Experimental and numerical investigation on optimization of welding parameters and prediction of temperature distribution during shielded metal arc welding of ultra high hard armor steel joints

• Published in: Journal of thermal stresses 2024-06, Vol.47 (6), p.766-784
• Main Authors: S., Naveen Kumar, V., Balasubramanian, S., Malarvizhi, A., Hafeezur Rahman, V., Balaguru
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Armor; Austenitic stainless steels; Bead on plate welding; Computer simulation; Cooling rate; Finite element analysis; Finite element method; hardness; Heat affected zone; Heating rate; High strength steels; Martensite; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Mechanical analysis; Mechanical properties; microstructure and residual stress; optimization; Residual stress; Shielded metal arc welding; Steel; Steel plates; Temperature distribution; Temperature profiles; Thermal analysis; Thermodynamic properties; Thermomechanical analysis; Two dimensional models; ultra high hard armor steel; weld thermal cycle; Welded joints; Welding parameters
• ISSN: 0149-5739; 1521-074X
• DOI: 10.1080/01495739.2024.2338469

In this investigation, Ultra-high Hard Armor (UHA) steel plate by Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) process using the Austenitic Stainless Steel (ASS) electrode. In the first part of this investigation, using the finite element method (FEM), thermal analysis parameters were optimized using bead on plate welds in software code, known as SYSWELD. In the second part, using optimized parameters, a coupled thermo-mechanical analysis on multipass welded fabrication was carried out. Weld thermal cycles were analyzed by simulation and compared with experimentally measured temperature profiles. A double ellipsoidal heat source model was used to simulate the SMAW process. The heating rate and cooling rate were calculated along with residual stresses. This range of heating and cooling rate resulted in untempered martensite in the heat-affected zone (HAZ), confirmed by microstructure analysis and hardness mapping. Good validation was found between the measured and simulated 2D model with a 4-10% variation. This study suggests that numerical simulation is the capable technique in understanding the thermal and mechanical properties that influence the welding of ultra-high hard armor steels joints.