Two-dimensional mapping of residual stresses in a thick dissimilar weld using contour method, deep hole drilling, and neutron diffraction

Residual stress variations were determined through the thickness of a 70-mm-thick ferritic–austenitic dissimilar steel weld using contour method, deep hole drilling, and neutron diffraction. The result shows that significant tensile stresses were distributed distinctly along the interface between ferritic and austenitic phases. The band of the large tensile stresses was about 8 mm wide and the magnitude reached 400 MPa, which is approaching 100 % of the yield strength of the base metal, near the top surface (about 15 % of the depth). It is attributed to the large difference (5.8 × 10−6 1/°C) of the thermal expansion coefficient between ferritic and austenitic steels of the interface. The microstructure analysis elucidates that the martensitic phase prevailed near the interface and results in microhardness increases.