Avaliação das tensões residuais de soldagem em tubulações de pequeno diâmetro usadas em refinaria de petróleo

Abstract

The aim of this work was to evaluate the behavior of welding residual stress in small size pipes of ASTM A106 Gr. B steel, welded by manual and automatic GTAW processes. It was also evaluated the effect of the welding heat input on residual stress profile, as well as to correlate the results with microstructure and hardness. The residual stress measurement was accomplished through X-ray diffraction, using a minidiffractometer for measurement in field. Metallographics analysis were accomplished in the traverse section of the welded joint, using optic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The microhardness profiles in the outer and inner surfaces of pipe were determined. The results showed that the measures of residual stress by X-ray diffraction with minidiffractometer for applications in field was shown quite effective in the residual stress profile determination, however, it is necessary the accomplishment of diffractograms fittings by analytic functions, to determine the correct peak localization, reducing the measures error. The measurements of the axial residual stress accomplished in the outer surface pipes showed that the profile is formed by compressive stresses in the welds region (fusion zone and heat affected zone - HAZ) and for tension stresses in the areas more distant of weld bead. High levels of compressive axial residual stress were observed in the outer surface of small size pipes, located in the welds region, which can represent a critical situation, because the linear behavior of the through-thickness residual stress due to “tourniquet” effect is consensual and, therefore, indicates the presence of high levels of tension residual stress in the inner surface, especially in the root weld metal and HAZ. The welding heat input of the finish pass caused an intense grain refining and a significant reduction of hardness of the weld metal in the inner surface, exception of 2" diameter sample welded with high heat input. None of the welded samples presented values of hardness above the maximum established for standard, which is 248 HV, showing that the fact of the welded joint to present low hardness, it does not necessarily represent that this is not subject to a high level of residual stress.