Indian Journal of Engineering & Materials Sciences

Vol. 22, October 2015, pp. 497-502

Study of structural changes in S700MC steel thermomechanically treated

under the influence of simulated welding thermal cycles
Jacek Górka*
Welding Department, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 18A Street,
44-100 Gliwice, Poland

Received 31 January 2015; accepted 21 August 2015

This paper describes the structural changes of S700MC steel under the influence of simulated welding thermal cycles
that have been completed to develop a continuous cooling transformation (CCT) chart. This includes controlled analysis of
the chemical composition of S700MC steel with nitrogen content, simulation studies, performance chart of phase
transformation of austenite for CCT welding conditions and metallographic microscopy and hardness measurements of
samples of S700MC steel as a function of the cooling time t8/5. Methodology of structural changes is based on the
simultaneous use of three measurement methods: dilatometric, magnetometer and thermal analysis. In this study, three
different techniques are carried out: dilation of the sample material, the magnetic flux changes and temperature. Three types
of thermal cycles implemented are fast, natural and free. The obtained results show that the processes associated with the
allotropic transformation of γ-α, occurring in S700MC steel during cooling cannot be the basis for the assessment of its
welding properties. Carbon in solution has a small extent effect on strengthening the steel and it is not the dominant factor in
the transformation phase. The S700MC steel has a low hardenability due to the low concentration of unbound carbon
(about 0.03%), and other alloying elements. With a short cooling time, martensite is formed, but it is a low carbon
martensite, which does not reduce the yield strength of the steel.

Keywords: Thermo mechanical controlled processed, S700MC steel, Continuous cooling transformation,
Welding thermal cycles

Modern steels produced by thermo-mechanical MX-type on dislocations during plastic deformation

processing must satisfy not only their strength
requirements placed on them, but also environmental
and social requirements. Improving the mechanical
properties of these steels is associated with the use of
alloying microadditives, such as Nb, V, Ti, with the
total content not exceeding 0.22%, which causes grain
refinement processes overlap and allow precipitation
strengthening. These microadditives are introduced
into steels produced via conventional technology,
however, fully efficient operation can be achieved
only through the use of thermo-plastic, associated
with adjustable hot rolling following by several
consecutive, controlled cooling of the plates, to room
temperature. The impact of alloying microadditives
depends on their state of hot plastic deformation.
Microadditives dissolved in solid solution increase
the austenite recrystallization temperature and
segregating at the grain boundaries reducing their
mobility. In contrast, microadditives separated in the
form of dispersed particles of interstitial phases of
——————
*E-mail: jacek.gorka@polsl.pl
will cause a reduction in the rate of recovery and the
delay of the static recrystallization and grain growth
of austenite. Dispersive particles of secondary phases,
which inhibit the movement of the austenite grain
boundaries, create the possibility of manufacturing
products with fine grain structure, and precipitation
released at lower temperatures in the ferrite, causing
hardening in steel. The use of thermo-mechanically
treated steel with a high yield strength significantly
shortens the manufacturing process by lower
pre-heating temperature or omission of this procedure
completely, the possibility of a much smaller cross-
sections of structural elements, allows the production of
much lighter and slimmer structures without reducing
their capacity. Reducing cross-connected components
methods for welding these steels significantly reduces
welding costs (smaller cross-sections of welds),
allowing shortening the welding time, reducingmaterial
consumption and reducing the additional expenditures
on construction and straightening their non-destructive
testing. The positive features of thermo-mechanically
treated steel, both technical and economic influence on
498 INDIAN J. ENG. MATER. SCI., OCTOBER 2015

large the scientific interest in this group of steel.
Research in this area is focused on continuous
improvement of production technology of these
steels and the possibilities of combining welding
methods without the loss of property acquired during
thermomechanical processing1-11.
Experimental Procedure
The investigated S700MC steel had a thickness of
10 mm with a bainitic-ferritic structure characteristic of
the thermo-mechanically treated steel with accelerated
cooling. Tested steel is significantly different in terms
of structure and method of reinforcement from the
well-known and described in the literature C-Mn steel
with microadditives12-14. Thermomechanical treatment
of S700MC steel leads to a strong plastic deformation
(Fig. 1) and its supersaturation with reinforcing
components. The structure of the steel has undergone
precipitation hardening, solution and by cold work.
The analysis of the chemical composition of S700MC
steel, using OES spectroscopic method confirmed the
chemical composition according with the DIN EN
10149-2 norm. In the investigated steel, carbon content
is 0.056%, the content of microadditives corresponding
to the strengthening: titanium - 0.12%, niobium -
0.044% vanadium - 0.006%. The sum of alloy
microadditives does not exceed the limit of 0.22%.
Nitrogen content, determined by high temperature
extraction method, is about 70 ppm, which is consistent
with the result of the test material supplied certificate
(Table 1).
The structural transformation studies of S700MC
steel were carried out on a prototype pilot bench,
wherein the heating of the test samples was done
using an infrared lamp (Fig. 2). This study includes (i)
analysis of S700MC steel chemical composition with
a nitrogen content, (ii) examination of the effect of
thermal cycles on the structure and hardness of the
simulated HAZ of S700MC steel - a simulation study,
(iii) plotting transformation of austenite to the
welding conditions CCT and (iv) metallographic
microscopic examination and the measurement of the
hardness of S700MC steel sample after the simulation
as a function of the cooling time t8/5 (t8/5is the time it
takes for the weld seam and adjacent heat-affected
zone to cool from 800 °C to 500 °C).
The chemical composition analysis of S700MC steel
was performed using spark spectrometer SPECTRO
company SPECTROLAB type and nitrogen analyser
LECO TC 436. The structural changes study was
conducted on samples taken from S700MC steel with
shape and dimensions as shown in Fig. 3.
Methodology of the structural changes study was
based on the simultaneous use of three measurement
methods: the dilatometric method, magnetometric
method and the thermal analysis method. During the
study, three parameters were recorded: dilation of the
sample, the magnetic flux changes and temperature.

