Weld and Base Metal Discontinuities Weld and Base Metal Discontinuities

22 August 2009 22 August 2009

Prepared Prepared by Diver Kim by Diver Kim
Training of CSWIP Training of CSWIP
Welding Inspectors Welding Inspectors
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Fusion Weld Joint Fusion Weld Joint
Fusion Zone Fusion Zone
A mixture of filler metal and base metal that has completely
melted
High degree of homogeneity among the component metals
that have been melted during welding
The mixing of these components is motivated largely by
convection in the molten weld pool
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Fusion Weld Joint Fusion Weld Joint
Weld Interface Weld Interface
The narrow boundary that separates the fusion zone and the heat
affected zone
This interface consists of a thin band of base metal that was melted
or partially melted (localized melting within the grains) during the
welding process, but immediately solidified before any mixing could
take place
Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) Heat Affected Zone (HAZ)
The metal in this region has experienced temperature below its
melting point, but high enough to change the microstructure
This metal consists of the base metal which has undergone a heat
treatment due to the welding temperatures, so that its properties
have been altered.
The amount of metallurgical damage in the HAZ depends on the
amount of heat input, peak temp reached, distance from fusion
zone, time at elevated temp, cooling rate, and the metals thermal
properties
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Fusion Weld Joint Fusion Weld Joint
Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) contd
The effect on the mechanical properties is usually negative, and
it is most often the region of the weld joint where failure occurs
Unaffected Base Metal Zone
Where no metallurgical change has occurred
The base metal surrounding the HAZ is likely to be in a state of
high residual stress, due to the shrinkage in the fusion zone
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Discontinuities and Defects Discontinuities and Defects
Discontinuity- Lack of homogeneity
Defect- Rejectable
Determinants of discontinuity significance
1. Linearity: Ratio of largest and least dimensions (Length > 3 Times)
2. End condition (or sharpness)
Most severe Most severe

