Weldability of X100 Linepipe PDF

Published by Maney Publishing (c) IOM Communications Ltd

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The increasing length of oil and gas transmission pipelines

with their associated construction and operating costs
means that, in the near future, use of X100 linepipe is likely
to gain momentum. Higher strength steels enable the use of
thinner walled pipe (less than 10 mm) at greater operating
pressures, thereby reducing costs. At present the API 5L
(1995) standard only denes pipeline strengths up to X80.
The likely property requirements for X100 pipe are:1
Minimum yield strength (Rt2.0)
700 MPa
Minimum ultimate tensile strength (UTS) 770 MPa
Maximum Rt2.0/UTS
0.93
The Charpy impact toughness specication is likely to be
y40 J min at 220C, depending on the environment. These
ISSN 1362 1718
mechanical properties may be required in both the pipe

body and seam weld metal.
Developments reported to date for X100 linepipe have
concentrated on seam welding accelerated cooled (AC)
plate.1 6 Such steels typically have carbon and manganese
levels of about 0.07 and 1.8% respectively, tend to be Nb
Ti or Nb V treated, and contain various levels of
molybdenum. While plate compositions and processing
conditions to achieve X100 mechanical properties have
received much attention in the literature, there have been
comparatively few investigations reported on the weldability of the plates, e.g. the types of welding consumables
employed, weld metal compositions and microstructures,
and the combinations of strength and toughness which may
be obtained.
Endo 2 investigated Ti, Ti B, and B alloyed weld
metals for X100, seam welded linepipe. In the boron
containing deposits, tensile strength levels were approximately between 780 and 850 MPa. Extrapolation of the
reported data suggests that impact energy of80 J at 220C
was obtained at this strength level. The microstructure of
the boron alloyed welds contained acicular ferrite but also
large amounts of ferrite sideplate (bainite). To improve weld
metal toughness, a non-boron containing, Mn Mo Ti
alloyed weld metal with a higher acicular ferrite content was
used. Alloy levels were between 0.22 and 0.23, as dened by
the %cm formula ( below). The quoted tensile strength
was 837 MPa, with 140 J impact energy at 220C.
Hillenbrand 1 reported the use of Ti B and Mn
Mo alloyed weld metal for X80 100 linepipe with %cm
values between 0.20 and 0.21. Tensile strength levels were
between 750 and 825 MPa, with 100 150 J impact toughness at 220C.
The mechanical properties of weld metals are known to
be greatly improved if their microstructures are largely
intragranular nucleated acicular ferrite and the amount of
grain boundary primary ferrite and sideplate ferrite is
minimised.7 Acicular ferrite is widely recognised as
nucleating on inclusions within the prior austenite grains
during the cAa transformation.8 For a long time it was
thought that acicular ferrite was a single transformation product, notably intragranular bainite.9 However,
recent work by the present author and co-workers10 has
shown that this is not necessarily the case. Dilatometric
techniques were used to investigate the dynamics of the cAa
phase transformation in weld metals of increasing hardenability. The weld metals were thermally cycled, partially
transformed, and various nucleation and growth reactions
frozen in at different temperatures by quenching. The
quench temperatures covered a range in which reconstructive (diffusion controlled reactions with slow rates) and
displacive (shear dominated reactions with fast rates)
transformation mechanisms may be expected. It was
demonstrated that different reaction products nucleated
on intragranular inclusions at different temperatures during
continuous cooling, depending on the inclusion number,
type, and size. The sequence of transformations was
consistent with the theoretical activation energy barrier
against nucleation of the different sites. Acicular ferrite was
seen as a ne, chaotic microstructure resulting from a
multiplicity of hard impingements of the various reaction
products nucleating and growing at different rates from
intragranular inclusions during cooling. Acicular ferrite
Science and Technology of Welding and Joining
2000
Vol. 5
No. 6
365
366
$
Weldability of X100 linepipe
obtain a range of austenite grain sizes and transformation

temperatures. The way in which different forms of
intragranular acicular ferrite produced in the weld metal
microstructure inuenced strength and toughness was then
determined.
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GB (PF) grain boundary primary ferrite; GB (WF) grain

boundary Widmanstatten ferrite; GB (B) grain boundary
bainite; IF (PF) intragranular primary ferrite; IF (WF)
intragranular Widmanstatten ferrite; IF (B) intragranular
bainite; $h temperature below which nucleation of displacive
transformation rst becomes possible at detectable rate;
$i temperature at which reconstructive and displacive bay C
curves for detectable start of transformation temperature
intersect; $b bainite start temperature
)*%%$
%+
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$
$%
% *+

*$+
,
(- $ et al.
could thus have a variety of forms and consist of

reconstructive and/or displacive reaction products with
different ferrite morphologies. Its development could be
dened in terms of continuous cooling transformation
(CCT) diagrams incorporating intragranular ferrite transformations, as shown schematically in Fig. 1.
In the present work the objective was to identify weld
metal compositions and microstructures with high strength
and toughness for X100 linepipe. The welds investigated in
Ref. 10 were typical multiwire submerged arc linepipe
deposits manufactured using X65 AC plate and Ti B
alloyed consumables. The acicular ferrite was found to
consist of a small amount of idiomorphic primary ferrite
and a large amount of intragranular Widmanstatten ferrite.
Signicantly, transformation was almost complete before
reaching the bainite start temperature. In the present study,
therefore, the approach to achieving high weld metal
strength and toughness was to develop a low transformation temperature form of acicular ferrite. A number of
experimental high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel compositions were welded with a range of commercially available
consumables to give a wide range of weld metal alloying. A
dilatometer was used to thermally cycle the weld metals to
A weld metal chemistry predictive model11 previously

developed using regression analysis on a large database of
high dilution, multiwire submerged arc welds was used to
determine the experimental framework. The model essentially treated weld metal chemistry as a mass balance
between wire and plate chemistry, taking into account
dilution from the parent plate and gain or loss of elements
from the ux. Dilution was invariant with heat input for the
database welds and had an almost constant mean value of
56%, indicating that plate and wire melting efciencies
remained invariant with heat input. Element transfer values
were reasonably small for the elements of interest and
ranges of plate, wire, and ux chemistries considered.
Dilution and element transfer were therefore eliminated as
regression variables and equations of the following form
were established
w ~9E z#B z2
where w is the concentration of element X in the weld
metal, E is the concentration of element X in the electrode,
B is the concentration of element X in the base plate, and
9, #, and 2 are constants unique for each element X and
embodying information about dilution, element transfer,
and the presence of a tack weld.
The model was used in the present work to identify plate
compositions which when multiwire submerged arc welded
with commercially available consumables produced weld
metal alloy levels between 0.20 and 0.30 as dened by the
%cm formula ( below). Since the welding ux compositions employed in the present study were slightly outside the
model database range, correction factors had to be applied
for prediction of manganese. It was also found that mixed
wire welding had to be used in some cases to predict the
necessary weld metal chemistry. In such cases the fractional
contribution to the overall electrode chemistry of each wire
was estimated from its heat input and burnoff rate.
$
$ '(

