Role of heat inputs on microstructure and mechanical properties in coarse-grained heat-affected zone of bainitic steel

This study aims to find out the effect of welding heat inputs on microstructure and mechanical properties relationship of naval high strength steel. The physical weld thermal cycles with four different heat inputs between 10 to 200 kJ/cm were experimented using the thermomechanical simulator Gleeble®3800. The weld coarse-grained heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) microstructure was characterized in detail by using optical microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and transmission scanning electron microscope(TEM) facilities and mechanical properties such as impact toughness, hardness and tensile strength were obtained using Charpy impact, microhardness, and tensile testing facilities. It was often noticed that the impact toughness decreased with increasing heat inputs attributed to the grain and bainite lath coarsening and the formation of new phases with different morphologies in CGHAZ regions. At lower heat input, the microstructure consisted of a fully martensite structure, while at higher heat inputs consisted of granular bainite and bainitic ferrite; however, in medium-range heat inputs, it consisted of bainite and martensite. The different phases were confirmed through TEM images. The mechanical properties were found to be decreased with an increase in heat input. It was due to the formation of coarse bainite lath, granular bainite, and hard M/A constituents. The weld structure properties were established in detail.