Long-term service effect on the toughness of pipeline steel 17GS

A transit oil pipeline, 720 mm in diameter, 334 km in length, and made of steel 17GS, after 30 years of service was twice non-destructively tested with intelligent Pipeline Inspection Gauges (PIGs). Two segments of this pipeline were cut in order to investigate the steel structure, composition, and mechanical properties and to compare these properties with those of `archive' material. Metallographic and microprobe analyses revealed no significant difference between the `archive' and `aged' materials. Specimens for testing tensile mechanical properties, for fatigue-crack growth rate measurements, and for a Charpy test were used. All those specimens were fabricated from both the base and weld metal in longitudinal and circumferential directions. At room temperature, the ultimate strength of the aged steel was found to be 5% higher than that of the `archive' material, whereas the yield point was 18% higher for the aged material. Charpy energy changed more significantly; decreasing by approximately 40% at room temperature. In addition to conventional mechanical properties, new characteristics such as `microcleavage stress' R _MC (minimum brittle fracture stress) and the toughness index K _T were determined. It has been found that a long period of operation does not affect the values of the steel microcleavage stress R _MC and does not influence the hardening exponent significantly. The use of the local approach to fracture has shown that an increase in yield stress is the main cause of the decrease in its toughness after long-term service. It is shown that a minor (15%) increase in the yield stress results in a rise (by 40°) in the Charpy transition temperature and may cause a twofold reduction in the fracture toughness K _IC.     

Failure in a high pressure feeding line of an oil refinery due to hydrogen effect

This work describes failure analysis of a feeding pipeline of an oil refinery. For this analysis visual inspection, dye penetration, optical and electron microscopy, XRD, tensile tests, fracture toughness tests and stress calculations were used. Result of the investigations show that hydrogen embrittlement has played an important role in the failure of the pipeline. For completing the case, hydrogen embrittlement damage of the piping material made from commercial ASTM A105M low alloy manganese steel was studied by using baking and hydrogenation treatments. Baking treatment was carried out at 520 °C for 20 min followed by slow cooling while hydrogenation treatment was carried out in a solution of H₂SO₄ which contained As₂O₃ for 0–6 h under cathodic situation. Then change in the mechanical properties and fracture toughness of the steel after the treatments were measured by tensile and fracture toughness tests. In addition, fractography was carried out using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and image analyzer. Results show that the baking treatment increased elongation to failure and fracture toughness significantly and reduced yield strength slightly compared to the failed condition of the pipe. Hydrogenation treatment decreased elongation to failure and fracture toughness of the material considerably and increased strength barely. Increase in the hydrogenation time reduced ductility of the steel further more. These results indicate that hydrogen through hydrogen embrittlement mechanism, made the pipe material brittle and susceptible to cracking. Embrittlement with the assistance of an emergency shutdown and stress concentration provides damage nucleation and finally developed brittle fracture.     

Microstructure and toughness of coarse grain heat-affected zone of domestic X70 pipeline steel during in-service welding

The microstructures and mechanical properties of coarse grain heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) of domestic X70 pipeline were investigated. The weld CGHAZ thermal cycles having different cooling time Δt _8/5 were simulated with the Gleeble-1500 thermal/mechanical simulator. The Charpy impact absorbed energy for toughness was measured, and the corresponding fractographs, optical micrographs, and electron micrographs were systematically investigated to study the effect of cooling time on microstructure, impact toughness, and fracture morphology in the CGHAZ of domestic X70 pipeline steel during in-service welding. The results of simulated experiment show that the microstructure of CGHAZ of domestic X70 pipeline steel during in-service welding mainly consists of granular bainite and lath bainite. Martensite–austenite (M–A) constituents are observed at the lath boundaries. With increase in cooling time, the M–A constituents change from elongated shape to massive shape. The reduction of toughness may be affected by not only the M–A constituents but also the coarse bainite sheaves. Accelerating cooling with cooling time Δt _8/5 of 8 s can be chosen in the field in-service welding X70 pipeline to control microstructures and improve toughness.     

