Experience from the workshop!

Weld
recommendations for high strength steels
Mikael Reinberth, Sr Specialist, Joining and Thermal Cutting Technology
General aspects

 All conventional welding methods can

be used
 Can be welded to all weldable steels
 Heat input/t8/5 should be controlled
 Max. heating temperature:

► Dx 355 - 700 650ºC

► Dx 900 - 960 400ºC
► Dx 1100 200ºC
► Wx 460 - 700 580ºC
► Wx 960 550ºC
► Wx 1100 200ºC
► Wx 1300 200ºC
Filler material
Rm (MPa)

Recommended
strength of
welds
subjected to 1100
high stresses

MAG MAG MAG SAW

1000
MMA (Solid wire) (FCAW) (MCAW)
(solid wire/flux
Recommended combinations)
strength of all
other welds 900

A5.5 E 120X A5.28 ER120S-X A5.29 E12XT-X A5.28 E120C-X A5.23 F12X
800
Domex 960-1100, Weldox 960 - 1300

A5.5 E 110X A5.28 ER110S-X A5.29 E11XT-X A5.28 E110C-X A5.23 F11X
Domex 650 – 700 MC, Weldox 700

700
A5.5 E 100X A5.28 ER100S-X A5.29 E10XT-X A5.28 E100C-X A5.23 F10X

A5.5 E 90X A5.28 ER90S-X A5.29 E9XT-X A5.28 E90C-X A5.23 F9X
Domex 550 – 600 MC
Domex 220 - 460 MC

600
Domex 500 MC
Domex

A5.5 E 80X A5.18 ER80S-X A5.29 E8XT-X A5.28 E80C-X A5.23 F8X
HARDOX

500
A5.5 E 70X A5.18 ER70S-X A5.29 E7XT-X A5.28 E70C-X A5.23 F7X

8
Recommended t8/5-intervals
Requirement: min. 27 J at -40ºC
Steel grade Recommended t8/5 intervals
Weldox 700 5 – 25 s
Weldox 900 5 – 20 s
Weldox 960 - 1300 5 – 15 s
Domex 355 – 500 MC 2 – 25 s
Domex 550 – 700 MC 2 – 10 s
Domex 900 - 1100 5 – 15 s

Q 2  
2 2
  
 4300  4 ,3  T0   10  2  
1 1
t8 / 5 5
      F2
d  500  T0   800  T0  


 
t 8 / 5  6700  5  T0   Q  
1 1
   F3
 500  T0 800  T0 
Q = Heat input (kJ/mm)
d = Single plate thickness (mm)
T0 = Working temperature (ºC)
F2 = Shape factor
F3 = Shape factor
Use WeldCalc to calculate and optimize the weld procedure
Max interpass temperature

Steel Grade Temperature (ºC)

Weldox 700 - 960 300
Weldox 1100 - 1300 200
Domex 700 MCE 100
Domex 900 - 1100 200
Static strength of high strength joints

Steel grade* Rp0,2 Rm Typical location of fracture

[Mpa] [Mpa]
Weldox 700 700-780 780-830 Base material / HAZ
Weldox 900 780-850 940-1000 HAZ / Weld metal
Weldox 960 900-980 1000-1050 HAZ / Weld metal
Weldox 1100 950-1030 1010-1090 HAZ / Weld metal
Weldox 1300 1000-1100 1100-1200 HAZ / Weld metal
Domex 700 700 - 780 760 - 850 Base material / HAZ
Domex 960 960 - 1070 1020 - 1140 HAZ / Weld metal
Domex 1100 950 – 1070 1010 - 1180 HAZ
Weldox – hardness profile

Weldox 700, 900, 960

Weldox – hardness profile

Weldox 1030, 1100, 1300

Hydrogen crack

 Formed at low temperatures

(< 200 °C)
 Located in the HAZ or in the
weld metal
 Three different parameters
has to coincide in order to
obtain hydrogen cracks:
 Brittle microstructure
 Hydrogen
 Filler metal
 Plate surface
 Atmosphere (1 – 2ml/100g)
 Tensile stresses
Hydrogen crack in HAZ
Min. preheat temp. for Weldox
The table below is valid for heatinputs of 1.7kJ/mm or higher

For heat inputs between 1.0-1.6 kJ/mm. Increase the the preheat temperature with 25°C
for cases where elevated preheat temperatures are required. For heatinputs lower than
1.0 kJ/mm use WeldCalc or EN 1011-2
*Consumable determine the preheating temperature if its carbon equivalent + 0.03 is higher
than that of the plate
Joint preparation

► Machining
► Milling

► Thermal cutting
► Flame cutting
► Laser cutting
► Plasma cutting
Type of joints

28
 Joint configurations

 For thicker plates changes in the mechanical properties

in the center line is more pronounced. As a
consequence, unsymmetrical joints are beneficial for
enhanced resistance to hydrogen cracks
 Factors Affecting the Fatigue Strength in
Welded Joints
Load


Stress
peaks

Due to residuals stresses 
Slaggs, inclusions,
t Butt weld Cold laps, undercut, etc

Load
How to Improve Fatigue Strength in Welds
 Create compressive residual stress
 Improve to geometry of the weld toe



Lower
Peaks
HFMI in General

 Cylindrical indenters accelerated against the object

 Frequency above 90 Hz
 Material highly plastically deformed
HFMI, Tools
Example of Welded Joints to Consider
Examples of Welded Joints Not Suitable
Proposed Fatigue Strength Improvement

Proposal for HFMI treated welds, m=5
8
maximum possible improvement, 

7
6
# of FAT classes

5
4
IIW guideline for needle or hammer peening, m=3
3
2
1
0
0 1 2 3 4 5
235‐355       355‐550       550‐750        750‐950       over 950
fy (MPa)
[3] Yildirim, H. C. and Marquis, G. B., Fatigue strength improvement factors for high
strength steel welded joints treated by high frequency mechanical impact, , Int J Fatigue,
44, 2012, pp. 168-176.
 Summary of the Effect of HFMI

 As welded: 71 MPa at 2 million cycles (independent of steel

grade)

 HFMI Treated: 180 MPa at 2 million cycles, using 960 material

 Improvement in stress by more than the double – or 105

times longer fatigue life!
Limitations

 Improvement is dependent on the stress ratio (R-value)

 Thickness between 5 and 50 mm
 For original FAT-classes 50-90
 Maximum stress 0.8 of yield stress
Thank You!
Thank You!