Fig. 1—Structure of bainitic-ferriticS700MC steel with visible Fig. 2—A setup used to study the structural changes in steels with
effects of plastic deformation welding conditions
Table 1—The chemical composition of steel S700MC obtained by spectral analysis
Chemicalcomposition, %
C Mn Si S P Al Nb Ti V N* Ce
0.056 1.68 0.16 0.005 0.01 0.027 0.044 0.12 0.006 72 0.33
* - N: the amount given in ppm, the nitrogen was measured using the high temperature extraction
 GORKA: STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN S700MC STEEL TREATED THERMOMECHANICALLY 499

To measure the expansion of the sample, the During the structural changes study, three types
non-contact sensor (laser) was used. The temperature of thermal cycles were used: (i) fast cycles -
measurement was made using surface thermocouples, implemented with blowing cooling and protective
which have higher dynamics as compared to the gas on sample, (ii) natural cycles - realized with the
volume-type thermocouples (type: K; Ni-NiCr). free cooling of the sample (only enabled the flow of
protective gas), and (iii) free cycles - implemented
with additional heat lamps during the cooling phase of
the sample (only enabled the flow of protective gas).
Technical grade argon was used as a protective and
cooling gas. It was assumed that the cooling range
time of the sample, in the temperature range between
800°C and 500°C (time t8/5) will be from 1 to 200 s,
and the maximum temperature Tmax of cycles will be
1300oC. List of parameters (selected and measured)
of thermal cycling of steel with a heating rate of
individual samples from the initial temperature to
achieve the maximum temperature of the thermal
cycle is given in Table 2. Actual values of the cooling
Fig. 3—Shape and dimensions of samples for testing of structural times t8/5 and each maximum temperature of thermal
S700MC steel under the influence of welding thermal cycles cycles were read from the recorded measurement
Table 2—Input parameters and actual simulated thermal cycles of S700MC steel
No. Types of Coolingtime t8/5, s Maximum temperature cycleTmax, °C Heating rate,
cycles Set Real Set Real °C/s
1 1 1.82 1250 1336 257
2 2 2.32 1250 1317 206
3 3 3.40 1250 1325 225
4 4 4.68 1250 1329 221
5 5 5.38 1250 1345 223
6 Fast 8 8.18 1250 1321 214
7 10 10.20 1250 1333 237
8 12 11.90 1250 1324 236
9 13 12.96 1250 1327 229
10 14 14.12 1250 1320 205
11 15 15.92 1250 1321 228
12 17 17.32 1250 1347 230
13 18 18.55 1250 1327 214
14 Natural 19 20.86 1250 1342 228
15 20 21.38 1250 1345 226
16 22 23.44 1250 1334 220
17 25 25.86 1250 1337 212
18 28 27.90 1250 1342 214
19 30 29.98 1250 1332 204
20 32 31.56 1250 1349 201
21 35 34.72 1250 1324 201
22 38 37.72 1250 1329 225
23 40 39.52 1250 1334 245
24 45 44.36 1250 1341 209
25 Free 50 49.20 1250 1354 219
26 55 53.88 1250 1321 240
27 60 58.70 1250 1335 211
28 70 68.28 1250 1338 205
29 80 78.04 1250 1329 225
30 90 87.84 1250 1327 201
31 100 97.18 1250 1334 205
32 150 148.38 1250 1352 207
33 200 195.76 1250 1336 221
500 INDIAN J. ENG. MATER. SCI., OCTOBER 2015

