Effect of welding condition on solidification cracking behaviour in austenitic stainless steel

The effect of welding condition on solidification cracking behaviour was investigated during the U-type hot cracking test. In order to investigate the behaviour of solidification cracking, a high-temperature ductility curve and a thermal strain curve were calculated. The high-temperature ductility curve was obtained based on a combination of the solidification initiation and completion temperatures, in addition to the critical strain, while the thermal strain curve was calculated using a finite-element model (FEM). The solidification brittleness temperature ranges (BTR) were almost constant. However, increasing the heat input suppressed cracking by reducing the slope of thermal strain due to yield strength reduction in heat-affected zone resulting in relieving a stress on weld bead, and eventually, solidification cracking was suppressed.