Three types of experimental plates (A, B, and C) were

identied for welding, as in Table 1. The plates were rolled
from 50 kg induction furnace casts. Type A plates had
12.7 mm section thickness and a base analysis of approximately 0.08C 0.40Si 2.0Mn, with one or more additions
of molybdenum, nickel, boron, copper, niobium, titanium,
and vanadium. Type B plates had the same section size and
a similar base analysis, but with an increased silicon content
) +
%

. ,/
Cast no.
Si
Mn
Mo
Ni
Al
Cu
Nb
Ti
0.078
0.079
0.079
0.073
0.077
0.39
0.40
0.40
0.40
0.40
2.02
2.02
2.00
1.99
1.99
0.016
0.017
0.017
0.016
0.016
0.002
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.003
0.50
0.50
0.26
0.50
0.51
0.30
0.029
0.031
0.032
0.028
0.027
0.0019
0.31
0.0045
0.0051
0.0045
0.0044
0.0053
0.051
0.050
0.051
0.053
0.030
0.010
0.010
0.010
0.011
0.05
Plate type B
VS2891
J7M57
0.076
1.96
1.98
0.016
0.002
0.18
0.033
0.0049
0.01
Plate type C
VS2659
P6M135
0.110
1.95
3.01
0.010
0.005
0.26
0.031
0.0052
Plate type
VS2883
VS2885
VS2886
VS2954
VS2955
Plate no.
A
J7M50
J7M52
J7M53
P7H114
P7H115
2000
Vol. 5 No. 6
$
367
1 ( $

Typical wire chemistry, wt-%
Welding wire Manufacturer
Wire alloying C
SD3Mo
SD3Y36E
LNS140TB
ETC7010
Mn Mo
Ti B
Mo B Ti
Ni Mo
Oerlikon Welding Ltd
Lincoln Electric Ltd

Smitweld Ltd
0.11
0.05
0.06
0.03
Si
Mn
Mo
Ni
Al
Ti
0.23
0.05
0.23
0.24
1.54
1.70
1.18
0.54
0.012
0.007
0.010
0.005
0.008
0.002
0.005
0.003
0.50
0.53
0.66
6.05
0.010
0.006
0.009
0.021
0.0069
0.0140
0.0054
0.0034
0.0050
0.0072
0.07
0.11
0.0150
0.0078
0.0067
NA..*
*Not analysed.
of 1.96% and small additions of molybdenum and titanium.

Type C plates had a section size of 22 mm and a base
analysis of 0.11C 1.95Si 3.01Mn, with some molybdenum.
The aim on welding of the different plates was to produce
three series of welds with progressively increasing levels of
alloying. Welding wire analyses are given in Table 2. Type
A and B plates were welded using 4 mm diameter, Mn
Mo, Ni Mo, Ti B, and Mo B Ti alloyed wires, and
Oerlikon OP107 agglomerated ux to produce series 1 and 2
welds respectively. Type C plates were welded with Mo
B Ti and Ni Mo alloyed wires, and Lincoln 995N ux to
give series 3 welds. The different uxes were used to ensure
good running characteristics when welding the different
section thickness plates ( below).
( $
+*$
Details of the welding procedure are given in Table 3. All

welds were single pass, bead in groove (BIG) deposits
simulating outside seam welding of linepipe.
Series 1 and 2 welds were made in the 12.7 mm section
plates using the three wire submerged arc process with a
heat input of y2.7 kJ mm21. The plate groove was 5 mm
deep with an included angle of 100. Weld cooling rates
were between 4.5 and 5.7 K s21 (800 500C). Series 3
welds were made in the 22 mm section plates using the ve
wire submerged arc process with a heat input of
y4.3 kJ mm21. The plates contained a 7.5 mm deep
groove with an included angle of 80. No weld cooling
rates were recorded. Given a 12.7 mm thickness plate, the
higher heat input in the series 3 welds would have produced
a slower cooling rate. However, increasing the plate
thickness to 22 mm provided a greater heat sink so that,
overall, a similar cooling rate to that for series 1 and 2 welds
was expected.
%
The chemistries of the different weld beads were determined

using X-ray uorescence and wet chemical analysis
techniques. The degree of alloying achieved in the weld
metals was dened in terms of the %cm formula

MnzCrzCu Si
V Ni
z z z z5B
20
30 10 60
where all compositions are in wt-%. Oxygen contents giving
an indication of the inclusion volume fraction were
determined for each deposit.
%cm ~Cz
0$
Vickers hardness measurements were made across the weld

beads using a 5 kg load and a 1 mm indent spacing in
accordance with BS EN ISO 6507 1 : 1998. Line traverses
were carried out at spacings of 2 mm from the plate surface.
Testing was also carried out using a 10 kg load and a 2 mm
indent spacing in the heat affected zone (HAZ) next to the
fusion boundary, according to BS 7363 : 1990 : Section 3.
++ $
$
Substandard 1067.5 mm Charpy testpieces were taken

from the 12.7 mm section welds and full size Charpy
specimens were taken from the 22 mm thickness deposits.
Charpy testpieces were notched at the weld centreline and
also at the fusion line in order to sample 50% parent plate
and 50% weld metal. Substandard specimen impact energy
values were converted to full size using the fracture area
ratio. All weld metal tensile specimens were obtained from
the different beads.