Information relevant for the design of structure: Ferritic – Heat resistant high chromium steel X10CrAlSi25

In order to determine the behavior of the X10CrAlSi25 steel at room and elevated temperatures, a number of uniaxial tests were performed using a modern computer controlled material testing machine. Based on these tests, two types of their responses were considered. The first type of responses refers to the material properties presented in the form of engineering stress–strain diagrams. From these diagrams it is possible to derive and consequently to determine tensile strength, yield strength and a Modulus of elasticity. The second type of responses refers to creep behavior presented in the form of creep curves. Based on these curves, creep resistance of the considered material can be derived. Besides, the Charpy impact tests were performed with a Charpy impact machine to define Charpy impact energy as the basis for calculating fracture toughness. Considering tensile strength (584 MPa/20 °C) and yield strength (487 MPa/20 °C), it is visible that both of them are decreased when temperature is increased and fairly low strength levels at high temperature (tensile strength: 29 MPa/800 °C; yield strength: 26 MPa/800 °C) are measured. According to performed creep tests it is visible that this material does not belong to the materials resistant to creep.     

Effects of Re-B modification on the strength and toughness of 30CrMn2Si cast steel

The effects of multi-modification on the strength and toughness of 30CrMn2Si cast steel were investigated. The mechanical properties tested include tensile strength; Charpy impact toughness from room temperature to –60 °C; hardness and fracture toughness. Microanalyses were carried out by optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction, and included the microstructure and submicrostructure of martensites, residual austenites, the size and distribution of non-metallic inclusions, and the original austenite grain size. It was concluded that, with the hardness unchanged, the fracture toughness of the modified steel was raised to 95 MPa m^1/2, 34% more than that of the un-modified steel, and the impact toughnesses at normal and low temperatures raised to 62 and 61.2 J cm^-2, respectively, 67 and 75% more than those of the un-modified steel. Furthermore, the fracture strength and yield strength of the steel were increased by over 200 MPa.     

Ductile tearing of pipeline-steel wide plates: I. Dynamic and quasi-static experiments

Four low-carbon microalloyed pipeline steel plates were studied with two chemical compositions and different thermo-mechanical treatments, leading to either ferritic–pearlitic or ferritic–bainitic microstructures.Microstructural and mechanical properties were investigated. An original dynamic tensile experiment is used to study crack propagation in full-thickness wide plates under either quasi-static and dynamic conditions. In the latter case, crack speeds up to 20–40 m s⁻¹ were reached and led to ductile shear crack propagation as observed in pipe bursts, while mode I in-plane crack propagation was observed in most quasi-static tests. Shear mode fracture results from strain localization under dynamic conditions and may be detrimental to steel toughness. Steel resistance to crack propagation is evaluated with the use of the energy dissipation rate parameter. The effect of the microstructure as well as material parameters like the anisotropic behavior on fracture toughness were evaluated. It is shown that ferritic–bainitic steels exhibit a better yield stress–toughness compromise than ferritic–pearlitic ones.In a companion paper (Engng. Fract. Mech., submitted for publication), the numerical simulation of crack propagation in wide plates using fully coupled local approach to fracture is presented.     

Influence of Long-Term Operation on the Toughness of 17GS Pipeline Steel

We study the influence of long-term (30 yr) operation on the levels of toughness and brittle-fracture resistance of 17GS pipeline steel in the presence of notches and cracklike defects. We present the results of low-temperature testing (13–293 K) of specially prepared cylindrical specimens for uniaxial tension. The specimens were cut out from the base metal of an archival (reference) pipe and a pipe taken after operation for 30 yr. It was discovered that long-term operation does not affect the microscopic cleavage resistance R_mc (minimum brittle-fracture stress) of steel and has practically no influence on the strain-hardening exponent. The application of the local approach to the analysis of fracture demonstrates that the toughness of steel after operation decreases mainly as a result of the increase in the yield limit. It is shown that a small (15%) increment of the yield limit increases the critical temperature of the lower Charpy shelf by 40 K and may be responsible for a twofold drop of the crack resistance of steel.     

