Manas Mohan Mahapatra

Numerical and experimental study on prediction of thermal history and residual deformation of double-sided fillet welding

Abstract Distortions occur in almost every arc welded joint. The nature of the created distortion depends on several parameters including the welding speed, plate thickness, welding current, voltage, and restraints applied to the job. The distortions and thermal history of a joint can be measured experimentally but the measurement procedure may be costly and time-consuming. In the present work a numerical elasto-plastic thermomechanical model has been developed for predicting the thermal history and resulting angular distortions of submerged arc welded double-sided fillet joints. A moving distributed heat source was used in the finite element modelling of the double-sided fillet welding to create a realistic simulation of the process. The effect of filler metal deposition was taken into account by implementing a birth-and-death process for the elements. The transient temperature distributions were predicted using temperature-dependent material properties. The angular distortion profiles were predicted based on the transient temperature distributions of the fillet welds. The model yielded results that match the experimental values (with a variation of 5–10 per cent for the maximum values of the distortions and a variation of 8 per cent for peak temperatures).

Modelling the effects of constraints and single axis welding process parameters on angular distortions in one-sided fillet welds

Abstract Welding process parameters and joint fit-ups significantly affect angular distortion patterns. By using constraints at proper positions the angular distortion can be minimized. In the present work the effect of constraints in the form of tack welds to minimize angular distortion in one-sided fillet welds has been analysed. It has been observed that proper positioning of tacks plays an important role in controlling angular distortion. The process was modelled using the three-dimensional finite element technique. Three-dimensional transient thermal analyses were done for predicting temperature distributions by considering a moving heat source. The element birth and death technique was used for simulating filler material deposition. The fillet welds were sectioned and microstructure zones were measured. The thermal model was verified by comparing the temperatures obtained from the thermal analysis with experimental results. Transient thermal and non-linear structural analyses were carried out in order to predict angular distortions.

Microstructure characterization and charpy toughness of P91 weldment for as-welded, post-weld heat treatment and normalizing & tempering heat treatment

The effect of weld groove design and heat treatment on microstructure evolution and Charpy toughness of P91 pipe weldments was studied. The P91 pipe weldments were subjected to subcritical post weld heat treatment (760 °C-2 h) and normalizing/tempering conditions (normalized-1040 °C/40 min, air cooled; tempered 760 °C/2 h, air cooled) were employed. The influence of subsequent PWHT and N&T treatment on the microstructure of various zone of P91 pipe weldments were also investigated. The present investigation also described the effect of PWHT and N&T treatment on hardness, grain size, precipitate size, inter-particle spacing and fraction area of precipitates present in each zone of P91 pipe weldments. The result indicated great impact of heat treatment on the Charpy toughness and microstructure evolution of P91 weldments. The N&T treatment was found to be more effective heat treatment compared to subsequent PWHT. Charpy toughness value was found to be higher for narrow-groove design as compared to conventional V-groove design.

Modelling and optimizing the effects of process parameters on galvanized steel sheet resistance spot welds

This paper investigates the choice of input process variables that create acceptable welds in the resistance spot welding of galvanized steel sheets. The effects created by the interactions between the process variables in terms of the size of the weld nugget, tensile-shear strength, and peel strength are also investigated. Regression equations are obtained and their ability to predict the size of the weld nugget, tensile-shear strength, and peel strength is tested in a series of test cases. The obtained data is then used in response optimization studies. The predicted optimized input process variables were experimentally verified by comparing measured and predicted optimized target responses. The methodology adopted in the present investigation is shown to be able to model, predict, and response optimize the input process variables for resistance spot welding of galvanized steel sheets.

Effect of Normalizing Temperature on Fracture Characteristic of Tensile and Impact Tested Creep Strength-Enhanced Ferritic P92 Steel

The high-temperature Cr-Mo creep strength-enhanced ferritic (CSEF) steels are mainly used in nuclear and thermal power plants. In the present investigation, a systematic study on fracture surface morphologies of tensile and impact tested specimens and mechanical properties of cast and forged (C&F) P92 steel was performed for various heat treatment conditions. The heat treatment was carried out in normalizing temperature range of 950-1150xa0°C and then tempered to a fixed tempering temperature of 760xa0°C. The effect of varying normalizing temperatures before and after tempering on microstructure evolution, tensile properties, Vicker’s hardness and Charpy toughness was studied. The normalizing temperature before and after tempering was having a noticeable effect on mechanical properties of as-received P92 steel. The fracture surface of impact and tensile tested samples was also studied for various normalizing temperatures with or without tempering. Fracture surface morphology was affected by the presence of secondary phase carbide particles. The fraction area of cleavage facets on the tensile fracture surface was found to be increased with an increase in the normalizing temperature. The fractured tensile specimens were characterized by transgranular ductile dimples, tear ridges and transgranular cleavage facets for various heat treatments. The fracture mode of impact tested samples was more complex. It showed both quasi-cleavage facets and ductile dimple tearing for various normalizing temperatures.

