International Journal of Advances in Science and Technology,

Vol. 3, No.4, 2011

Influence of Alloying Elements on HAZ Toughness of
Multilayer Welded Steel Joints

Joseph Achebo

Department of Production Engineering, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria
josephachebo@yahoo.co.uk

Abstract

Modern technological advances require that an increasing number of structural materials are
designed to carry even heavier loads. The weld process necessitates the inadvertent introduction of
unintended elements emanating from the shielding gas, the flux composition, as well as other
environmental sources that permanently alter the stoichiometry of the weld, possibly compromising
its strength property for better or for worse. However, welded joints of the discontinuous parts of the
main structure need to be as strong as the parent metal. An important question thus arises: If the
welded joint does not possess equivalent strength properties as the base or parent metal, would it be
able to sustain the design load? This study intends to investigate and solve this problem by
identifying the alloying elements that could influence the strength properties of the weld,
considering the constraints within the scope of this study. The chemical compositions and the
corresponding Charpy Impact Strengths of mild steel all weld metal were investigated. Statistical
methods were used to determine the coefficients, standard error and coefficients of deviation, of
each of the influencing alloying elements presented in Table 3. Six culprit alloying elements being
C, P, Ni, Cr, Nb, and V, were found to be the most responsible for achieving a considerable amount
of impact strength required to sustain higher load demands. This study has adequately applied
relevant statistical methods, arriving at a satisfactory conclusion, and has clearly elucidated the
beneficial, as against the debilitating influence, of these alloying elements on the mechanical
properties of the weld, with primary focus on their impact strengths.
.

Keywords: alloying elements, chemical composition, heat affected zone, strength, toughness

1. Introduction

Most alloys contain a large amount of one metal, called the base metal, and smaller amounts of
one or more other metals or non metallic materials. Seblin et al [1] said that an alloy is a mixture of two
or more metals, or a metal and some other material. Researchers have emphasized that many pure
metals are too soft, corrode too easily, or have other mechanical or chemical disadvantages, which can
be overcome only if the metals are combined with other metals into alloys. From reported literature and
experimental procedures, it has been observed that the alloying elements have their own effect on the
property of the main element such as the base metal. During the weld process, various elements are
inadvertently introduced into the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ), and consist of both metallic and non
metallic, unintended but influential additives in minute proportions. The amount of alloying elements
to be added to a main element depends on the final mechanical property the manufacturer intends to
obtain. Thus alteration in the proportions of the alloying elements would certainly affect the chemical
composition and microstructural arrangement of the alloyed parent/base metal. While following
haphazard welding protocols, there is little control over the incidence of the introduction of these
alloying elements. Once combined with the parent/base metal they often prove beneficial by
improving the overall strength properties of the weld to a level commensurate with the parent/base
metal, however they could also prove problematic, negatively impacting the strength properties of the
weld thereby compromising the structural integrity of the project. With thorough research and
development with the aim of increasing efficiency thereby reducing costs, controlled protocols could
be applied; with the main objective of increasing the strength of the welds, so that the main structure is
able to sustain its designed load and lifespan. Cho et al [2] and Cox [3] have posited, for instance, that
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Vol. 3, No.4, 2011


alloying elements when added to ductile cast iron actually strengthen and toughen it. Morrison [4] was
of the opinion that micro alloys can cause major strength and toughness improvements.
The proportion of each alloying element added to the molten metal, in this case, steel, is of
great significance. Too great or small a proportion of an alloying element can affect steel positively or
negatively. Wheeler [5] was of the opinion that steel is a malleable alloy of iron and carbon containing
a significant quantity of manganese. Alloy steel, according to Wheeler, is a material that owes its
properties due to some elements or combination of elements other than carbon.
In Nigeria, several everyday products are made from steel, ranging from automobile and
machine parts, to simple household utensils. Most welds protocols have insufficient controls resulting
in poor welds compromising the structural integrity of the base metal. Alloying elements are often
responsible for strengthening steel. However, some of these elements could also reduce the strength
and in some circumstance actually induce corrosion if present in large proportions. In this study, the
role of the alloying elements in improving the strength of steel welds is investigated by determining the
alloying elements in multi layer steel welds and analyzing their effects on their impact strength.

2. Materials and methods

2.1 Introduction

The mild steel weld metal compositions shown in Table 1 were used to make all weld deposits
which were machined into the Impact test specimens. These specimens are shown in Figure 1.