($
The volume fractions of intragranular acicular ferrite (AF),

austenite grain boundary primary ferrite (PF) and ferrite
sideplate (FS), and martensite (M) were determined in the
different weld beads according to the IIW classication
scheme.12 The term `ferrite sideplate' in the classication
scheme encompasses Widmanstatten ferrite and bainite.
Recognition is made of stereological effects, i.e. the way in
which microstructural constituents are orientated in space.
Thus, an austenite grain boundary ferrite sideplate may
have an aligned or non-aligned microphase depending on
2 ( $
+*$
Weld
Series 1 and 2 welds, three wire
BIG, speed 1.7 m min21,
heat input 2.7 kJ mm21
dc electrode positive (lead)
ac (middle)
ac (trail)
Series 3 welds, ve wire BIG,
speed 2.0 m min21,
heat input 4.3 kJ mm21
dc electrode positive (wire 1)
ac (wire 2)
ac (wire 3)
ac (wire 4)
ac (wire 5)
Current, A
Voltage, V
Angle, deg
Wire spacing, mm
Wire stickout, mm
925
675
625
32
35
38
215
0
z15
16
20
29
29
29
1200
850
775
725
650
32
33
35
36
38
217
23
10
17
27
15
17
18
18
35
35
35
36
36
2000 Vol. 5
No. 6
368
$
the plane of observation. Some constituents may appear to

be intragranularly nucleated but in fact emanate from prior
austenite grain boundaries beneath the plane of observation. Details of how these stereological effects are
accommodated and classied may be found in Ref. 12.
In the welds made in the present study, extra terms had to
be incorporated in the IIW scheme to accommodate nonstandard constituents, notably large plates (aspect ratio
greater than y4 : 1) apparently emanating from large
(2 3 mm) intragranular inclusions. Two or more parallel
plates with aligned microphases were termed intragranular ferrite sideplates (FS(I)), whereas single plates were
identied as intragranular ferrite plates (IFP). The amount
of FS(I) was counted together with the prior austenite grain
boundary ferrite sideplate to give a total quantity of FS.
Optical microscopy and a standard point counting technique were used at a magnication of 500 times. A total of
1000 points were counted for each weld microstructure.

%$
Insufcient material was available to investigate the

transformation behaviour of all the welds manufactured,
but representative data were obtained. Small cylindrical
specimens 10 mm in length and 4 mm in diameter were
machined from the weld metals. The dilatometer specimens
were subjected to controlled thermal cycles under vacuum in
a Bahr Thermo-Analyse Dil 805 high speed quenching and
deformation dilatometer. Test specimens were heated at
5 K s21 up to different peak temperatures (1200, 1250, and
1300C) and held for 2 min to obtain a range of austenite
grain sizes. Some specimens were repeatedly cycled through
the transformation temperature range (heated at 38 K s21
to 950C followed by quenching to 520C at 24 K s21)
before austenitising at 1350C to increase the driving force
for austenite grain growth. After austenitising, all specimens were cooled at a rate of 5 K s21 (800 500C) and
transformation temperature data were generated. The error
in determining the transformation start $s and the 50%
transformation $50 temperatures was approximately 5 K.
A computer program was used to determine peak rate
transformation temperatures $PRTT from the dilatation
data.
The prior austenite grain boundaries in the thermally
cycled dilatometer specimens were revealed using a
standard thermal etching technique. This relies on grooving
of austenite grain boundaries at the thermal cycle peak
temperature. The prior austenite grain size was measured at
ambient temperature using a mean linear intercept method.
Approximately 100 intercepts were counted on each specimen at a magnication of 500 times.
)")
%
Analyses of weld metals are given in Table 4.

Series 1 welds exhibited %cm values between 0.218 and
0.250. The mean base analysis was approximately 0.065C
0.53Si 2.04Mn 0.0052N. Alloying where appropriate
from the plate and/or wire was 0.24 0.51%Mo, 0.21
0.72%Ni, 0.0010 0.0025%B, 0.24%Cu, 0.032 0.034%Nb,
0.008 0.022%Ti, and 0.035%V. The weld metal oxygen
content varied between 0.0285 and 0.0335%.
Series 2 welds had %cm values between 0.260 and 0.288.
The mean weld metal analysis was 0.071C 1.54Si
2.28Mn 0.0054N. Alloying from the plate and/or wire
was 0.21 0.32%Mo, 0.65 0.66%Ni, 0.0011 0.0025%B,
and 0.012 0.020%Ti. The oxygen content was relatively
low (0.0240 0.0270%).
Series 3 welds had very high %cm values of 0.305 0.313.
The mean weld metal analysis was 0.083C 1.36Si
2.74Mn 0.0056N. Alloy levels were 0.35%Mo, 0.0025
2000
Vol. 5 No. 6
)$ - $($*$ ++*$ $$
6 3
0.0027%B, 0.010 019%Ti, with one deposit containing

0.74%Ni. The weld metal oxygen content was again low
(0.0220 0.0280%).
+$
$*+*$

Weld metal microstructural data are given in Table 5.

