Abstract
To predict and evaluate metallurgical and mechanical behavior of th welds, it is essential to understand solidification behavior and microstructural evolution experienced in the welds, neither of which follows the equilibrium phase diagram because of rapid heating and cooling conditions. Metallurgical phenomena in austenitic stainless steel fusion welds, types 304, 309S, 316L, 321 and 304N, were investigated in this study. Autogenous GTA welding was performed on weld coupons, and primary solidification mode and phase distribution were investigated from the welds. Varestraint test was employed to evaluate solidification cracking susceptibilities of the alloys. GTA weld fusion zones in type 304, 321 and 304N stainless steels experienced primary ferrite solidification while those in type 309S primary austenite solidification. Type 316L exhibited a mixed type of primary ferrite and primary austenite solidification. The primary solidification mode strongly depended on $Cr_{eq}/Ni_{eq}$ ratio. In terms of solidification cracking susceptibility, type 309S that solidified as primary austenite exhibited high cracking susceptibility while the alloys experienced primary ferrite solidification showed low cracking susceptibility. The relative ranking in solidification cracking susceptibility was type 304=type 304N < type 321 < type 316L < type 309S.