2.2 Notch impact test

A material which exhibits good tensile strength properties may not be able to withstand
sudden loading, in other words, it has strength but lacks toughness. Notched bar impact testing
measures the toughness of a notched bar; its ability to absorb energy.
The Avery impact testing machine was used. It consists of an 875mm long pendulum carrying
the striker head (hammar) and connected to the drive arm which pushes the pointer around the scale.
The pointer and scale indicate the energy absorbed when the pendulum is released from the release and
brake lever to strike the charpy test specimen rigidly fixed in position on the Anvil in the vertical axis
of the notch.
A charpy V-notch specimen is placed across parallel jaws in the machine. In the impact test a
heavy pendulum released from a known height strikes the sample on its downward swing fracturing it.
By knowing the mass of the pendulum and the difference between its initial and final heights, the
energy absorbed by the fracture can be measured [6].
The Avery impact testing machine was used following the procedure explained hereunder.
1. Impact test specimens is shown in Figure 1 were prepared from the all-weld metal deposits;







Figure 1: Notch Impact Strength Test specimen

2. Impact tests were performed on the specimen using the Avery Dennnison
Charpy-Izod Impact testing machine;

3. The impact test results which indicate the energy absorbed as the specimen is fractured were read off
the scale [6].


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2.3 Statistical analysis
Statistical analysis was done to determine the standard error associated with the relationship
between the weld metal compositions and the energy absorbed by them, thus:
Standard Error, SE =
( )
2
1 i
xx
X X
n SS
o

+

(1)
where
( )
2
2
xx i
i
SS x n X =

( )
2
1
n
i
i
X X
=
=

(2)
Substituting (1) into (2), we have

1
SE
n n
o
o = = (3)

( )
2
i
X X
n

=

(4)
n = sample size of no of observations of the population
However, the term coefficient of variation Cv, is the standard error divided by the coefficient (Furuya
et al, 2007) that is,

Standard error
100%
Coefficient
Cv = (5)
A small coefficient of variation means that it has high reliability [7].
.

3. Presentation and discussion of results
3.1 Presentation of Results
Mild steel electrodes were used to make all weld metal deposits. These deposits were
machined into the hardness test specimens with the lathe machine, and polished with a 1.0 m, and
then a 0.05m emery cloth. The weld composition of each of the 10 polished specimens was analyzed
using the microscope. The results are as shown in Table 1.

Table 1.The Relationship between the Chemical Composition of the Mild Steel All Weld metal
Deposits and the corresponding Charpy Impact Test Results
Charpy
Impact
Test, J
0.12 0.29 0.84 0.024 0.008 0.02 0.01 0.10 0.02 0.008 0.02 0.004 0.008 171
0.21 0.15 1.24 0.018 0.012 0.12 0.08 0.08 0 0.001 0.004 0.001 0.0104 232
0.16 0.26 1.40 0.002 0.005 0 0 0.09 0 0.031 0 0.006 0.
C Si Mn P S Cu Ni Cr Mo Nb V Ti N
0065 92
0.10 0.30 0.52 0.018 0.010 0.41 0.06 0.12 0.02 0 0 0 0.011 75
0.17 0.29 1.62 0.019 0.008 0 0.02 0.06 0 0.002 0 0 0.0062 210
0.15 0.40 1.52 0.009 0.002 0.02 0.03 0.05 0.02 0 0 0 0.0073 160
0.14 0.34 1.42 0.023 0.001 0.04 0.01 0.04 0.01 0 0 0 0.0041 142
0.18 0.46 1.52 0.018 0.001 0.01 0.01 0.03 0 0 0 0.018 0.0031 197
0.13 0.36 1.61 0.020 0.003 0.14 0.08 0.10 0.03 0.015 0 0.015 0.0073 256
0.17 0.31 1.42 0.021 0.004 0.01 0 0.04 0 0 0.006 0.004 0.0042 120

For easy calculation of the standard error and coefficient of variance, Table 1 was used to create Table
2, which explicitly shows the process parameters determination process

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Table 2 Welding Variables Determination Process
Charpy
Impact
Test, J
1.53 3.16 3.11 0.172 0.054 0.77 0.30 0.71 0.10 0.057 0.03 0.048 0.068 1655
0.153 0.316 0.311 0.017 0.0054 0.096 0.0375 0.071 0.02 0.0114 0.01 0.008 0.0068 165.5
0.030 0.102 1.056 0.0064 0.
i
C Si Mn P S Cu Ni Cr Mo Nb V Ti N
x
X
o

004 0.128 0.029 0.029 0.006 0.011 0.007 0.006 0.00246 56.445
0.0029 0.032 0.334 0.002 0.00117 0.045 0.010 0.0093 0.0028 0.0049 0.004 0.0025 0.008 17.85
std
c

Where
i
x

= summation of each of the elements that constituted the chemical composition.

X = mean, o = standard deviation and
std
c = standard error

Using Equations 1 - 5, with the process parameters determined and shown in Table 2, Table 3 was
created. The values of coefficient in Table 3 were obtained from the multiple regression analysis
between the relationships shown in Table 1.