Plane strain fracture toughness of modern ferritic structural steels

Abstract

The temperature dependence of the plane strain fracture toughness of a low carbon, fine grain, ferritic steel for structural applications is investigated. The ductile–brittle transition is found to occur in the interval between 160 and 184 K. The experimental results are interpreted by an analytical model which permits calculation of the plane strain fracture toughness K _1c in the brittle domain as a function of the tensile properties and the cleavage fracture stress, making use of a piecewise approximation for the distribution of tensile stress on the crack axis and applying a deterministic fracture criterion at the stress peak. A similar criterion, which consists of equating the severest strain on the crack axis to a critical strain for cavity nucleation, provides the upper shelf fracture toughness. A relatively simple figure for predicting the transition temperature of steels in this family as a function of material properties can be obtained in this way.     

Small-punch and TEM-disc testing techniques and their application to characterization of radiation damage

The present paper summarizes the development of miniaturized small-punch (SP) and TEM-disc (TD) testing techniques and shows their applicability in characterizing the mechanical properties of irradiated materials. The yield strength, ductility and fracture toughness,J _lc, were empirically estimated by analysing the deformation and fracture behaviour observed in the miniaturized specimen tests. The ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) was determined from the variation of the SP or TD fracture energy with temperature. A linear correlation between the DBTT obtained from the SP and Charpy V-notched specimen tests has been theoretically and experimentally established. The problems of cracking detection and data scattering often observed in the SP or TD specimen tests are discussed in terms of heterogeneous embrittlement behaviour of materials. It has been demonstrated that these miniaturized testing techniques are capable of evaluating hardening, DBTT shifts andJ _lc decreases caused by neutron irradiation.     

Prediction of prestraining effect on fracture toughness of high strength structural steel by local approach

In the present study, the tension and fracture toughness tests on high strength structural steel of Q420 were carried out in different conditions of non-prestraining and prestraining. The results indicated that the prestrain increased the yield stress and tensile strength, but decreased the fracture toughness. Meanwhile, the local parameters m and σ_u controlling the brittle fracture were obtained using finite element method (FEM) analysis. Based on the Weibull stress fracture criterion, the prestraining effect on the fracture toughness was predicted from fracture toughness results of the virgin material by the local approach. The prediction was in good agreement with the experimental results. It certified that the critical Weibull stress obeys the two-parameter Weibull distribution in the local approach, and the fracture behaviour of the material with prestrain can be characterised well by the local approach.     

Effect of precipitates on damping capacity and mechanical properties of Ti–6Al–4V alloy

The present study was concerned with the effects of over-aging on damping property and fracture toughness in Ti–6Al–4V alloy. Damping property and toughness become important factors for titanium implants, which have big modulus difference between bone and implant, and need high damping capacity for bone-implant compatability. Widmanstätten, equiaxed, and bimodal microstructures containing fine α₂ (Ti₃Al) particles were obtained by over-aging a Ti–6Al–4V alloy. Over-aging heat treatment was conducted for 200 h at 545 °C. Fracture toughness, Charpy impact, and bending vibration tests were conducted on the unaged and the over-aged six microstructures, respectively. Charpy absorption energy and apparent fracture toughness decreased as over-aging was done, even if the materials were strengthened by precipitation of very fine and strong α₂-Ti₃Al particles. On the other hand, damping properties were enhanced by over-aging in Widmanstätten and equiaxed microstructures, but was weakened in bimodal microstructure due to the softening of tempered martensite and the decreasing of elastic difference between tempered martensite and α phase contained α₂ particles, etc. These data can provide effective information to future work about internal damping and fracture properties of Ti–6Al–4V alloy.     

