Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Vol. 47, Nos. 56, September, 2011 (Russian Original Nos.

56, MayJune, 2011)

SAFETY, DIAGNOSIS, AND REPAIR

EFFECT OF STRAIN AGEING OF HIGH-STRENGTH PIPE STEELS ON THEIR WELDABILITY

L. A. Efimenko,1 O. Yu. Elagina,1 A. A. Shkapenko,1 and V. Yu. Ilyukhin2

Features of the change in properties of pipe steel of strength category Kh80 during strain ageing and its effect on weldability are studied. It is shown that depending on the degree of plastic deformation with ageing of basic metal there is a change in the rational range of cooling rate in the temperature range of diffusion transformation of austenite (w8-5) of the area near the seam (ANS) of the heat affected zone (HAZ), providing the required set of mechanical properties and in particular failure resistance. This should be taken into account in developing welding repair and restoration technology for main gas pipelines made of high-strength steels, previously in operation.

Performance of repair work in gas pipelines is connected with the use of welding (surfacing) both in metal not previously in operation, and in metal after prolonged use. It is well known that prolonged operation of pipeline steel may change the mechanical properties. This is expressed as an increase in strength properties with a reduction in ductility, and particularly brittle failure resistance [14]. In addition, questions of the weldability of this metal are not reflected in the development of repair technology both for traditional pipe steels and for the new generation of high-strength steels. Normally in developing a repair procedure the focus is on the traditional properties of weldable pipe steels, whereas a change in metal properties during operation may require correction of the welding and surfacing regimes during pipeline repair work. Thus, in developing or approving technology for carrying out repair work on main pipelines it is necessary to delineate clearly when this work is carried out: during construction or during operation. As applied to high-strength steels of strength category K65 (Kh80) the regimes adopted for welding technology during repair of new metal do not differ from recommendations proposed previously [5]. There is almost no experience of welding metal of strength category K65 (Kh80), after prolonged operation, and therefore in this work features are considered for the change in properties of the basic metal before welding and the effect of this process on the weldability of these steels [6, 7]. Pieces of pipe used for this study were of low-carbon microalloyed steel of strength category K65 (Kh80) with a preferred bainitic structure of the following chemical composition, %: 0.084 C; 0.22 Si; 1.90 Mn; 0.012 P; <0.002 S; 0.21 Ni; 0.25 Mo; 0.062 Cr; 0.05 Cu; 0.044 Al; <0.005 V; 0.018 Ti; 0.048 Nb.
1 2

Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas, Moscow, Russia. Gazpromenergodiagnostika Company, Moscow, Russia. Translated from Khimicheskoe i Neftegazovoe Mashinostroenie, No. 5, pp. 4447, May, 2011.

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0009-2355/11/0506-0358 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

TABLE 1
Metal condition Hardness HV, MPa Ultimate strength, u, MPa Yield strength 0.2, MPa Relative elongation 5, % Relative reduction of area , % Metal strengthening coefficient Ks1 Ks2

Steel grade

before SA 17GS after SA before SA Kh80 after SA

2000 2320 2450 2700

587603 725754 675700 747751

425440 678711 611642 740742

2531 15 1820 1617

67 62 6871 66

1.17 1.09

1.57 1.18

TABLE 2
Degree of metal deformation, % Test temperature, C KCV, J/cm2

0 1 2 5 10 40

262 225 221 215 208

The process of strain ageing (SA) was simulated in accordance with GOST 7268. Specimens were cut from pipes of the basic metal with a size of 12 12 250 mm, which were subjected to uniaxial tension up to achievement of a degree of strain 1, 2, 5, and 10%. Then heat treatment of specimens was carried out with heating at 250C 5%, holding for 1 h, followed by air cooling [8]. Results of tests for static tension of the test steels before and after SA are presented in Table 1 (GOST 149784). Data are provided for comparison for traditional pipe steel 17GS. It may be seen from the data presented that SA for steel provides an increase in strength properties and a reduction in ductility. In addition, the steel most subject to a change in strength properties is pipe steel 17GS with a ferrite-pearlite structure, and the least degree is for steel of strength category K65 (Kh80) with a bainitic structure. In particular, for steel 17GS the ultimate strength (u) increased by about 25%, the yield point (y) increased by more than 47%, but for steel K65 (Kh80) the corresponding values were 9% and 18%. Values of relative elongation and relative reduction of area for steel 17GS decreased correspondingly by 46 and 7%, and for steel K65 (Kh80), by 13 and 5%. Attention should be drawn to the fact that the 0.2/u ratio for steel K65 (Kh80) approached 1.0, which exceeds the SNiP 2.050685 specification. Results are presented in Table 2 for impact strength for steel K65 (Kh80) before and after SA with a different degree of deformation (GOST 945478). It follows from the data presented that as a result of strain ageing for steel of strength category K65 (Kh80) there is a reduction in impact strength with an increase in the degree of deformation. A change in the degree of SA for the test steel is shown in Fig. 1. For comparison, values are presented for the effect of the degree of SA for traditional silicon-manganese steel 17GS. The degree of SA was estimated by the change in the value of impact strength: KCV KCA (1) C= 100% , KCV where KCV, KCA are arithmetic values of steel impact strength correspondingly in the original condition and after ageing, MJ/m2. 359

Fig. 1. Degrees of strain ageing with different test temperatures for steels 17GS, K65 (Kh80).