Series 1 welds exhibited very high volume fractions of
intragranular acicular ferrite (96.4 99.5%) with residual
quantities of austenite grain boundary primary ferrite,
ferrite sideplate, and occasional intragranular ferrite plates.
Large (4 5 mm) inclusions were generally surrounded by
ne acicular ferrite ( the lower part of Fig. 2). A notable
feature of the acicular ferrite in the weld metals was its
exceptionally ne nature, particularly in the Ti B alloyed
deposits, with grain sizes generally between 1 and 2 mm
(Fig. 2).
Series 2 welds had acicular ferrite volume fractions
between 79.1 and 90.0%. Primary ferrite and ferrite
sideplate volume fractions varied between 1.5 and 6.0%
and 6.2 and 12.8% respectively. Some residual martensite
was also present (v0.3%). The appearance of the
intragranular regions was generally of large ferrite plates,
apparently nucleated on large inclusions, interspersed with
acicular ferrite ( Fig. 3), although more continuous areas
of acicular ferrite were also present.
The acicular ferrite content of the series 3 welds was low
(55.4 64.6%). There was little primary ferrite (0.8 1.7%),
but ferrite sideplate and martensite austenite (M A)
volume fractions were high (28.6 31.3% and 3.4 10.7%
respectively). The intragranular regions generally showed
large ferrite plates, apparently nucleated on large inclusions,
interspersed with martensite retained austenite ( Fig. 4).
It was difcult to distinguish between acicular ferrite and
ferrite sideplate with non-aligned microphase in the series 3
welds, so the acicular ferrite content may have been
J7M57
OP107
Series 3
LNS140TB
LNS140TB (wires 1, 2, 5),
ETC7010 (wires 3, 4)
P6M135
J7M57
J7M57
OP107
OP107
995N
J7M57
OP107
P6M135
J7M53
J7M52
J7M50
OP107
LNS140TB (lead/trail),
ETC7010 (middle)
995N
J7M53
J7M53
J7M52
J7M50
P7H114
P7H115
OP107
OP107
Series 2
SD3Mo
SD3Y36E (lead/trail),
ETC7010 (middle)
LNS140TB
ETC7010 (middle)
J7M52
OP107
Flux
Plate
no.
Series 1
SD3Mo
ETC7010 (middle)
LNS140TB
Weld consumable
4 %
W7C62
W7C36
W7K69
W7K67
W7K68
W7K66
W7K72
W7K75
W7K77
W7K70
W7K71
W7K74
W7K76
W7K195
W7K196
W7K73
Weld
no.
1.55
1.53
1.55
0.061
0.065
0.063
1.43
1.54
0.093
0.084
0.55
0.44
0.56
0.064
0.061
0.065
1.29
0.55
0.54
0.50
0.65
0.48
0.49
0.062
0.064
0.062
0.065
0.063
0.065
0.083
0.50
Si
0.074
2.60
2.87
2.13
2.29
2.37
2.31
2.16
2.10
1.90
2.02
2.02
2.05
2.31
1.88
1.89
2.05
Mn
0.012
0.014
0.018
0.015
0.019
0.016
0.020
0.021
0.018
0.017
0.017
0.018
0.021
0.016
0.016
0.019
Weld metal chemistry, wt-%
0.005
0.006
0.003
0.003
0.003
0.004
0.004
0.003
0.004
0.003
0.003
0.003
0.004
0.004
0.004
0.004
0.35
0.35
0.32
0.21
0.32
0.31
0.34
0.51
0.51
0.24
0.34
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.49
Mo
0.74
0.66
0.65
0.65
0.70
0.65
0.72
0.21
Ni
0.020
0.013
0.016
0.015
0.014
0.016
0.010
0.011
0.015
0.015
0.016
0.014
0.011
0.016
0.015
0.016
Al
0.0025
0.0027
0.0019
0.0011
0.0025
0.0010
0.0011
0.0023
0.0011
0.0024
0.0021
0.0021
0.0025
0.0025
0.24
Cu
0.0056
0.0056
0.0052
0.0049
0.0051
0.0065
0.0049
0.0057
0.0051
0.0051
0.0047
0.0056
0.0049
0.0048
0.0057
0.0052
0.032
0.032
0.032
0.034
0.032
0.032
0.033
Nb
0.010
0.019
0.018
0.017
0.020
0.012
0.009
0.009
0.019
0.015
0.022
0.019
0.021
0.022
0.022
0.008
Ti
0.035
0.0006
0.0010
Ca
0.028
0.022
0.0255
0.0270
0.0240
0.0265
0.0320
0.0315
0.0320
0.0315
0.0335
0.0310
0.0305
0.0315
0.0285
0.0315
0.313
0.305
0.267
0.260
0.272
0.288
0.232
0.235
0.239
0.218
0.222
0.229
0.250
0.226
0.239
0.233
%cm
$
2000 Vol. 5
369
No. 6
2000
Vol. 5 No. 6
5.7
5.2
5.4
W7K195 0.226
W7K196 0.239
0.232
0.235
0.239
P7H114
P7H115
ETC7010 (middle)
OP107 J7M53
P6M135 W7C36
P6M135 W7C62
995N
995N
0.313
FS
FS
FS
FS,
0.6 FS,
2.2 FS,
0.2
0.4
0.8
1.2
584
596
576
568
640
584
592
568
564
600
608
584
604
592
608
616
0.8 PF, 55.4 AF, 31.3 FS,

1.8 IFP, 10.7 M
637
10.6 FS,
11.3 FS,
6.2 FS,
12.8 FS,
596
608
584
606
606
604
592
608
616
592
624
PF, 79.1 AF,

IFP, 0.3 M
PF, 90.0 AF,
IFP
PF, 85.2 AF,
IFP
PF, 86.9 AF,
IFP, 0.2 M
PF, 99.5 AF, 0.2 FS

PF, 98.8 AF, 0.5 FS,
IFP
PF, 97.8 AF, 1.4 FS,
IFP
PF, 99.1 AF,

PF, 99.3 AF,
PF, 98.4 AF,
PF, 98.1 AF,
IFP
PF, 96.4 AF,
IFP
PF, 98.1 AF,
IFP, 0.2 M
592
1.7 PF, 64.6 AF, 28.6 FS,

1.6 IFP, 3.4 M
624
6.0
1.8
2.2
1.6
1.9
1.5
1.5
0.7
0.3
0.5
0.2
0.5
0.3
0.7
0.3
0.8
0.5
0.2
1.0
0.4
0.8
0.3
2.0 PF, 97.2 AF, 0.8 FS
959
952
856
856
816
824
784
764
720
767
759
764
720
708
756
736
17
20
23
25
20
23
20
23
23
25
25
28
25
26
28
240
222
262
268
260
264
226
Tensile
stress
HAZ
0.2% of total
hardness,
proof extension Tensile
HV10
stress, 0.5%,
strength, Elongation,
MPa MPa
MPa
%
min. max.
*AF acicular ferrite, PF primary ferrite, FS ferrite sideplate, IFP intragranular ferrite plates, M martensite.
{Charpy values corrected to full size using fracture area ratio.
LNS140TB
LNS140TB
(wires 1, 2, 5),
Series 3
0.267
W7K69
0.305
0.272
W7K68
LNS140TB
OP107 J7M57
ETC7010 (middle)
OP107 J7M57
W7K67
OP107 J7M57
0.260
W7K66
W7K77
J7M50
0.288
W7K75
J7M52
W7K72
OP107 J7M57
SD3Mo
ETC7010 (middle)
Series 2
4.5
W7K76
J7M50
0.250
W7K70
W7K71
W7K74
OP107 J7M53
OP107 J7M53
J7M52
5.3
W7K73
OP107 J7M52
0.218
0.222
0.229
Weld
no.
Plate
no.
0.233
Series 1
SD3Mo
ETC7010 (middle)
LNS140TB
Flux
Weld
cooling
rate
Microstructural
Weld (800
metal 500C), constituents,..*
vol.-%
%cm
K s21
% %+$

$*+*$ $
$
312
276
266
252
256
240
251
Weld
metal
maximum
hardness,
HV5
40, 48
28, 48
27, 60
15, 29
59, 95
59, 109
120, 141
64, 108
63, 91
47, 87
64, 141
77, 144
136, 163
100, 156
Fusion
line
impact
energy
at
220C,..{ J
9, 12, 12
23, 24, 27
55, 60
37, 53
64, 72
21, 25
123, 133
149, 152
171, 188
168, 169
147, 156
128, 135
191, 193
179, 187
152, 155
83, 111
Weld
metal
impact
energy
at
230C,..{ J
z115
z25
z10
222
z20
275
292
2113
295
277
268
298
2115
290
253
Weld
metal
80 J
TT,
C
$
Weld consumable
3
370
$
)$ 1 - $( $$ $$

++*$ $$ $($*$ $(

6 3
overestimated. Parallel laths of ferrite sideplate were

generally separated by low angle boundaries. Thus, when
viewing a cross-section of the laths, all that was evident was
a distribution of microphase islands in a matrix of ferrite. In
some cases however the lath boundaries were just
discernible. Hence, care had to be taken to avoid confusion
with acicular ferrite where high angle grain boundaries were
more readily observed as a result of hard impingement of
different reaction products growing from intragranular
inclusions.
++ $
$

