress in various reducing stress processes.

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Fig. 5. Alternation of residual stress in vibration stress relief specimen during thermal fatigue.

Fig. 3. Thermal cycles at different locations on cross-section of weldment.

temperature difference between the fusion zone top and the bottom of base metal can be increased by 352 8C. The thermal stress cycle during thermal fatigue process is plotted in Fig. 4. The analysis result shows that the maximum tensile stress occurs while the specimen is quenched with water. During heating cycle, the surface of specimen is in a compressive stress state. The maximum tensile stress induced by thermal shock is 830 MPa and the maximum compressive stress is 221 MPa. The maximum tensile stress exceeds the yielding strength of type 420 martensitic stainless steel used (790 MPa). Therefore, plastic deformation occurs at weld surface. The plastic deformation causes crack in hardening material such as martensitic stainless steels. 3.3. Alternation of residual stress during thermal fatigue Fig. 5 shows the alternating result of residual stresses in vibration stress relief specimen during thermal fatigue process. The measured result shows that the both of maximum

and minimum residual stresses decrease with increase of thermal fatigue cycle number. Also, while thermal fatigue cycle over longer periods of time such as 2000 cycles, the tensile residual stress will approach zero. This is because that the tensile thermal stress induced by thermal shock will exceed the yield strength of the material used. Such high tensile thermal stress occurring at high temperature will cause the surface to crack. The formation of a crack relieves the residual stresses of the surface layer of the specimen. 3.4. Crack observation during thermal fatigue Fig. 6 shows the relationship between the maximum crack length and the thermal fatigue cycle in various reduction residual stress processes. The experimental result shows that the crack initiation occurs during 20 cycles. Higher residual stress specimens (such as conventional welding, parallel heat welding) have a larger crack length. Fig. 7 shows the relationship between total crack number and thermal fatigue cycle in various reducing residual stress processes. The experimental result shows that the shot peening and

Fig. 4. Thermal stress cycle during thermal fatigue process.

Fig. 6. Relationship between maximum crack length and crack number.

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Fig. 7. Relationship between total crack number and crack number.

controlled low temperature stress relief conditions have lower crack number than for the other conditions. It is pointed out that the total crack number decrease with cycle number when the cycle number beyond 1000 times. The possible reason is what two or more small cracks merge to become a larger crack. For specimens treated by either parallel heat welding or vibration stress relief the initial crack was found at the 20th cycle. The specimens with shot peening and controlled low temperature stress relief needed 30 and 50 cycles to produce an initial crack because of their compressive residual stress. Therefore, it can be concluded that the weld with compressive residual stress can retard the initiation of a crack. As Fig. 8 shows, each process has the relationships between the total crack length and the cycle number. At the crack initiation stage (cycle number 100), the crack propagation rate of shot peening and controlled low temperature stress relief processes are slower than the other three processes. At the crack propagation stage (cycle number ! 100), all processes nearly have the same crack

Fig. 9. Crack pattern observed in conventional welding specimen during 50 cycles: (a) near fusion line; (b) between fusion line and weld centerline; (c) weld centerline.

propagation rate. It can be explained that residual stress has not a signicant inuence on crack propagation due to release of residual stress at this stage. During 50 times thermal fatigue cycle, the cracks pattern of conventional welding and shot peening specimens are shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Each gure includes three different

Fig. 8. Relationship between total crack length and crack number.

Fig. 10. Crack pattern observed in shot peening specimen during 50 cycles: (a) near fusion line; (b) between fusion line and weld centerline; (c) weld centerline.

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thermal fatigue cycles. It is note that the density of crack from near fusion line is lower than centerline, but very longer crack is found easily. It would be explained from solidication structure. The equiaxed dendritic structure is easily formed near centerline weld which exits higher solidied rate but lower temperature gradient. And the region near fusion line tends to the cellular structure due to lower solidied rate and higher temperature gradient. From comparing geometry of the two solidication structures, the cellular structure is not easy to initiate crack due to its regular arrangement. Besides, the equiaxed dendrite structure is easy to initiate crack due to its local stress concentration of non-directional structure [10]. Based on the experimental observation, all cracks have not habit direction. Because the thermal stress in this test is larger than residual stress, it dominates the initiation of crack. Due to the thermal stress induced by thermal shock is random in direction, the crack found has not habit direction. 3.5. Retained ferrite effect on the thermal fatigue
Fig. 11. Crack pattern observed in conventional welding specimen during 2000 cycles: (a) near fusion line; (b) between fusion line and weld centerline; (c) weld centerline.

positions: (a) the position near the fusion line; (b) the position between fusion line and centerline; (c) the position at weld centerline. It can be observed that the density of cracks on near fusion line is higher than the centerline. Figs. 11 and 12 show the crack pattern from the conventional welding and shot peening specimens during 2000 times

