Low-cycle fatigue behavior of differently matched welded joints of quenched and tempered steel

Abstract

The appropriate matching of base and filler material is a complex task, where yield strength matching is the most general aspect. As the strength properties of structural steels have significantly improved in the past decades, the matching problem has become more relevant today. The mismatch phenomenon significantly affects the behavior of welded joints under dynamic and cyclic loading. Among cyclic loading, low-cycle fatigue (LCF) often occurs in welded steel constructions; furthermore, the LCF resistance of these advanced steels and their welded joints is limitedly known. In this paper, welding experiments are presented for the analysis of the LCF behavior of differently matched butt-welded joints made from two grades of quenched and tempered (Q + T) high-strength steels. For S690QL steel, matched and overmatched consumables were applied, while for S960QL steel, matched and undermatched filler materials were used.