Weld metal mechanical property information is given in

Table 5, along with microstructural data.
Because of continuous yielding, it was not possible to
obtain a yield point for the weld metals in the present work.
However, according to the API 5L standard for linepipe,
the yield strength is specied as the tensile stress required to
produce a total elongation (elastic and plastic) of 0.5% of
the gauge length. Hence, 0.5% tensile total extension values
were measured in the series 1 3 weld metals, but the proof
stress obtained by the normal 0.2% offset plastic strain
method was also obtained for purposes of comparison. In
practice, both measurements fell close to each other on the
load extension curves.
The maximum hardness values of the series 1 welds were
generally in the range 240 266 HV5. The tensile 0.5% total
elongation values were in the range 584 616 MPa, i.e.
yX85 X90, while tensile strength varied between 708 and
784 MPa. Elongation values varied between 20 and 28%.
Weld metal impact energy values at 230C were all high.
The Mn Mo alloyed consumable resulted in a weld metal
80 J transition temperature (TT) of 253C, but the Ti B
alloyed wires gave exceptionally good 80 J TT values
371
)$ 2 - $( $$ $$

5 ! $($*$ $(

6 3
between 268 and 2115C. Fusion line impact energy at

220C was also good. There was insufcient material to
obtain accurate fusion line impact transition temperatures,
but indications were that the 80 J TT values were y230C.
In the case of weld W7K72 the indicated value was 245C.
Limited hardness testing provided little evidence of a HAZ
soft zone; the maximum HAZ hardness values were in the
range 226 268 HV10.
A maximum hardness value obtained for the series 2
welds was y276 HV5. The tensile 0.5% total extension
values were in the range 568 596 MPa, i.e. yX80 X85.
Tensile strength values were high and varied between 816
and 856 MPa, while elongation was between 20 and 25%.
Weld metal impact energy values at 230C were quite low,
with 80 J TT values between 222 and z20C. Fusion line
impact energy values were also low, with indicated 80 J TT
values around ambient temperature. A maximum HAZ
hardness value of 262 HV10 was obtained.
A series 3 weld had a maximum hardness of y312 HV5.
The tensile 0.5% total extension values varied between 624
and 640 MPa, i.e. yX90. Tensile strength values were high,
between 816 and 856 MPa. Elongation was low at y17%.
Weld metal impact energy values at 230C were very low
and on the brittle shelf, with 80 J TT values between 25 and
115C.

%$
Austenite grain size and transformation temperature data

for the thermally cycled weld metals are given in Table 6.
Difculty was encountered in obtaining accurate measurements of the thermally etched austenite grain sizes in
some welds. This was because of the presence of ghost
boundaries which appeared to be produced as a result of
grain coarsening behaviour during the heating cycle. The
2000 Vol. 5
No. 6
2000
Vol. 5 No. 6
Weld
metal
%cm $s
425
450
P6M135 W7C62 0.313 510
475
517
W7K67 0.260 530

W7K68 0.272 550
OP107 J7M57
OP107 J7M57
P6M135 W7C36 0.305 490
525
W7K66 0.288 570
542
530
505
W7K72 0.232 589

W7K75 0.235 568
W7K77 0.239 545
OP107 J7M53
J7M52
J7M50
OP107 J7M57
550
564
530
533
580
610
580
560
558
$50
W7K70
W7K71
W7K74
W7K76
0.218
0.222
0.229
0.250
W7K73 0.233 600
Weld
no.
467
436
480
525
537
515
560
540
540
$PRTT
265
280
370
385
420
413
411
415
420
435
410
415
389
$f
61.9
128.8
232.9
174.8
197.4
60.5
82.4
58.3
50.6
75.4
102.5
105.0
84.9
500
490
540
550
555
619
582
540
585
626
580
560
607
c grain
size, mm $s
430
430
490
515
522
568
530
515
555
583
545
537
563
$50
457
434
500
530
535
530
560
560
540
$PRTT
cAa transformation
temperature, C
OP107 J7M53
OP107 J7M53
J7M52
J7M50
OP107 J7M52
Flux
Series 3
LNS140TB
995N
LNS140TB (wires 1, 2, 5),
995N
Series 2
SD3Mo
ETC7010 (middle)
LNS140TB
ETC7010 (middle)
Series 1
SD3Mo
ETC7010 (middle)
LNS140TB
Weld consumable
Plate
no.
1250
cAa transformation
temperature, C
1200
300
300
390
380
425
418
393
410
435
444
425
420
400
$f
1300
78.7
94.5
239.6
182.2
155.9
60.6
88.4
60.7
36.7
57.4
122.4
105.3
96.5
490
470
595
550
570
614
587
580
585
626
580
560
604
c grain
size, mm $s
437
427
490
522
532
565
542
515
550
578
540
530
564
$50
458
445
510
544
540
570
580
540
$PRTT
cAa transformation
temperature, C
285
285
380
410
440
428
400
420
445
437
450
430
407
$f
1350
60.8
105.2
219.3
97.7
85.3
77.7
95.5
82.1
48.5
68.3
124.4
114.2
93.8
505
520
560
570
570
605
597
570
590
636
595
565
618
c grain
size, mm $s
440
435
500
505
510
557
553
525
550
587
535
520
557
$50
458
412
499
504
505
538
550
550
$PRTT
cAa transformation
temperature, C
285
320
425
425
420
424
405
420
430
434
430
410
399
$f
85.0
90.7
118.5
99.5
96.1
46.2
30.0
67.6
78.1
62.1
67.1
66.6
100.9
c grain
size, mm
$
Thermal cycle peak temperature, C
6 $
$%
%$*$
$ $% + + %
372
$
373
specimens repeatedly thermally cycled through the transformation temperature range before austenitising at 1350C
tended to exhibit ne as opposed to coarse austenite
grain sizes as anticipated. This problem appeared to be
partly associated with the inability of the weld metals
to completely transform during the cooling cycles.
Allowing for the above difculties, depending on the
thermal cycle peak temperature, the series 1 welds exhibited
austenite grain sizes between 30 and 124 mm. The $s and $50
temperatures were in the ranges 636 540 and 587
505C respectively. In comparison, the series 2 welds had
signicantly coarser austenite grain sizes (85 240 mm)
and the $s and $50 temperatures were somewhat lower, in
the ranges 595 530 and 532 475C respectively. The series
3 welds had austenite grain sizes between 61 and 128 mm,
and the $s and $50 temperatures were in the ranges 520 470
and 450 425C respectively. The $PRTT temperatures at
which the maximum rate of transformation occurred could
not be accurately computed for some welds because of
recalescence effects leading to a negative gradient in the
percentage transformed temperature curve. However the
$PRTT values obtained tended to be comparable to or just
above the $50 temperatures.
)))
The aim of the present work was to develop weld metal

compositions and microstructures with high strength and
toughness for X100 linepipe. Of particular interest was the
way in which different forms and morphologies of
intragranular acicular ferrite in the weld metal microstructure inuenced strength and toughness. The present study
has made a number of new observations in this respect,
which have important implications for seam welded linepipe.
% +
%

