The Effect of Hydrogen Content in Austenite Welds on the Tendency to Cleavage Fracture of Low-Alloy Steel Welds (Vliyanie Soderzhaniya Vodoroda v Austenitnykh Shvakh na Sklonnost'k Khrupkim Razrusheniam Svarnykh Soyedinenii Nizkolegirovannykh Staley),

Abstract : As the hydrogen concentration in the metal of austenitic welds increases, particularly at a low austenitic margin, near the boundary of fusion with low and medium-alloy steels, there is formed a zone so depleted of the austenizing elements that it has a noticeable region of martensite structure, as a result of which peel type cracks appear which basically run along the weld metal. At increased hydrogen concentrations, the work of initiation and development of cracks in the weld metal zones near the fusion boundary with the perlite steels decreases, and there is an increase in their tendency to delayed fracture and a decrease of the static fatigue limit.