Mechanical properties of the solid Li-ion conducting electrolyte: Li0.33La0.57TiO3

Li_0.33La_0.57TiO₃ (LLTO) is a potential Li-ion conducting membrane for use in aqueous Li-air batteries. To be in this configuration its mechanical properties must be determined. Dense LLTO was prepared using a solid-state (SS) or sol–gel (SG) procedure and was hot-pressed to yield a high relative density material (>95 %). Young’s modulus, hardness, and fracture toughness of the LLTO-SS and sol–gel LLTO-SG materials was determined and compared to other solid Li-ion conducting electrolytes. The Young’s modulus for LLTO-SG and LLTO-SS was 186 ± 4 and 200 ± 3 GPa, respectively. The Vickers hardness of LLTO-SG and LLTO-SS was 9.7 ± 0.7 and 9.2 ± 0.2 GPa, respectively. The fracture toughness, K _IC, of both LLTO-SG and LLTO-SS was ~1 MPa m^1/2; the fracture toughness of LLTO-SG was slightly higher than that of LLTO-SS. Both LLTO-SG and LLTO-SS have a Young’s modulus and hardness greater than the other possible solid Li-ion conducting membranes; Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ and Li_1+x+y Al _x Ti_2−x Si _y P_3−y O₁₂. Based on modulus and hardness hot-pressed LLTO exhibits sufficient mechanical integrity to be used as a solid Li-ion conducting membrane in aqueous Li-air batteries but, its fracture toughness needs to be improved without degrading its ionic conductivity.     

Evaluation of toughness deterioration by an electrochemical method in an isothermally-aged N-containing austenitic stainless steel

This work presents the results of an evaluation of the deterioration of cryogenic toughness by means of an electrochemical method in a N-containing austenitic stainless steel (JK2) aged at temperatures of 700, 800 and 900 °C for times from 10 to 1000 min. The aging process at 700 and 800 °C caused the decrease in the Charpy V-Notch impact energy at ? 196 °C because of the intergranular precipitation of carbides. Scanning electron micrographs of the Charpy V-Notch test specimens showed the presence of intergranular brittle fracture. The degree of sensitization was determined by the ratio of the maximum current density generated by the reactivation scan to that of the anodic scan, I_r/I_a, using the double-loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation test. The Charpy V-Notch impact energy decreased with increase in the I_r/I_a ratio. This relation permits an estimate of the deterioration of cryogenic toughness due to thermal aging in this type of steel.     

Effect of thermal treatment on the mechanical and toughness properties of extruded SiCw/aluminium 6061 metal matrix composite

Mechanical, instrumented Charpy V-notch (CVN) energy and plane strain fracture toughness properties of SiC whisker reinforced-6061 aluminium metal matrix composite material from an extruded tube have been determined. The effect of thermal treatment and orientation have been studied. The mechanical strength properties are higher than wrought Al 6061 in the T6 condition. CVN energy values, however, were reduced by an order of magnitude.K _lc fracture toughness of the as-received, T6 and degassed + T6 thermal treatments were 50% of the wrought Al 6061 alloy. The effect of orientation showed that the orientation with the least amount of SiC whisker in the crack plane (i.e. greatest mean free path between reinforcements) yields the highest toughness value.     

Dynamic deformation and fracture properties of simulated weld heat affected zone of 9Cr-1Mo steel from instrumented impact tests

Abstract

Dynamic deformation characteristics such as dynamic yield stress and dynamic strain hardening exponent along with dynamic elastic-plastic fracture toughness for the different microstructural regions of heat affected zone (HAZ) of a nuclear grade 9Cr-1Mo steel have been evaluated by instrumented Charpy tests. Isothermal heat treatment at different temperatures was used to simulate the different microstructural regions in the HAZ of this steel, namely the over tempered base metal, intercritical, fine prior austenitic grained martensitic, and coarse prior austenitic grained martensitic regions. Effects of interparticle spacing on the dynamic deformation and fracture properties have been studied. It has been observed that the dynamic yield stress and the dynamic fracture toughness follow power law relationships with the interparticle spacing whereas the strain hardening exponent follows a linear fit.     

