The Effect of Microstructural Change on Fracture Behavior in Heat-Affected Zone of API 5L X65 Pipeline Steel

Reliability evaluation of welded structures by mechanical testing of weld heat-affected zones (HAZs) has become general practice throughout the world. HAZs of steel welded joints show a gradient of microstructure from the fusion line to the unaffected base metal. This study is concerned with a correlation between the microstructural change and the fracture characteristics in HAZs of both seam and girth welds of API 5L X65 pipeline steel, which is generally used for natural gas transmission pipelines in Korea. The focus in present study was the investigation of macroscopic fracture behavior of the various regions within HAZ. Changes in microstructure and impact toughness were observed using synthetic HAZ specimens as well as actual HAZ specimens. To evaluate the macroscopic toughness of actual HAZ, Charpy V-notch impact test was performed.