Welcome to Preheat Calculation Program

In this help file you will find information and background of this program.

The program itself is self explanatory. Nevertheless if you have some questions, problems or
suggestions, you can send me an e-mail, so I can improve this program
c.brak@it.fnt.hvu.nl

The subjects discussed in this file are:

Avoidance of hydrogen cracking in ferritic steels

Method to determine preheat temperature

Weld temperature cycle

Heat input

Carbon equivalent

Combined Thickness

Diffusible H Content

Transition thickness

Calculating preheating temperature according AWS D1.1

Weld shape factor

Grouping system for steels (groups 1 -4)

Disclaimer
 All information obtained from this program shall be considered as a guideline. Under
no circumstances, the author can be hold liable for any situation
resulting from using this program.
 All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
Avoidance of cracking in ferritic steels

The scope of this program is to give guidance for avoiding hydrogen cracking (cold cracking)
in unalloyed and low-alloyed ferritic steels.

Cold cracking in ferritic steels can occur when there are three combined factors:
 Hydrogen generated by the welding process
 A microstructure, susceptible to cracking
 Residual stresses in the welded joint

In unalloyed en low alloyed steels, most of the hydrogen cracks are in the HAZ, however
cracks can also occur in the weld metal, especially in low alloyed steel.

To avoid this cracking you can minimize the combined contribution of the factors.

Weld metal hydrogen content

The principal source of hydrogen is the moisture in the consumables.
Basic stick electrodes normally generated less hydrogen than rutile or cellulosic types.
For cored wires, basic0, rutile- and metal cored wires, all can deposit weld metal with low
hydrogen. In sub arc welding, basic fluxes typically give a low hydrogen weld metal.

Parent metal composition

The hardenability of a material is usually expressed in terms of its carbon content or, when
other elements are taken into account its carbon equivalent (like CE).

The higher the carbon equivalent the greater the risk of hydrogen cracking.

Generally, steels with a CE < 0,4 are not susceptible to hydrogen cracking, as long as low
hydrogen welding consumables are used.

Parent material thickness

The parent material thickness influences the cooling rate, and therefore the hardness of the
HAZ, but also the amount of hydrogen retained in the weld and the residual stresses.

Stresses acting on the weld

The stresses generated across the welded joint will be greatly influenced by external
restraint, material thickness, joint geometry and fit up.
Areas of stress concentration are more likely to initiate a crack at the toe and root of the
weld.

Heat input
The heat input, together with the material thickness and the preheat temperature will
determine the thermal cycle and the resulting microstructure, the hardness and the remaining
hydrogen content.
A high heat input will reduce the hardness and hydrogen content, but increases the width of
the heat affected zone and decreases the Charpy toughness.

Preheating
When it is not possible to avoid cold cracks by lowering the hydrogen content, preheat is a
necessity.

In EN 1011-2 (2001) recommendations for the preheating temperature of ferritic steels are
given.
 typical cold crack, due to high stresses in the root
(misalignment), as well as high hardness in the HAZ
(from: Bailey, Welding of ferritic steels)