FRACTURE TOUGHNESS CHARACTERISTICS IN HIGH ENERGY DENSITY BEAM WELDED JOINT OF HIGH TENSILE STEELS

The purpose of the study is to evaluate fracture toughness on the Laser and the electron beam welded joints of high tensile steels (HT500, HT550, HT650) by using 3-point bend CTOD and Charpy impact test. WM (weld metal) CTOD tests have been carried out using two kinds of CTOD specimen, the Laser beam welding (108mm length, and 24mm width, and 12mm thickness) and the electron beam welding (l71mm length, and 38mm width, and 19mm thickness). WM Charpy impact specimen is a standard V-notch type, and the temperature of the experiment is changed from -45 to 20 degree of centigrade. FE-analysis is also performed in order to investigate the effect of stress-strain fields on fracture characteristics. Results of the standard V-notch Charpy test are influenced by strength mis-match effect and the absorbed energy vE depends on crack path, and The transition temperature of Laser beam welded joints is more higher than that of electron beam welded joints. Results of the 3-point bend test give low critical CTOD and the crack path is in the weld metal of al specimens. These results indicate fracture toughness characteristics of the welded joints and transition temperature of HT500 are similar both a Laser beam welded joint and an electron beam welded joint. But the fracture toughness and the transition temperature of the electron beam welded joints of HT550 and HT650 are higher than those o the Laser beam welded joints.