I. SAMARDŽIĆ, A. ĆORIĆ, M.

DUNĐER ISSN 0543-5846

METABK 55(3) 453-456 (2016)
UDC – UDK 621.791.052:669.15.182:539.55.375:620.178.1=111

WELDABILITY INVESTIGATION
OF FINE-GRAINED S1100QL STEEL
Received – Prispjelo: 2015-07-22
Accepted – Prihvaćeno: 2015-12-15
Preliminary Note – Prethodno priopćenje

This paper presents the results of weldability investigation on welded joints made of fine - grained high-strength
S1100QL steel. The investigations are performed on two welded plates by HV 10 hardness measuring and by Charpy
V notch testing at different test temperatures. Mechanical properties of welded joints are overviewed, along with
welded parameters, all of which enable obtaining of high-quality welded joints.
Key words: weldability, fine-grained steel S1100QL, hardness, impact energy

INTRODUCTION the welded joint. In general, welded joint is weakened if

compared to the initial properties of base material. Ther-
High-strength steels are used in manufacturing of modynamic processes during welding of improved fine-
lighter structures, especially for transport industry and grained high-strength S1100QL steel are extremely
in production of other mechanical equipment. Applica- complex, and their impact on structure and properties of
tion of those steels increases the capacity of welded the investigated steel is still to be studied in details. Such
structures and improves their service efficiency. Large studies are usually directed towards understanding of
structures, such as bridges, cranes, hoists, pressure ves- processes that occur in material structure, towards im-
sels, parts of ships, which are exposed to changing loads proving of welded joints quality, as well as to develop
and low temperatures, shall be produced of new types new welding technology. The most of research into im-
of high-strength steels, which are resistant to brittle proved high - strength steel S1100QL is focused on ex-
fracture, with good weldability properties and low costs planation of failures that occur in welded joints, primar-
of manufacture. Referring to the welded structure load, ily of cold cracks, which are nowadays one of the most
an important property of steel is its resistance to shape common problems in the welding [3]. Cold cracks de-
change under load. Unfortunately, high-strength steels velop at a temperature below 200 °C and may appear
are not frequently used or are even forbidden to be ap- immediately after cooling of welded joint, or even sev-
plied in some welded products. Such steel has unfavora- eral days after welding. The risk of cold cracking in-
ble ratio of conventional yield stress Rp0,2 and tensile creases with increased strength of the material. Although
strength Rm. Higher value of yield stress shall result in cold cracks are studied for decades, they still represent
reduced weight of a welded structure or a product. major issue in the integrity of welded structures, espe-
Greater ratio of conventional yield stress Rp0,2 and ten- cially of high-strength steels. Previous studies have
sile strength Rm indicates less ”reserve” in cases of over- shown that hydrogen content in welded joint was the
load and shorter time until possible fracture [1]. In most dominant factor for occurrence of cold cracks. It
available literature, this relationship is presented as was found that hydrogen atoms were able to pass through
Yield Point / Tensile Point, being usually Y/T = Rp0,2/ Rm the crystal lattice of material and they could cause for-
≈ ( 0,7 – 0,9) [2]. mation of cold cracks in welded joints by interacting
with residual stresses and with microstructure prone to
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE hardening. Hydrogen path and occurrence of cracks in
high-strength steels is greatly influenced by the material
Within welding, material is exposed to relatively microstructure and its imperfections [4]. The authors of
large amount of heat, resulting in rapidly increased tem- presented paper studied the parameters of true welding
perature in the welded joint, followed by cooling period. of ultra-high strength steel in order to obtain a weld with
The consequence of weld thermal cycle is visible in acceptable mechanical properties without cold cracks.
changed mechanical properties and microstructure of Experimental research presented in this paper was per-
formed on improved micro alloyed ultra-high strength
steel S1100QL [5]. Diagram of relationship between true
I. Samardžić, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Slavonski Brod, Cro-
atia, A. Ćorić, Bratstvo, Novi Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina, M. stress and strain at various temperatures for S1100QL
Dunđer, Department for Polytechnic, University of Rijeka, Croatia. steel is presented in the Figure 1.

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 I. SAMARDŽIĆ et al.: WELDABILITY INVESTIGATION OF FINE-GRAINED S1100QL STEEL

Weld thermal cycle is defined by two levels of cooling

time (t8/5 min) and (t8/5 max). Lower values of cooling time
than minimum allowed cooling time (t8/5 min) cause high
strength and hardness in the heat affected zone (HAZ),
which can cause cold cracks. Higher values of cooling
time than maximum allowed cooling time (t8/5 max) cause
too low values of impact toughness and high transient
temperature from ductile to brittle condition. Between
minimum and maximum value of cooling time (t8/5 min)
and (t8/5 max), there is a favorable zone providing satisfac-
tory mechanical properties within HAZ. Previous re-
searches into S1100QL steel resulted in acceptable me-
chanical properties in HAZ by cooling time (t8/5) from 6
Figure 1 Relationship of true stress - strain at various to 15 s and from 8 to 12 s [2]. The risk of cold cracks in
temperatures for S1100QL steel [3] HAZ was avoided. Furthermore, the risk of impact
toughness decline and transient temperature increase in
the HAZ was also reduced. Calculation of cooling time
Chemical elements contained in the examined steel
(t8/5) depends on the heat transfer model that is applied
are presented in the Table 1, and its mechanical proper-
during welding. Cooling time (t8/5) can be calculated for
ties are overviewed in the Table 2.
two-dimensional and three-dimensional heat transfer,
Table 1 Compositions of S1100QL steel [4]
and is described by the equations 1 and 2. [4]
Base materials HRN EN 10025-6 Measured values
C max. 0,20 0,17
Si max. 0,50 0,25
Mn max. 1,70 0,88
Elements content, cwt

