Abstract
The fracture toughness of some areas in the multi-pass heat affected zone (HAZ) of a high strength low alloy (HSLA) structural steel was analysed in a straightforward way using precracked, cylindrical specimens tested on a conventional tensile machine. The specimens were made from samples with a simulated HAZ microstructure; however, the size of the samples was restricted by the limitations of the Gleeble machine. The brittleness of the samples was an indication of the detrimental effect of welding on their toughness. The specimens were not large enough for a direct KIc measurement over a wide testing temperature range; it was necessary to modify the results. The low fracture toughness and the substantial shift of fracture transition temperatures suggest that welding of the investigated steel could be a delicate procedure.
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