Comparing the weld analyses in the present study (

Table 4) with those reported for typical X65 X100 plate
welds1,2,10 given in Table 7, it is evident that the deposits in
the present work in many cases exhibited signicantly
higher levels of manganese, silicon, and in some cases
molybdenum and nickel than the welds in the literature, and
the majority contained boron and titanium. Hence the %cm
alloy range is considerably wider (0.218 0.313).
Figure 5 shows a plot of the percentage weld metal
microstructural constituents for the welds in the present
work versus %cm. Incorporated are reported results for low
%cm (0.158 0.182) X65 plate welds cooled at similar rates.13
It is evident that at low %cm levels some acicular ferrite was
lost at the expense of primary ferrite, whereas at high %cm
levels increasing volume fractions of martensite and ferrite
sideplate were observed. The optimum acicular ferrite
7$

'
*% $+(
%+$
$*+*$ +
,
* %
(
$ 63
2 $ 5 2
content was achieved in the series 1 welds with %cm values

between 0.218 and 0.250.
$
$%
'
*$
In weld metals, transformation is widely considered to

begin at the austenite grain boundaries9,10,13 and as
transformation proceeds the nucleation of ferrite becomes
a continuous process both at the austenite grain boundaries
and in the intragranular regions ( Fig. 1). The $s
temperature is generally regarded as a measure of the
grain boundary ferrite reaction, whereas intragranular
acicular ferrite formation is best described by some
temperature at a later stage in the transformation, e.g.
$50 or $PRTT. In the discussion below, for purposes of
comparison, the $50 temperature is taken as an indication of
intragranular acicular ferrite reaction kinetics, but reference
8 63 5 ! +

%

Source
AC plate
strength Consumable
level
alloying
C
Si
Mn P
S
Mo Ni
Al
Nb
Ti
%cm
British Steel
(Thewlis
10)
X65
Europipe
(Hillenbrand X80
1)
X100
Ti B
0.06 0.26 1.37 0.016 0.005 0.17 0.02 0.03 0.0028 0.0069 0.021 0.027 0.036 0.030 0.169
Ti B
Nippon Steel
(Endo 2) X100
0.07 0.26 1.80 0.014 0.002 0.48 0.15 0.02

NA..*
0.07 0.29 1.65 0.014 0.002 0.35 0.17 0.02 0.0025 0.0053 0.026 0.025
Mn Mo Ti 0.08 0.33 1.94 0.009 0.003 0.49
NA..*
NA..*
NA..* 0.203
NA..* 0.202
0.020 0.010 0.030 NA..* 0.226
*Not analysed.
2000 Vol. 5
No. 6
374
$
is also made to the $PRTT temperature at which the

maximum rate of transformation occurs.
Although no information is available on X100 AC plate
weld transformation behaviour in the literature, comparisons may be made between the transformation temperatures of Ti B containing welds in the present study and
those reported for Ti B alloyed X65 plate welds similarly
thermally cycled but cooled at 7 K s21 (800 500C).13
Figure 6 shows the variations in $s and $50 with austenite
grain size for the different welds. Allowing for the slight
cooling rate difference, the thermally cycled deposits in the
present work transformed at substantially lower temperatures than the X65 plate welds. It is of interest therefore to
examine how this inuences the nature and morphology of
the acicular ferrite.
The $50 temperatures of the X65 plate deposits in Ref. 13
were between 580 and 650C. The Widmanstatten ferrite
start temperature determined experimentally for X65 plate
welds in Ref. 10 was y630C, while the bainite start
temperature was y550C. The acicular ferrite in the welds
in Ref. 10 was observed to consist of a small amount of
primary ferrite nucleated on large (w3 mm) inclusions at
high temperatures in the upper bay of the CCT diagram and
a large amount of Widmanstatten ferrite nucleated at lower
temperatures on small (v0.5 mm) inclusions in the lower
bay. The intragranular primary ferrite took the form of
caps, blocks, wedges, and rosettes, whereas the Widmanstatten ferrite was in the form of high aspect ratio plates.
The resulting acicular ferrite grain size was 2 3 mm.
The series 1 welds in the present work showed more than
97% acicular ferrite, with less than 2.0% grain boundary
primary ferrite. This indicates that the upper C curve of the
CCT diagram moved to the right, allowing cooling to take
place almost directly into the lower bay. Thus, low $50
temperatures of between 505 and 587C were observed. The
maximum rate of transformation occurred at temperatures
between 515 and 570C. There are a number of formulae
in the literature for calculation of the bainite start temperature. Substituting the mean composition of the series
1 welds into a recent formula14 gives a bainite start
temperature under CCT conditions of y479C. This
compares with a temperature of 562C predicted for the
X65 plate welds in Ref. 10 (cf. an experimentally observed
value of 550C). However, a more recent mathematical
model15 predicts a bainite start temperature of y545C for
the series 1 welds. Hence there is a signicant discrepancy in
predicted bainite start temperatures. Taking this into
consideration, it is likely that the acicular ferrite microstructure in the series 1 welds consists of Widmanstatten
ferrite and/or bainite. The ferrite would appear to have a
ne plate morphology and grow from large as well as small
inclusions, but not very far before the onset of hard
impingement, thereby ensuring an ultrane, acicular ferrite
microstructure with a grain size of 1 2 mm.
The series 2 welds had signicantly lower $50 temperatures than the series 1 deposits, between 475 and 532C. The
maximum rate of transformation occurred at temperatures
between 480 and 544C, indicating an increased proportion
of bainitic acicular ferrite. These deposits are notable in that
the intragranular regions showed a number of large ferrite
plates interspersed with acicular ferrite. The plates would
appear to be nucleated on large inclusions and seemingly
prevented the formation of a continuous network of ne
acicular ferrite.
The oxygen content of the series 2 welds (0.0240
0.0270%) was lower than that in the series 1 deposits
(0.0283 0.0335%), so a reduced volume fraction of inclusions may be expected. Grain sizes in the series 2
deposits after thermal cycling were relatively large, indicating reduced grain boundary pinning from a lower density of
inclusions. The coarse austenite grain size would alter the
balance of ferrite nucleation from the austenite grain
2000
Vol. 5 No. 6
boundaries to the grain interior, but a lower inclusion