Least severe
Varying severity Varying severity
Cracks Cracks
Incomplete fusion
Inadequate penetration
Solid inclusions
Gaseous inclusions
Shape discontinuities Shape discontinuities
Miscellaneous discontinuities
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Cracks and Cracking Cracks and Cracking
Two factors for cracking
1. Load (magnitude, application mod)
2. Mechanical properties (grain type,
size)
Three factors for delayed
cracking
1. Hydrogen in HAZ
2. High residual stress
3. A microstructure of relatively low
ductility
Detection
1. Surface: VT, MT, PT
2. Internal: UT, RT
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Cracks Cracks Hot Cracking Hot Cracking
Occurrences
1. Solidification
(A tear rather than a crack)
2. Deep and narrow
(Depth exceeding width)
3. Impurities, etc.
Detections
1. Visual exam (Break the surface)
2. MT or PT for even tight cracks
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Cracks Cracks Cold Cracking Cold Cracking
Occurrences
1. Develop at or near ambient
temperature below the lower
transformation (A1) temperature.
2. Hot cracks- Welder
3. Cold cracks-Design/Supervision
Delayed cracks:
1. After the weldment cools to ambient
temperature
2. QT steel requires exam after 4 days
3. Hydrogen involved in cold cracking
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Hydrogen Induced HAZ Cracking Hydrogen Induced HAZ Cracking
Causes:
Hardened HAZ coupled with the
presence of hydrogen diffused
from weld metal
Susceptibility increases with the
increasing thickness of section
especially in steels with high
carbon equivalent composition
Can also occur in weld metal
Increase welding heat beneficial
Preheating sometimes necessary
Control of moisture in
consumables and cleanliness of
weld prep desirable
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Reheat Cracking Reheat Cracking
Occurs in creep resisting and some thick
section structural low alloy steels during
post weld heat treatment
Causes:
Poor creep ductility in HAZ
coupled with thermal stress
Accentuated by severe notches
such as preexisting cracks, or
tears at weld toes, or unfused
root of partial penetration weld
Heat treatment may need to
include low temperature soaking
Grinding or peening weld toes
after welding can be beneficial
X 35
X 200
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Incomplete Fusion Incomplete Fusion
1. Molten weld metal flows over
unmelted base metal or adjacent
weld beads
2. A significant welding problem
linearity, end condition
3. Primary causes: Electrode size or
improper manipulation, or both
Detections
1.Visual exam for overlap, which
results from molten weld metal
flowing over unmelted base
metal
2. A problem of semi-, automatic
3. RT or UT for subsurface exam
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Incomplete Fusion and Penetration Incomplete Fusion and Penetration
Lack of side-wall fusion Lack of root fusion Lack of inter-run fusion
Lack of penetration
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Incomplete Joint Penetration Incomplete Joint Penetration
1. Results from utilizing an
unsuitable welding procedure
Incomplete fusion: welder-based
problem
2. Readily detected by visual
inspection, be identified during
back gouging
3. Unless it is possible to view the
back of a joint, directly or by
boroscope small diameter
pipe and tube
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Solid Inclusion Solid Inclusion
Detection
- Normally revealed by RT
Oxide Inclusion
Non-ferrous metals / Ferrous
metals
2. Metallic Inclusion
Tungsten / Copper
3. Slag Inclusion
Wagon tracks
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Linear Slag Inclusion Linear Slag Inclusion
Cause:
Incomplete removal of
slag in multi-pass welds
often associated with the
presence of undercut or
irregular surfaces in
underlying passes
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Isolated Slag Inclusion Isolated Slag Inclusion
Causes:
Normally by the presence
of mill scale and/or rust on
prepared surfaces, or
electrodes with cracked
or damaged coverings
Can also arise from
isolated undercut in
underlying passes of multi-
pass welds
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Tungsten Inclusions Tungsten Inclusions
A tungsten particle embedded in a weld.
(Typically GTAW only)
Cause:
Tungsten electrode too small, amperage
too high, AC balance on +, Upslope too
high, electrode tip not snipped, electrode
dipped into the weld pool or touched
with the fill rod, electrode split.
Prevention: Eliminate the cause
Repair: Grind out and re-weld Very hard
entrained particle
Imparts local mechanical and thermal
stresses
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Copper Inclusions Copper Inclusions
Causes:
Melting of copper contact
tube in MIG welding due to
incorrect welding conditions
X 275
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Gaseous Inclusion (porosity) Gaseous Inclusion (porosity)
Cavities
Detection
Surface: VT
Internal: UT, RT
Single or Isolated pores
Uniformly and non-uniformity
scattered porosity
Starting porosity
Linear or longitudinal porosity
Special event porosity- by lack of
cleanliness
Cluster Porosity
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Worm Holes Worm Holes
Resulting from the entrapment of gas
between the solidifying dendrites of weld
metal, often showing herringbone array ( B )
Causes:
The gas may arise from contamination of
surfaces to be welded, or be prevented
from escaping from beneath the weld by
joint crevices
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Uniformly Distributed Porosity Uniformly Distributed Porosity
Resulting from the entrapment of gas
in solidified weld metal
Causes:
Gas may originate from dampness
or grease on consumables or
workpiece, or by nitrogen
contamination from the
atmosphere
If the weld wire used contains
insufficient deoxidant it is also
possible for carbon monoxide to
cause porosity
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Restart Porosity Restart Porosity
Causes:
Unstable arc conditions at
weld start, where weld pool
protection may be
incomplete and temperature
gradients have not had time
to equilibrate, coupled with
inadequate manipulative
technique to allow for this
instability
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Surface Porosity Surface Porosity
Causes:
Excessive contamination
from grease, dampness,
or atmosphere
entrainment
Occasionally caused by
excessive sulfur in
consumables or parent
metal
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Crater Pipes Crater Pipes
Resulting from shrinkage at the
end crater of a weld run
Causes:
Incorrect manipulative
technique or current
decay to allow for crater
shrinkage
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Shape Discontinuities Shape Discontinuities
Shape refers to the weld profile (in cross section)
Size under run is considered a shape discontinuity
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Shape Discontinuities Shape Discontinuities
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Shape Shape Discontinuities Discontinuities
The Significant of the
weld reinforcement
angle with respect to the
load carrying capacity.
The load capacity of
fillet welds, is based on
the weld throat.
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Linear Misalignment Linear Misalignment
Cause:
Incorrect assembly or
distortion during
fabrication
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Excessive Reinforcement Excessive Reinforcement
Causes:
Deposition of too much
weld metal, often
associated with in
adequate weld
preparation
Incorrect welding
parameters
Too large of an electrode
for the joint in question
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Overlap Overlap
Causes:
Poor manipulative
technique
Too cold a welding
conditions (current and
voltage too low)
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Undercut Undercut
Results from the washing
away of edge preparation
when molten
Causes:
Poor welding technique
Imbalance in welding
conditions
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Excessive Excessive Penetration Penetration
Causes:
Incorrect edge
preparation providing
insufficient support at the
weld root
Incorrect welding
conditions (too high of
current)
The provision of a backing
bar can alleviate this
problem in difficult
circumstances
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Root Concavity Root Concavity
Causes:
Shrinkage of molten pool
at weld root, due to
incorrect root preparation
or too cold of conditions
May also be caused by
incorrect welding
technique
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Miscellaneous Faults (Arc Strikes) Miscellaneous Faults (Arc Strikes)
Super-fast cooling, drop of weld
metal, gas pores
Cause:
Accidental contact of an
electrode or welding torch
with a plate surface
remote from the weld
Usually result in small hard
spots just beneath the
surface which may
contain cracks, and are
thus to be avoided
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Miscellaneous Faults (Spatters) Miscellaneous Faults (Spatters)
Causes:
Incorrect welding
conditions and/or
contaminated
consumables or
preparations, giving rise to
explosions within the arc
and weld pool
Globules of molten metal
are thrown out, and
adhere to the parent
metal remote from the
weld
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Miscellaneous Discontinuities Miscellaneous Discontinuities
Base Metal caused Discontinuities Base Metal caused Discontinuities
1. Seams and Laps:
Result from rolling practices
2. Lamination:
Metal composition, or processing
3. Delamination:
Lamination physically separates
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Miscellaneous Discontinuities Miscellaneous Discontinuities
Lamellar Tearing Lamellar Tearing
Shrinkage associated with
cooling weld metal causes
lamination prone steel to tear.
Causes:
Poor ductility in through-
thickness direction in rolled
plate due to non-metallic
inclusions
Occurs mainly in joints
having weld metal
deposited on plate surfaces
Prior buttering of surface
beneficial for susceptible
plate
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Miscellaneous Discontinuities Miscellaneous Discontinuities
Lamellar Tearing Lamellar Tearing