P max. 0,02 0,005

S max. 0,005 0,002
Cr max. 1,50 0,49
/%

Mo max. 0,70 0,41 where:

Ni - 1,28 To - preheating temperature / °C
Nb - 0,02 I – welding amperage / A
V - 0,02 U – welding voltage / V
Co - 0,03 v – welding speed / cm/min
B - 0,003
F2 and F3 – factors of heat transfer
(E=q/v) – heat input / J/mm
Table 2 Mechanical properties of S1100QL [4] d – material thickness / mm
Yield Tensile Elon-gation Impact
Mat. strength strength A5 / % energy The equation 3 expresses marginal thickness be-
Re / MPa Rm / MPa KV / J
tween two- dimensional and three- dimensional 3 heat
HRN EN min. 1 100 1 200 - 1 500 min. 8 -40 °C
10025  30 transfer, [4]
Measured 1 120 1 430 12,5 55
value

Weld thermal cycle

where d < dgr refers to two- dimensional heat trans-
The tendency of cold cracking in welded joint of fer, and d > dgr refers to three- dimensional heat transfer.
high-strength steel depends on many factors, such as
chemical composition of the base material, welded ma- PERFORMED EXPERIMENTS
terial thickness, content of hydrogen in the welded joint,
preheating temperature (To) and temperature between Two plates (P1 and P2) of dimension ≠ 12 x 300 x 300
passes (Tm), heat input during welding, welding pro- mm were welded as of the parameters presented in the
cess, geometry of the weld, and the level of residual Table 3.
stresses after welding. All mentioned factors can be ad- Welding of plates was performed in the direction of
dressed through the cooling time and heat affected zone rolling, with the V groove preparation for welding. Fill-
in the temperature interval from 800 to 500 °C (t8/5). In er material was a solid wire Union X 96 (EN 12634),
that temperature interval, there are the most important Ø1,2 mm. Chemical composition and mechanical prop-
structural changes occurring in the welded joint, which erties of the filler material are overviewed in the Table
directly affect final mechanical properties of the weld. 4. Shielding gas was a mixture of 12 % Ar + 82 % CO2

454 METALURGIJA 55 (2016) 3, 453-456

 I. SAMARDŽIĆ et al.: WELDABILITY INVESTIGATION OF FINE-GRAINED S1100QL STEEL

Table 3 Parameters of welding of plates to specimen Results of testing the impact energy
P1 and P2
P1 I/A U/V To / °C Tm / °C Results of testing the impact energy at temperatures
Base 140 16 100 100 of 20, 0, - 20, - 40 and - 60°C are shown in Figures 4
Filler 250 28 100 100 and 5 (plates 1 and 2), while dependence of impact en-
P2 I /A U/V To / °C Tm / °C ergy on the same temperatures is shown in the Figure 6.
Base 170 21 100 100 As expected, the Figures 4, 5 and 6 show that impact
Filler 285 30 100 100 energy is smaller at lower temperatures.

Table 4 Chemical composition and mechanical properties

of filler material [5]
Filler mat. Chemical composition in mass / %
C Si Mn Ni Cr Mo
Union X 96 0,12 0,80 1,90 2,35 0,45 0,55
Mechanical properties at room temperature
Rp0,2 / MPa Rm / MPa A5 / % KV / J -50°C
 930  980  14  50

(HRN EN 439). Temperature of preheating was To = 100

° C, and temperature between passes was Tm = 100 0 C.
Plates were welded according to MAG procedure by
an automatic welding machine. Plates were cut by water
jet into segments ≠ 12 x 100 x 100 mm, out of which Figure 4 Fracture zone and results of impact energy testing
depending on the temperature (average of three
there were test tubes made for measuring of hardness, measurements – plate 1)
impact toughness, tensile strength and yield strength.

Testing of hardness
The Figure 2 presents locations of true welded spec-
imens at which hardness was measured.
Diagram of hardness values after true welding (in
three measurements) is presented in the Figure 3.

Figure 2 Locations on true welded specimens for hardness

measurements
Figure 5 Fracture zone and results of impact energy testing
depending on the temperature (average of three
measurements, plate 2)
Impact energy / J

Temperature / ÛC
Figure 6 Dependence of impact energy of true welded
Figure 3 Diagram of hardness values depending on the specimens on temperature (specimens of plate 1 –
distance solid line and of plate 2 – dashed line)

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 I. SAMARDŽIĆ et al.: WELDABILITY INVESTIGATION OF FINE-GRAINED S1100QL STEEL

Testing of yield strength (Rp0,2) CONCLUSION

and tensile strength (Rm)
Performed experiments proved that it was possible
Testing of yield strength and tensile strength of weld- to achieve high-quality welded joint by applying appro-
ed joints were carried out according to the EN 895 stand- priate welding parameters (To, Tm, t8/5 and E). Welding
ard. Results of measurements are overviewed in the Ta- of S1100QL steel requires control and exact application
ble 5, and fractured test tubes are visible on Figure 7. of selected welding parameters, because even minor de-
viations can have negative effects on the quality of
welded joints. The lowest values of impact energy in
Table 5 Mechanical properties of welded joint (average of true welded specimens were obtained by test tempera-
3 specimens) ture of - 60 °C and were related to grain tempered mar-
Mechanical properties Rm / MPa Rp0,2 / MPa A5 / % Z/% tensite, which occurred due to hardness measured in the
Plate P1 1 205 955 11,5 58 range of 280 to 320 HV.
Plate P2 1 204 976 10,5 59,5

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Figure 7 Fractured test tubes in tensile testing of weld Note: Person responsible for translation is Martina Šuto, M.A., Jospi
properties Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia

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