Correlation between Tensile Deformation Behavior and Microstructural Morphology of Nuclear Grade Austenitic Stainless Steel Weld Joints using Infrared Thermography Technique

Tensile deformation behavior of nuclear grade Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS) and its weld joints fabricated by Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) and Activated flux Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (AGTAW) processes were studied and correlated with relevant microstructural morphologies using Infrared Thermography (IRT) technique. The microstructure of base metal showed a complete austenite phase. GTAW Fusion Zone (FZ) exhibited both primary ferrite and primary austenite mode of solidification. Meantime, AGTAW FZ exhibited only primary austenite mode of solidification A strain rate of 4.4x10-4 s-1 was used during the tensile test of the base metal and weld samples. The failure locations of the base metal, GTAW and AGTAW samples were noticed at the center of the gauge portion, the base metal side away from Fusion Line (FL) and Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) respectively. Temperature variations of the base metal and weld zones were recorded in the form of thermograms using the IR camera at the different stages of the tensile deformation. During deformation study, peak temperatures of 39.2 oC, 38.8 oC and 34 oC were observed at the base metal, GTAW and AGTAW samples respectively. The lesser peak temperature of the AGTAW sample compared to the base metal and GTAW samples indicated that the AGTAW sample undergone lesser deformation. Moreover, tensile deformation behaviors of the base metal and weld samples were correlated with their microstructural morphologies using corresponding temperature curves.