Fig. 2. Induction heating device of high-frequency current unit of the Power Cube 90/180 type.

Fig. 3. Scheme simulating HAZ ANS WHC in a high-frequency current unit of the Power Cube 90/180 type: a) specimen fastening in grip; b) specimen heating; c) specimen cooling. 360

Fig. 4. Structural diagram of the HAZ ANS for high-strength steel K65 (Kh80): a) with metal impact strength curves (1) before and after strain ageing of 2% (2) and 10% (3); b) with curves for the change in hardness of HAZ ANS before (0%) and after strain ageing with degree of deformation 2 and 10%.

It may be seen from the curve that steel 17GS with a ferrite-pearlite structure has a greater tendency towards a reduction in resistance to brittle failure than steel K65 (Kh80) with a preferred bainitic structure, which is confirmed by the high values of the level of SA. For steel 17GS, a reduction is observed over the whole temperature range, but for steel K65 (Kh80) a marked change in the degree of SA is only observed with a temperature below 60C [8]. Thus, these studies point to a change in metal properties during its operation, and consequently a requirement for considering this factor in determining repair technology parameters. With the aim of determining rational cooling rates, providing the required structural composition and level of mechanical properties in carrying out welding work for a series of specimens of high-strength steel K65 (Kh80) with the original properties and those changed as a result of ageing with a degree of deformation of 2% and 10%, welding heating cycles (WHC) were simulated for the area near the seam (ANS) of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) [6]. Simulation of WHC was performed in high-frequency current unit of the type Power Cube 90/180 (Fig. 2). A test specimen was fastened in a grip, placed in a circular inductor of the device (Fig. 3), and WHC parameters were recorded by means of chromel-alumel thermocouples, recorded by means of a Memograph-M instrument. The maxi361

TABLE 3
Degree of deformation 0% w8-5, C/sec KCV40, J/cm2 Degree of deformation 2% w8-5, C/sec KCV40, J/cm2 Degree of deformation 10% w8-5, C/sec KCV40, J/cm2

3 10 30 45

65 240 125 55

3 10 30 45

21 160 90 34

3 10 30 45

13 126 49 23

mum heating temperature (Tmax) was 1350C, the cooling rate in the temperature range of diffusion transformation of austenite (800500C w85) was varied from 3 to 45C/sec. A cooling rate of the order of 3C/sec was provided on cooling specimens in air. High cooling rates (w85) were provided due to lowering the end of a specimen to a specific depth in a vessel with circulating water. A tendency towards brittle failure was estimated from the results of impact bending tests (KCV40) for a series of Charpy specimens before and after SA and simulated the HAZ ANS structure within them. Measurements for Vickers hardness (GOST 2999) were performed on the test specimens. A structural diagram for the HAZ ANS for steel of strength category K65 (Kh80) is shown in Fig. 4 with application to it of impact strength curves and curves for the change in metal hardness before and after SA with a degree of deformation of 2% and 10%. Values of impact strength for the HAZ ANS of steel K65 (Kh80) are provided in Table 3 before (0%) and after SA with a degree of deformation of 2% and 10%. Analysis of the structural diagram shows that the main structure of the HAZ ANS for steel K65 (Kh80) in realizing these regimes is bainite. The amount of it in the range of test cooling rates comprises (w8-5) from 75 to 100%. As may be seen from curves 1, 2, and 3 (see Fig. 4a), the nature of the change in impact strength is identical both for new metal and for metal after ageing with a degree of residual strain of 2 and 10%. Here the higher the degree of strain during SA, the more intense is the reduction in the value of impact strength during welding. Maximum values of impact strength for all the starting metal conditions are provided with a cooling rate of about 10C/sec, i.e., 240 J/cm2, 160 J/cm2, and 126 J/cm2, respectively, for new metal and metal after SA with a degree of deformation of 2% and 10% (see Table 3). It is also seen from the curves that the standard values of impact strength (KCV40 50 J/cm2) are provided in the HAZ ANS if during repair of new metal the cooling rate is in the range 350C/sec. With fulfillment of welding operations in the metal, previously in operation, the standard values of KCV40 are only provided with cooling rates of 530C/sec, i.e., there is a reduction in the value of maximum permissible cooling rates. Analysis of curves for the change in hardness in the HAZ ANS showed that the standard values of 275325 HV may be provided if the cooling rate (w85) is 2050C/sec during repair of new metal, and with repair of metal previously in operation of the order of 515C/sec (see Fig. 4b). Thus, it has been shown that the change in original mechanical properties of high-strength steels during strain ageing promotes a change in their reaction to the WHC. This is traced in a reduction in the permissible cooling rate range, providing the standard level of mechanical properties for the HAZ ANS metal. These features should be taken into account in developing welding repair technology for restoration of gas pipelines of high-strength steels previously in operation.

REFERENCES 1. A. G. Gumerov, I. F. Gladkikh, N. F. Cherkassov, et al., Safety of Pipelines During Prolonged Operation [in Russian], Izd. TsNTI, Chelyabinsk (2003).

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