The fatigue strength of electron beam transverse butt welds in low alloy Ni-Cr-Mo steels - further endurance and fracture mechanics tests

TWI Industrial Member Report Summary 408/1989

By R M Andrews and C S Punshon

Background

Fatigue tests have been carried out on transverse electron beam welded butt joints in 14mm thickness AISI 4330 Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel. Earlier work showed EB welds in En24 (equivalent to AISI 4340) material with a high impurity level to have poor fatigue properties in the as-welded conditions. The present work was conducted to establish the effect of improving material quality. Fatigue tests were conducted under pulsating tension, axial loading conditions in as-welded, post-weld heat treated and cosmetically dressed, welded specimens. Fatigue crack growth tests were also conducted.