Because of the inuence factors of thermal fatigue include stress and metallurgy. In this study, the stress factor includes the thermal stress induced by thermal shock and the residual stress induced by welding. The metallurgical factor includes the retained ferrite within martensitic matrix. To investigate the retained ferrite on the thermal fatigue, different preheating conditions was used to control different cooling rates and to obtain different contents of retained ferrite. Table 1 shows the measured results of Dt8/5, cooling rate, and ferrite content from different preheating condition. The higher preheating temperature condition has longer Dt8/5, lower cooling rate and ferrite content retained. The maximum difference of ferrite content is 3.9%. Fig. 13 shows the measured result of residual stresses in various preheating conditions. The experimental result shows that the residual stresses do not signicant inuence with various cooling rates. This result is similar to past study [3]. Fig. 14 shows the effect of retained ferrite on the total crack length after 2000 times thermal fatigue cycles. The experimental result shows that the retained ferrite content and thermal fatigue crack tendency do not exist linear relationship. Based on the observation of experiment, the critical ferrite content is about 31.5 vol.%. The role of retained ferrite is a benecial

Table 1 Measured results of cooling rate and ferrite content from different preheating conditions Preheating condition Water cooling Without preheating Preheating at 100 8C Preheating at 200 8C Preheating at 300 8C Dt8/5 (s) 7.0 12.6 13.8 20.5 40.0 Cooling rate (8C/s) 42.9 23.8 21.7 14.6 7.5 Ferrite content (vol.%) 34.3 32.2 31.3 31.09 30.43

Fig. 12. Crack pattern observed in shot peening specimen during 2000 cycles: (a) near fusion line; (b) between fusion line and weld centerline; (c) weld centerline.

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harmful factor for crack propagation tendency during thermal fatigue process [7].

4. Conclusion 1. The maximum tensile stress occurs while the specimen is quenched with water. During heating cycle, the surface of specimen is in a compressive stress state. The maximum tensile stress induced by thermal shock is 830 MPa and the maximum compressive stress is 221 MPa. 2. The residual stresses decrease with increase of thermal fatigue cycle number. This is because that the formation of crack relieves residual stresses of specimen. 3. Because of solidification structure difference, at low thermal fatigue cycle, the density of cracks on near fusion line is higher than the centerline. At high thermal fatigue cycle, the density of crack from near fusion line is lower than centerline, but very longer crack is found easily. 4. The retained ferrite content and thermal fatigue crack tendency exist a critical value. The retained ferrite less than about 31.5 vol.% will increase crack propagation tendency. The retained ferrite become a harmful factor for crack propagation tendency when the retained ferrite more than this critical content. It is because that too much ferrite content in martensitic matrix may result in a lower strength structure and crack can propagate easily. In addition, the dual phase structure may introduce more harmful interior stress due to different volume shrinkage between retained phase and matrix.

Fig. 13. Measured residual stress in various welding conditions with various cooling rates.

Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge nancial support provided by the National Science Council of China under grant no. NSC-89-2216-E018-001.

Fig. 14. Relationship between retained ferrite and total crack length.

References
[1] Y. Ueda, K. Nakacho, T. Shimizu, J. Press. Vess. Technol. 108 (1986) 14. [2] A.A. Well, Weld. J. 32 (1953) 34r. [3] Y.C. Lin, K.H. Lee, J. Mater. Process. Technol. 63 (1997) 797. [4] A.W. James, C.M. Shepherd, Mater. Sci. Technol. 5 (1989) 333. [5] T. Toyooka, T. Tsunenari, R. Ide, T. Tange, Weld. J. 64 (1985) 29s. [6] K. Masubuchi, Analysis of Welded Structure, 1st ed., Pergamon Press, New York, 1980. [7] K. Kamachi, N. Tani, T. Ishida, M. Kawano, T. Kuhohori, Thermal fatigue test by direct passage method of large electric current on stainless steel, in: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference, Stockholm, Pergamon Press, New York, 1983. [8] Determining residual stresses by the hole-drilling strain gauge method, ASTM Standard, ASTM, Philadelphia, PA, 1992. [9] S.S. Manson, Thermal Stress and Low-cycle Fatigue, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1966. [10] D.A. Woodford, D.F. Mowbray, Mater. Sci. Eng. 16 (1974) 5. [11] P. Lillys, A.E. Nehrenberg, Trans. ASM 48 (1956) 327.

factor for crack tendency when the retained ferrite is less than 31.5 vol.%. This similar result had been shown in Lillys study [11]. Unfortunately, the retained ferrite becomes a harmful factor for crack tendency when the retained ferrite more than this critical content. The possible reasons that martensite is very hard and brittle structure, therefore it is unfavorable crack propagation resistance. The ferrite retains in martensitic matrix will increase crack resistance [11]. On the contrary, too much ferrite is not favorable for crack resistance because of too much ferrite content in martensitic matrix may result in a lower strength structure and crack can propagate easily. In addition, the dual phase (say retained ferrite within martensitic matrix) structure may result in more interior stress due to different volume shrinkage between retained phase and matrix. The interior stress is