density would reduce the number of effective nucleation
sites for acicular ferrite ( below). The nucleation rate may
be expected to increase with decreasing temperature below
the bainite start temperature because of the increased
driving force. However, a complicating factor is the effect of
silicon. It is well recognised that silicon is a ferrite stabiliser
and increases the c A a transformation temperature, but it
also suppresses the formation of Fe3C.16 Thus, although
ferrite may have nucleated initially on large inclusions, it
would appear that the high silicon levels in the series 2 welds
prevented cementite precipitation from the remaining
austenite, thereby increasing its carbon content so that
transformation to acicular ferrite on the smaller inclusions
was retarded. Ferrite plates nucleated on large inclusions
may therefore have grown relatively unimpeded and the
possibility of a continuous ultrane acicular ferrite microstructure was reduced.
Series 3 weld compositions have $50 temperatures
between 425 and 450C, while the maximum rate of
transformation occurred at temperatures between 412
and 467C. Oxygen contents were again relatively low
(0.0220 0.0280%), indicating a reduced volume fraction of
inclusions. In many regions of these welds, the effect of
silicon described above would appear to be exacerbated to
the extent that the austenite remaining between large ferrite
plates growing from large inclusions was either retained or
transformed to martensite. The volume fraction of acicular
ferrite was therefore markedly reduced.
$
$%
&+
It is widely recognised8,9,10,13 that acicular ferrite formation

in weld metals depends on retarding the nucleation and
growth of ferrite at the austenite grain boundaries and
encouraging a high rate of nucleation at inclusions and
dislocations in the intragranular regions. The inuential
factors are austenite grain size, inclusion type, volume
fraction and size distribution, alloying, and weld cooling
rate.
Recent transformation kinetics studies by the present
author13 have shown that there is a critical austenite grain
size, dependent on alloy content and inclusion characteristics, whereby the balance of nucleation is shifted from the
austenite grain boundaries to the intragranular regions and
acicular ferrite formation is greatly increased. For low and
high Mo B Ti alloyed weld metals (0.012Mo 0.0011B
0.009Ti and 0.22Mo 0.0035B 0.027Ti respectively) with a
high density (20 366106 mm23) of effective nucleating
inclusions, the critical austenite grain sizes were 60 and
20 mm respectively. The Mo B Ti alloyed series 1 welds in
the present work were thermally cycled and transformed
from austenite grain sizes between 30 and 124 mm (
Table 3). Weld cooling rates were similar to those in
Ref. 13. The microstructures of the series 1 welds exhibited
more than 97% acicular ferrite, indicating that the critical
austenite grain size for these welds was signicantly
exceeded and the acicular ferrite reaction kinetics were
optimised.
Although the Mo B Ti alloyed series 2 welds transformed from coarse austenite grain sizes (between 85 and
240 mm), the amount of acicular ferrite was signicantly
reduced compared with the series 1 welds, which is
attributed in part to a reduced oxygen content (lower
volume fraction of inclusions), but also to the effects on
transformation behaviour of the high silicon levels in these
weld metals, as described above. It is not clear how the
increased silicon content would affect the inclusion type,
volume fraction, and size distribution in the series 2 welds,
and hence the acicular ferrite reaction kinetics; measurement of inclusion characteristics is outside the scope of the
present paper. However, inclusions commonly found in
$
375
(a)
(a)
(b)
(b)
0.2% proof stress; tensile strength
$s temperatures; $50 temperatures
$
$%
$ 3/ $
$%
%$,
*$
$ 63 2 $ 5 2
weld metals are MnO.SiO2, the galaxite spinel Al2O3.MnO,

Al2O3, and TiO/TiN.17 Saggesse 18 have shown that
there is a binary line on the MnO Al2O3 SiO2 ternary phase diagram, approximately between Al2O3 and
MnO.SiO2, along which most weld metal compositions lie.
The mass ratio of SiO2 and MnO in oxide inclusions along
this line is almost constant. Thus, at liquid weld metal
temperatures, while Al2O3 may form rst, the remaining
liquid during cooling should become enriched in manganese
and silicon below the binary liquidus temperatures towards
galaxite and then spessartite (3MnO.Al2O3.3SiO2) at the
centre of the ternary diagram. It is likely, therefore, that
some silicon in the series 2 welds in the present work was
combined with manganese and aluminium in the spessartite
glass, while silicon and manganese may also have been
1/ $
$ 5
*( $( 5

*( $

$ 63 2
$ 5 2
present in the glassy MnO.SiO2 phase. It is well recognised

that increasing the titanium content of deposits results in
TiO/TiN in the surface layers of inclusions, thereby
encouraging intragranular ferrite nucleation.13,17 20 This
is particularly true of glassy silicate inclusions.13 Furthermore, as the inclusion composition changes from Al2O3 to
Al2O3.MnO and nally to MnO.SiO2 at a constant oxygen
and sulphur level, the number of inclusions is reported to
increase markedly.19,20 It is therefore unlikely that the
inclusion characteristics in the series 2 welds are an obstacle
to optimising the acicular ferrite reaction kinetics. Nevertheless, further work is required to investigate this aspect.
The Mo B Ti alloyed series 3 welds transformed at
signicantly lower temperatures than the series 1 and 2
deposits. Although intragranular ferrite nucleation and
growth occurred from the large inclusions, there was
comparatively little evidence in some regions of the
microstructure of ferrite transformation occurring at the
small inclusions. Again, this may be attributed to the
possible effects of silicon and further work is required in this
area.
)$( 5
*( $

Variations in 0.2% proof stress and tensile strength with

toughness for the Ti B containing welds in the present
work are compared with data for Ti B alloyed X65 plate
welds in the literature10,13 in Fig. 7.
Figure 7 shows that the 0.2% proof stress values for the
welds in the present study were not signicantly greater than
the lower yield strength values for the X65 plate deposits; all
the data approached or were near the X90 strength level of
620 MPa. Microstructural differences between the series 1,
2, and 3 welds were reected in variations in the UTS (
Fig. 7) rather than at the onset of plastic strain, indicating
differences in the strain hardening exponent. It is well
2000 Vol. 5
No. 6
376
$
9 $ % :