Table 3: Result of the Multiple Regression Analysis
0
1
2
3
4
6
Standard Coefficient
error of variation (%)
Constant
b -259.60 17.85 6.876
term
C b 0.1023 0.0029 2.9
Si b 0.0414 0.0320 77.3
Mn b -0.0070 0.3340 -4771.4
P b 0.5995 0.0020 0.3
Cu b -0.0862 0.0540 -52.2
Ni b
Element Variable Coefficient
7
8
10
11
0.1608 0.0100 0.062
Cr b 0.2447 0.0090 3.68
Nb b -0.1729 0.005 -2.892
V b -0.6342 0.004 -0.6307

Equation 6, is derived from the coefficients in Table 3. This derivation is based on the claim
made by Furuya et al [7] saying that any alloying content lower than 0.005 mass by weight in percent,
should be regarded as 0. This means that any element whose alloying content is less than 0.005 % by
weight should be disregarded. From the coefficients and the corresponding alloying elements shown in
Table 3, Equation 6 was generated as the chemical composition of the all weld metal of the heat
affected zone (HAZ) with the expected weld strength.
HAZ
F 0.1 0.045 0.007 0.6 0.09 0.16 0.24 0.17 0.63
u i r b
C P C N C N V = + + + + (6)
3.2 Discussion of results
An average of ten V-notch impact test specimens were made from the all weld metal. Each of
these all weld metals were made from multi layer weld deposits. The test specimens were thereafter
subjected to charpy impact energy tests. The chemical composition of each of the 10 all weld metals
was also determined with the aid of the microscope. A relationship was drawn between their chemical
compositions and their charpy impact energy absorbed using the multiple regression analysis.
The significance of these alloying elements on the impact of the absorbed energy is explained
by the theory of the coefficient of variation. Furuya et al [7] were of the opinion that a small coefficient
of variation means that the element considered is expected to have a high reliability. The coefficient of
variation calculated and presented in Table 3 shows that S
i
, Cu and Mn have low reliability. The low
reliability is expected to have occurred as a result of the increased hardness nature of the oxidized all
weld metal
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Vol. 3, No.4, 2011


This hardness could be caused by weld brittleness, which is as a result of the oxygen intake
that has saturated the weld. However, Mn is much less reliably than S
i
. The implication of this is that
the increase in the addition of Mn alloying element would deteriorate the toughness profile of the weld
as well as its Heat Affected Zones (HAZ). However, other alloying elements such as C, P, Ni, Cr, Nb
and V have high reliability, therefore these elements would tend to improved the HAZ toughness with
the increase in their contents. From these alloying elements N
b
, and V are in the very reliable category,
however, in contrast these elements indicate that, if the content of N
b
exceeds 0.031% by weight and V
exceeds 0.02% by weight, which is the maximum value of their alloying contents expected to be found
inside the welds considering the population of the welds and characteristics of the welding processes
there is the possibility to deteriorate the HAZ toughness of the welds. The introduction of minute
contents of alloying elements Ni and P into the weld chemical composition may have a great effect on
the toughness improvement of the weld, therefore, lower values of these elements are suggested, which
are 0.01% by weight and 0.002% by weight respectively.
From the analysis, it is seen that although there is difference in the reliability of each alloying
element as it affects the toughness profile of the weld, but as the coefficient of C, P, N
i
, Cr, Nb and V
have been determined to have relatively higher reliability, therefore, it is suggested that the weld
formulation should contain these six elements, in order to produce a weld quality that can adequately
absorb the expected impact energy.
Having considered this, the values of the coefficient of variation in Table 3, C and Cr indicate
that, although, their content in the weld appear to be adequate, a value too high in their contents would
be detrimental to the ductility of the weld material, by making it brittle and increase the weld hardness,
these characteristics would definitely deteriorate the toughness value of the weld. This claim was
supported by Furuya et al [7] when they said that an increase in C could deteriorate HAZ toughness.
Bergman [8] was of the opinion that carbon content has a clear effect on impact strength, since the
material is more ductile at lower carbon levels.
Bergman [8] said that Cr is an alloying element which gives good hardenability, but has the
limitation that it has a high affinity for oxygen which could lead to problems with oxidation. Cr also
has a high affinity for Ni.
Ni has been determined to improve toughness in this study. Bergman [8] said that the effect of
Ni on material property depends on the amount of nitrogen taken up and Ni element could have a
positive effect on material, in the case of nitriding [9] but could also lead to the deterioration of
mechanical properties if precipitation occurs at grain boundaries [10]. Okazaki et al. [11] suggest that
elongation and reduction of area, which are tensile properties could decrease with the addition of
nitrogen, Ni and oxygen, but can be effective, for improving strength without lowering ductility. They
also stressed that 2% proof strength and ultimate tensile strength increase linearly with increase in Ni
and O in titanium alloying elements. From the opinions of Bergman [8], Molinari et al. [9] and
Okazaki [11], it can be seen that Ni has a positive effect on mechanical properties of material
depending on the content available in the weld. Its improvement on ultimate tensile strength shows that
it has a great significance on charpy impact energy. But, if the alloying element content is significantly
above 0.01% by weight, it could affect the weld specimen elongation and reduction in area, which is a
function of the welds ductile property


