Structure–Property–Fracture Mechanism Correlation in Heat-Affected Zone of X100 Ferrite−Bainite Pipeline Steel

Structural performance of a weld joint primarily depends on the microstructural characteristics of heat-affected zone (HAZ). In this regard, the HAZ in X100 ferrite−bainite pipeline steel was studied by separating the HAZ into intercritically reheated coarse-grained (ICCG) HAZ containing and non-containing regions. These two regions were individually evaluated for Charpy impact toughness and characterized by electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD). Low toughness of ~50 J was obtained when the notch of impact specimen encountered ICCGHAZ and high toughness of ~180 J when the notch did not contain ICCGHAZ. Fracture surface was ~60 pct brittle in the absence of ICCGHAZ, and 95 pct brittle (excluding shear lip) in the presence of ICCGHAZ in the impact tested samples. The underlying reason is the microstructure of ICCGHAZ consisted of granular bainite and upper bainite with necklace-type martensite−austenite (M−A) constituent along grain boundaries. The presence of necklace-type M-A constituent notably increases the susceptibility of cleavage microcrack nucleation. ICCGHAZ was found to be both the initiation site of the whole fracture and cleavage facet initiation site during brittle fracture propagation stage. Furthermore, the study of secondary microcracks beneath CGHAZ and ICCGHAZ through EBSD suggested that the fracture mechanism changes from nucleation-controlled in CGHAZ to propagation-controlled in ICCGHAZ because of the presence of necklace-type M-A constituent in ICCGHAZ. Both fracture mechanisms contribute to the poor toughness of the sample contained ICCGHAZ.