Plate no. Weld no. Weld bead C
J7M120
J8M34
W7K215 OD
ID
W8K43 OD
ID
0.060
0.064
0.069
0.076
Si
Mn P
Mo Ni
Al
Cu
Nb
Ti
%cm
0.52
0.50
0.57
0.58
1.71
1.74
1.75
1.84
0.006
0.006
0.005
0.004
0.46
0.46
0.46
0.50
0.015
0.016
0.016
0.016
0.0031
0.0025
0.0030
0.0023
0.22
0.24
0.23
0.25
0.0059
0.006
0.0067
0.0060
0.026
0.030
0.027
0.032
0.023
0.021
0.018
0.017
0.030
0.033
0.030
0.037
0.042
0.033
0.043
0.040
0.227
0.231
0.240
0.253
0.014
0.014
0.015
0.015
0.19
0.21
0.18
0.22
*Weld consumable LNS140TB, ux OP107.
recognised that X65 plate welds are signicantly overmatched in yield strength with the parent plate. Thus, while
the parent plate may exhibit X65 strength, the weld metal
has yield strength approaching that of X90. It is evident that
the welds in the present work may have been slightly
undermatched with the X100 parent plate. Further work is
required to investigate this aspect of X100 linepipe to
demonstrate commercial viability to oil and gas companies.
Figure 7 demonstrates that tensile strength progressively increased from that of X65 plate welds through the
series 1 and 2 welds in the present work to the series 3
deposits. Concurrently there was a sharp increases in
toughness followed by a marked decrease. Optimum
strength and toughness were obtained in the series 1
welds with large volume fractions of ultrane acicular
ferrite. The reduced toughness in the X65 plate deposits
may be attributed to signicant quantities of primary ferrite
in the weld microstructure and the coarser morphology of
the acicular ferrite.13 The presence in the series 2 welds of
large ferrite plates growing from large inclusions would
appear to have caused a decrease in toughness, which was
further sharply reduced in the series 3 deposits by the
replacement of ultrane acicular ferrite between the large
ferrite plates with blocks of M A.
*
The series 1 welds with optimum strength and toughness in

the present work were single pass, BIG deposits designed to
simulate outside seam welding of linepipe. In thin section,
one pass per side seam welding, however, mechanical
property test specimens may sample both outer and inner
weld beads. In order to determine the effect this has on
mechanical properties, two 9 mm section, one pass per side,
three wire submerged arc welds were manufactured to the
series 1 weld chemistry.
The X100 HSLA plates alloyed with nickel, molybdenum, copper, niobium, vanadium, and titanium were
welded using Ti B alloyed consumables. The rst weld
to be manufactured, W7K215, was made using heat inputs
for the inside and outside beads of 2.0 and 2.5 kJ mm21
respectively. This produced a balanced weld, i.e. the outside
and inside beads were of similar size. The second weld,
W8K43, was made with a reduced heat input for the inside
bead (1.7 kJ mm21) and a slightly higher heat input for the
outside weld (2.6 kJ mm21), resulting in an unbalanced

weld, i.e. the outside bead was signicantly larger than the
inside bead. Flat tensile specimens and substandard
1067.5 mm Charpy testpieces were taken transversely
across the weldments. An all weld tensile specimen was
additionally taken longitudinally from the outside bead of
the unbalanced weld W8K43. The Charpy specimens were
notched at the weld centreline and also at the fusion line to
sample 50% parent plate and 50% weld metal.
Weld metal analyses are given in Table 8. The %cm alloy
levels adequately covered the required range (0.21 0.25).
However, the weld manganese contents were slightly low,
while boron, nitrogen, and oxygen levels tended to be rather
high. Results of tensile and Charpy impact tests are given in
Table 9. The across weld tensile specimens fractured in the
weld metal and gave tensile strengths between 753 and
802 MPa. The all weld tensile specimen produced a tensile
strength of 759 MPa. Weld metal Charpy 80 J TT values
were between 265 and 280C, while the HAZ fusion line
impact energy at 220C varied between 51 and 80 J.
Results were therefore consistent with those obtained for
the series 1 BIG welds. This conrms the applicability of the
series 1 weld metal compositions for thin section X100
linepipe.
"))
1. A number of multiwire, submerged arc, BIG welds

have been made using experimental HSLA steel plates and a
range of commercially available consumables in order to
develop weld metal compositions and microstructures with
high strength and toughness for X100 linepipe.
2. Optimum strength and toughness was obtained in
Mo B Ti alloyed weld metals. The %cm values giving a
measure of alloying were between 0.218 and 0.250. Weld
cooling rates were between 4.5 and 5.7 K s21 (800 500C).
Tensile strengths of 708 784 MPa were achieved with
80 J TT values between 268 and 2115C.
3. The optimised weld metal microstructures showed
more than 97% acicular ferrite, with less than 2.0% grain
boundary primary ferrite. On thermal cycling and cooling at
typical weld cooling rates, the optimised welds transformed
at signicantly lower temperatures than those reported for
X65 plate deposits which contain acicular ferrite in the form
of idiomorphic primary ferrite and intragranular Widman-
; $ % $

$:
Across weld at
tensile specimen..{
All weld round tensile

specimen outside weld bead
Plate
no.
Weld
no.
Tensile stress
of total extension
0.5%, MPa
Tensile
strength,
MPa
Tensile stress
of total extension
0.5%, MPa
Tensile
strength,
MPa
Fusion line
impact energy
at 220C,..{ J
Weld metal
impact energy
at 230C,..{ J
Weld metal
80 J TT, C
J7M120
J8M34
W7K215
W8K43
656
753
802
590
759
51, 56
80
144
121
280
265
*Weld consumable LNS140TB, ux OP107.

{Fracture in weld metal.
{Charpy values corrected to full size using fracture area ratio.
2000
Vol. 5 No. 6
$
statten ferrite. The maximum rate of transformation in the

optimised welds occurred at temperatures between 515 and
570C, indicating that the acicular ferrite in these weld
metals consisted of Widmanstatten ferrite and/or bainite.
The ferrite would appear to have a ne plate morphology
and grow from large as well as small inclusions, but not very
far before onset of hard impingement, thereby ensuring an
ultrane grain size of 1 2 mm.
4. More highly alloyed weld metals containing 2 3%Mn
and 1.5%Si transformed at low temperatures and showed
increased strength, but there was a substantial loss of
toughness, attributed to the relatively unimpeded growth of
large ferrite plates from large inclusions and the replacement of ultrane acicular ferrite between these plates with
blocks of M A.
5. One pass per side, multiwire submerged arc welds
manufactured to the optimum weld metal chemistry
exhibited mechanical properties consistent with those
obtained for the corresponding single pass, BIG welds.
This conrms the applicability of the optimised weld metal
compositions for thin section X100 linepipe.
!<"
)
The author would like to thank Dr K. N. Melton, Research

Director of the Corus Swinden Technology Centre for
permission to publish this paper.
=)
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a. streisselberger, and u. zeislmair: Proc. 2nd Int. Pipeline
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2000 Vol. 5
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The increasing length of oil and gas transmission pipelines

mechanical properties may be required in both the pipe