4. Conclusion

The study was carried out to determine the influence of each of the dominant alloying
elements present in the all weld metal on the impact strength of the weld. The chemical compositions
of electrode wires and coated materials (fluxes) are constantly altered in an effort to achieve the
objective of obtaining a high strength weld that could be equivalent or near equivalent in weld strength
of the base metal. The weld variables found in this study to be responsible for achieving structural
material strength that would be required to meet or sustain expected loads are the alloying elements
which are metallic and non metallic additives used to increase the strength of the original metal. This is
as a result of the fact that most metals in their original form are soft and cannot be used for engineering
project purposes. These metals can only be used if they have enough strength to withstand the expected
pressure or load.
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In this study, the contributions made by the alloying elements on the mechanical properties of
the weld metal were studied. The major tool used for analyzing the contributions is the derived
coefficient of variation. Six elements C, P, Ni, Cr, Nb, and V, have been identified to constitute the
chemical composition of the weld that is expected to achieve the required weld toughness. This study
has successfully identified the alloying elements that would likely improve on the impact strength of
the weld.
.
5. References

[1] Seblin, B; Jahazeeah, Y; Sujeebun, S; Manohar; Wong Ky, B. 2011. Discuss the properties of plain
carbon steel. Material Science-MECH 2104 (available at http://
www.uom.ac.mu/faculties/foe/mped/.../EnggMaterials/steelbklet.pdf )
[2] Cho, G. S.; Choe, K. H.; Lee, K. W; Ikenaga, A. Effects of Alloying Elements on the
Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Heavy Section Ductile Cast Iron. J. Mater. Sci.
Technol; Vol. 23, No. 1, pp.97 101, 2007.
[3] Cox, G. J. Foundry Trade J. 134, pp. 714, 1974.
[4] Morrison, W. B. 2011. Overview of Microalloying in Steel (available at http://
www.vanitec.org/pdfs/ed14465172353adb01e1425cf32ce64e.pdf )
[5] Wheeler, B. D. Chemical Analysis of Ferous Base Alloys Utilizing the Fundamental Parameters
Technique Assisted by Standards of Similar and Dissimilar Materials. The Rigaku Journal, vol.
15, no. 1, pp. 28-40, 1998.
[6] Achebo, J. I. Development of Aluminium Welding Flux from Local Raw Materials. PhD Thesis in
the Department of Production Engineering, University of Benin, Nigeria, 2008.
[7] Furuya, H; alhara, S; Morita; K. A New Proposal of HAZ Toughness Formulation by Chemical
Compositions, Welding Journal, vol. 86, no.2, pp. 44s 50s, 2007.
[8] Bergman, O. Effect of Nitrogen Uptake during Sintering on the Properties of PM Steels Pre-alloyed
with Chromium. Swedish Institute for Metals Research, Stockholm, 2011.
[9] Molinari, A; Bacci, T; Campestrini, P; Pellizari, M; Tesi, B. Plasma Nitriding of Fe-Cr-Mc
Sintered Steels, Powder Metallurgy, vol.42, no.2 pp.119-125, 1999.
[10] Nayer, H-S; Wasiczko, B. Nitrogen Absorption Control during Sintering of Stainless Steel
Parts. Metal Powder Report, vol.45, no.9, 1990.
[11] Okazaki, y; Ito, y, Ito, A, Teteishi, T. Effect of Alloying Element on Mechanical Properties of
Titanium Alloys for Medical Implants. Material Transactions, JIM, vol.34, no.12, pp.1217-1222,
1993.


Authors Profile



Dr. Joseph I. Achebo received his Ph.D degree from the University of Benin, Nigeria
in 2008. This Author is a member of the American Welding Society; Council for the
Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria; Nigerian Society of Engineers and International
Association of Engineers. He has over 9 years of teaching experience. His major
research interest is in the areas of Welding Technology, Machine Tool Technology,
Corrosion and Wear Engineering, Heat and Mass Transfer, Mechanics of Machine,
Fluid Mechanics, Manufacturing Engineering, Maintenance and Reliability
Engineering and Engineering Management.











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