Cold cracking susceptibility of X100 pipeline steel

The y-groove Tekken test has been performed to evaluate the cold cracking susceptibility of X100 pipeline steel. The impact of preheating state on the microstructure, distribution of hardness, and the stress-strain state in the welded joint was analyzed. The results show that X100 pipeline steel reveals a low susceptibility to cold cracking with cracking ratios below 20%. It is found that elevated preheating temperature leads to longer cooling time in the welded specimen and ultimately results in a lower cold cracking susceptibility. Preheating temperatures of up to 100 ℃ are favorable in decreasing the cold cracking susceptibility due to a relative fine microstructure and low M-A constituent amount in coarse grained heat affected zone, a low hardenability, and low-level residual stress and strain. However, excessive preheating temperatures of 150 ℃ and 200 ℃ lead to grain coarsening, higher M-A constituent amount, higher residual stress level and increasing strain level in the Tekken specimens. Preheating temperature above 150 ℃ is not favorable for decreasing the cold cracking susceptibility of X100 steel.