Predicting the effects of tool geometries on friction stirred aluminium welds using artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic techniques

Effect of friction stir welding (FSW) tool geometries on aluminium welds were investigated using different tool shoulder and pin probe geometry profiles. A combination of 27 tool shoulder and pin profile geometries were used for the experimental purpose using a design matrix. The effect of these tool geometries on the friction stir welds like the weld strength, weld cross-section area and grain sizes were investigated. The effects of the tool geometries were predicted using artificial intelligence techniques such as artificial neural networks (ANN) and fuzzy logic modelling. It was observed that, for a combination of FSW tool geometries, the ANN model was not so effective in predicting the FSW weldment characteristics, while the fuzzy logic model was able to predict the same with much lower percentage of error for the test cases.

A New Hot Tearing Assessment by Using Stepped Ring Core Mold and the Effect of Strontium on the Hot-Tearing Resistance of Al–6 wt% Zn Based Alloy

Automobile and aerospace industries use thin wall aluminium alloy castings which provide lighter structures with excellent mechanical properties. Production of thin wall castings is more challenging due to hot tear formation. Lack of fluidity in molten alloy causes hot tears and must be addressed in thin wall castings of Al-alloys. The present study is focused on a new technique known as stepped ring mould casting. It is possible to assess the hot tear susceptibility of Al–6Zn alloys by varying ring thickness to find out the critical thickness for occurrence of hot tears. The alloy was cast using different strontium (Sr) concentrations (0.2, 0.4, 0.6%). Effects of strontium concentrations were studied in terms of fluidity, porosity content, microstructure and tensile properties of Al–6Zn alloy. In the present work, unmodified and Sr modified alloy casts were characterized by SEM, EDS and XRD respectively. Al–6Zn ingots were procured by master alloy route. Repetition of stepped ring test on the critical thickness showed that hot tear were successfully eliminated significantly due to the addition of Sr. On the other hand, 0.6% Sr also exhibited a good amount of porosity and decrease in elongation. Shorter fluidity length was observed in 0.2% Sr modified alloy. Mechanical and metallographic tests revealed that the alloy castings modified with 0.4% Sr offered better results in yield strength, less porosity and an improved hot tear resistance at micro and macro levels.

Achieving optimized tungsten inert gas butt welding conditions of thin cold rolled steel sheets by response surface methodology and artificial neural networks

This paper describes the multiresponse optimization of tungsten inert gas welding for an optimal parametric combination to predict the weld characteristics of thin cold rolled steel sheets. The interaction effects of tungsten inert gas welding process parameters such as welding current, arc length, and traverse speed have been observed on the weld characteristic responses such as weld width, heat-affected zone width, and under-bead depression. Full factorial design of experiment was followed for determining the combinations of the experimental runs. Regression analysis was carried out to develop the mathematical models for the welding control factors and responses. Analysis of variance was used to check the adequacy of the developed mathematical model. The confirmatory tests were conducted to validate the accuracy of mathematical model. Sensitivity analysis was also done to analyze the effect of each individual process parameter on the weld responses. The full factorial experimental data was further utilized for multi-response optimization of the tungsten inert gas process parameters. It was observed that weld responses like weld width and heat-affected zone width could be optimized by regression modeling technique while the under-bead depression showed uncertain behavior. The under-bead depression ranged from 0.0 to 0.15u2009mm and was observed only when the arc traverse speed was at the lowest level (4u2009cm/min) for all values of the welding current and arc length. The experimental data were also modeled using the artificial neural network technique for the prediction of weld responses and the results were compared with that from the regression analysis.

Characterisation of dissimilar P91 and P92 steel welds joint

ABSTRACT In the present study, dissimilar weld joint was prepared using the P91 and P92 steel plate of 8-mm thickness, using the multi-pass gas tungsten arc (GTA) welding with filler (weld 1) and autogenous tungsten inert gas welding (A-TIG) process (weld 2). Evolution of δ-ferrite patches was studied in weld zone and heat affected zone (HAZ) for both weld 1 and weld 2. Effect of varying post weld heat treatment (PWHT) duration was also studied on δ-ferrite patches and mechanical properties of the dissimilar weld joint. PWHT was carried out at 760°C. For weld 2, weld zone showed poor impact toughness and higher peak hardness as compared to weld 1. After the PWHT, a considerable reduction in hardness was obtained for both weld 1 and weld 2,while impact toughness of weld zone showed a continuous increment with PWHT duration. For weldments characterisation, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and microhardness tester were utilised.

Characterization of slurry-based mullite coating deposited on P91 steel welds

Ceramic coatings are widely used as thermal and environment barrier coatings due to their inert properties and capability to withstand high temperature. Ceramic coatings are commonly deposited by air plasma spray process and electron beam physical vapor deposition. In the present work, a cost-effective, slurry-based dip coating technique was developed to deposit mullite-based ceramic coating on the P91 steel substrate. The coating has been characterized by X-ray diffraction technique and scanning electron microscopy. Sintering of coatings was carried out in the temperature range of 900–1000xa0°C. Sintering time was varied between 0.5 and 1xa0h. Energy dispersive spectroscopy was carried out to study the distribution and diffusion of constituent elements during high-temperature sintering. Potentiodynamic polarization tests and thermo-gravimetric analysis were performed to investigate the corrosion behavior of the coating. The coating sintered at 1000xa0°C was found to be free from cracks and other microdefects. The corrosion rate of coating sintered at 1000xa0°C was found to be 26.06xa0mpy whereas the uncoated sample showed a higher corrosion rate of 153.7xa0mpy.