Determination of the Fracture Toughness of a Low Alloy Steel by the Instrumented Charpy Impact Test

An attempt to establish a non-empirical relationship between the Charpy V-notch energy CVN and the fracture toughness K _Ic is presented. We focus our study on the lower shelf of fracture toughness and on the onset of the ductile-to-brittle transition of a A508 Cl.3 low alloy structural steel. The methodology employed is based on the `local approach'. Brittle cleavage fracture is modelled in terms of the Beremin (1983) model, whereas the ductile crack advance preceding cleavage in the transition region is accounted for with the GTN model (Gurson, 1977; Tvergaard, 1982; Tvergaard and Needleman, 1984. Mechanical testing at different strain rates and temperatures allowed the establishment of the constitutive equations of the material in a rate dependent formulation. Numerous fracture tests on different specimen geometries provided the large data set necessary for statistical evaluation. All specimen types were modelled with finite element analysis. Special consideration was taken in order to handle the dynamic effects in the Charpy impact test in an appropriate way. The fracture toughness could be predicted from Charpy impact test results, on the lower shelf, by applying the `local approach'. In the transition region the parameters of the Beremin model were found to deviate from those established on the lower shelf. Detailed fractographic investigations showed that the nature of `weak spots' inducing cleavage fracture changes with temperature. It is concluded that the Beremin model must be refined in order to be applicable in the ductile-to-brittle transition region.     

Characterization of fracture behavior of a Ti alloyed supermartensitic 12%Cr stainless steel using Charpy instrumented impact tests

In this work, the toughness of a Ti-alloyed supermartensitic stainless steel with 12%Cr was evaluated by instrumented Charpy impact tests at − 46 °C. The material was heat treated by quenching and tempering at 500 °C or 650 °C. The temper embrittlement phenomena was detected in the specimen tempered at 500 °C, while the specimens as quenched and quenched and tempered at 650 °C presented a ductile fracture with high impact energy values. The predominance of cleavage fracture instead of intergranular cracks suggests that the temper embrittlement was caused by fine and disperse precipitation observed in the specimen tempered at 500 °C. The dynamic initiation fracture toughness (J_Id) was calculated from the force versus deflection curves using three different methods suggested in the literature to obtain the initiation energy.     

Martensitic stainless steel AISI 420—mechanical properties,creep and fracture toughness

In this paper some experimental results and analyses regarding the behavior of AISI 420 martensitic stainless steel under different environmental conditions are presented. That way, mechanical properties like ultimate tensile strength and 0.2 percent offset yield strength at lowered and elevated temperatures as well as short-time creep behavior for selected stress levels at selected elevated temperatures of mentioned material are shown. The temperature effect on mentioned mechanical properties is also presented. Fracture toughness was calculated on the basis of Charpy impact energy. Experimentally obtained results can be of importance for structure designers.     

Measurement of fracture initiation toughness and crack resistance in instrumented Charpy impact testing

A new method has been developed involving direct measurement of the load-line displacement during instrumented Charpy testing. The method uses a laser interferometer to measure displacement in addition to the load-line displacement derived from the load signal. Tests were conducted using fatigue precracked and V-notched test pieces in the temperature range +23°C to −80°C on a conventional ship grade steel, a pressure vessel steel and two welded joints. Good correlation was found between the J_0.2 initiation fracture toughness determined by the multi-specimen method and the J_i fracture toughness determined from single specimens using the new method to detect ductile fracture initiation.     

CVN–KJC correlation model for API X65 gas pipeline

Reliable determination of fracture toughness of different materials is critically important. However, standard fracture toughness testing methods are difficult and costly. In order to simplify the determination of fracture toughness, several correlations between fracture toughness and Charpy impact energy (CVN) have been proposed by different researchers. In the present work, a new linear model was developed for estimation of fracture toughness (K_JC), based on CVN, and yield strength data, in base, seam weld, and girth weld metals of an API X65 gas pipeline. The predicted values of K_JC from the suggested relation, with maximum and mean error values of 6.7% and 4.4%, respectively, was found to be in good agreement with the valid fracture toughness test results obtained from compact tension specimens following ASTM E1820 standard.