curves in the TPF software. Once recorded, at the
research-measuring setup, the course of individual
thermal cycles for each combination of cycle
parameters (Tmax and t8/5), the measurement of original
temperature curves, magnetic flux and expansion
(thermal expansion) were recorded and then using the
TPF software of phase change temperatures version
3.0, the critical temperatures of the various structural
changes were determined.
For ease of measurement curves in determining the
critical transition temperature values are presented in
function of the temperature and the curvescopesare
limited only to the cooling phase. Furthermore, the
original curve of certain value, was transformed into
the first and second derivative. The characteristic
points on the measurement curves, which correspond
to the beginning and the end of each structural
change, taking place in the study of austenite steel,
within certain parameters of the thermal cycle, were
made by drawing a line tangent to the measurement
curve and determining the deviation of the tangent of
the curve measurement. In the same way, the
procedure was followed for the dilatometric curve
analysis. For each of the analysed curves and in
subsequent thermal cycles with different cooling time
t8/5, at the time of the designation of the characteristic
curve point, the TPF program generated in the active
window (Table 2). Table 2 contains temperature
values, corresponding to the designated characteristic
points. Creating and editing a chart of structural
change of CCTwas carried out in the TPF program
module. Then, on samples of S700MC steel, with
simulated areas HAZ, metallographic microscopy
studies were performed using an inverted light
microscope Leica MEF4M type, working with a
computer equipped with software OMNIMET
Enterprise from Buehler. The active reagent used was
4% Nital solution. Subsequently, on metallographic
samples, hardness measurements were carried out by
Vickers method with a load of 49.05 N (HV5) in
accordance with the requirements of ISO 9015-1 .
Results and Discussion
On the basis of structural changes in S700MC steel
under the influence of simulated thermal conditions,
CCT diagram was generated together with a
complementary graph with the distribution of
hardness as a function of cooling time t8/5 (Fig. 4).
The study showed the dependence of the
microstructure of steel S700MC on cooling time
(Fig. 5): (i) in the case of the cooling time t8/5 less
than 3 s, low-carbon martensiteis formed, (ii) in the

Fig. 4—Chart of structural changes in the S700MC steel in terms of welding CCT-W together with complementary graph on the
distribution of hardness as a function of the cooling time t8/5
 GORKA: STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN S700MC STEEL TREATED THERMOMECHANICALLY
Fig. 5—Exemplary microstructure of S700MC steel as a function
of the cooling time t8/5
501
Fig. 6—Results of HV5hardness measurements in simulated HAZ
areas of S700MC steel
case of the cooling time t8/5 between 3 to about 10 s,
a mixture of martensite and bainite is formed,
(iii) when the cooling time t8/5is in the range from
about 10 to about 14 s, bainiteis formed, (iv) when
the cooling time t8/5 is longer than 14 s, ferrite
begins to appear, and (v) in terms of the cooling
time t8/5 from about 60 s to about 200 s, the
microstructure of the steel is a mixture of bainite
and ferrite.
The results show that the processes associated
with the allotropic transition γ - α occurring in
steel S700MC during cooling cannot be the basis
for the evaluation of its welding properties.
According to the CCT diagram in S700MC steel
martensitic transformation occurs, but does not
result in an increase in hardness (Fig. 6) relative
to the hardness of the base metal. This confirms
that the carbon present in solution, to a small
degree participate in the strengthening of steel
and it is not the dominant factor in the
transformation phase. S700MC steel has a low
hardenability due to a small amount of unbound
carbon (about 0.03 %), and other alloying elements.
Cooling at a high martensite is formed, but it
is a low carbon martensite, which does not reduce
the plastic properties of steel. The measurements
of the hardness over the range of the analysed
cooling times t8/5 showed no tendency of the
S700MC steel to cold crack (maximum measured
value of hardness not exceeding 270 HV5). The
longer cooling time hardness decreases, which
is mainly due to an increase in the share of ferrite
in the structure of the investigated steel and growth
of the grain.
502 INDIAN J. ENG. MATER. SCI., OCTOBER 2015
Conclusions
Results of analyses of S700MC steel base
materials showed that it has a highly defected
bainitic - ferritic structure. By the chemical
composition, presence of titanium and niobium
microadditives, control of the degree of deformation,
precisely controlled rolling temperature and cooling
rates after rolling it is possible to produce a material
with yield strength of 700 MPa. Very low carbon
content (0.056 %), which has been largely associated
with Ti and Nb, is resulting in a reduction in its
contribution to strengthening the supersaturation
of the α solution and reduces its influence during
γ-α transformation. One element in evaluation
of weldability is the analysis of austenite phase
transformation during cooling. In the case of the
tested steel in the whole range of variable cooling
time t8/5 there is no significant changes in the
hardness. Although the very short time of cooling
t8/5, less than 3 s, the martensitic transformation
occurs, but arises low-carbon martensite with a
hardness close to the hardness of the base
material. The results suggest that the analysis
of the changes occurring in the austenite during
cooling of S700MC steel cannot be used for
weldability assessment, which largely depends
on the impact of alloying micro-additives and their
role in strengthening steel mechanism.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the research grant No.
N N507 321040 of Silesian University of Technology,
Gliwice.
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