Variation of the residual stress state in a welded joint during plastic deformation in a 5.0%Cr and 0.5%Mo steel

Abstract

The aim of the present work is to verify the variation of the initial residual compressive stress induced by shot-peening, during plastic deformation under uniaxial tension, in a steel with 5.0%Mo and 0.5%Cr, employing test pieces taken from a welded joint where, due to the welding process, there are regions with different mechanical properties (yield strength and tensile strength). The regions of the joint, the base metal, the heat-affected zone and the weld bead exhibited different behaviour. In the heat-affected zone the residual compressive stresses in the longitudinal direction changed to tensile stresses with 0.5-1 per cent plastic deformation. At 3 per cent the stresses attain a maximum tensile value, decreasing in an oscillating manner up to 6 per cent plastic deformation. Beyond this point the test pieces reached a constant tensile value until the fracture. The transverse residual stress values were also modified during the tensile test but no full stress relaxation was observed. Indeed, the initial compressive stress values changed under small applied plastic deformation and after 4 per cent plastic deformation they changed weakly until the test piece fracture. The weld bead was weakly deformed and no effective stress relaxation was observed. In both the longitudinal and the transverse directions, the residual compressive stresses are brought sharply from an initial value of — 470MPa to a minimum of — 250MPa for only 0.5 per cent plastic deformation. No further changes were observed until the fracture of the test piece.