Experimental study of welding effect on grade S690Q high strength steel butt joint

This study experimentally reveals the influence of welding on grade S690Q high strength steel (HSS) butt joints from both micro and macro levels. Total eight butt joints, taking plate thickness and welding heat input as principal factors, were welded by shielded metal arc welding. In micro level, the microstructure transformations of the coarse grain heat affected zone (CGHAZ), the fine grain heat affected zone (FGHAZ) and the tempering zone occurred during welding were observed under light optical microscopy, and the corresponding mechanical performance of those areas were explored by micro-hardness tests. In macro level, standard tensile tests were conducted to investigate the impacts of welding on tensile behaviour of S690Q HSS butt joints. The test results showed that the main microstructure of S690Q HSS before welding was tempered martensite. After welding, the original microstructure was transformed to granular bainite in the CGHAZ, and to ferrite and cementite in the FGHAZ. For the tempering zone, some temper martensite decomposed to ferrite. The performed micro-hardness tests revealed that an obvious "soft layer" occurred in HAZ, and the HAZ size increased as the heat input increased. However, under the same level of heat input, the HAZ size decreased as the plate thickness increased. Subsequent coupon tensile tests found that all joints eventually failed within the HAZ with reduced tensile strength when compared with the base material. Similar to the size of the HAZ, the reduction of tensile strength increased as the welding heat input increased but decreased as the thickness of the plate increased.