| Abstract Scope |
Welding simulations using Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) based tools have the potential to address shipbuilding challenges such as distortion observed with thin-plate structural steel fabrication. The accuracy of welding simulations is dependent on high-temperature material property databases, which are not commonly published. Beginning in 2016, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, in collaboration with the Welding Engineering Program at The Ohio State University, generated and published pedigreed, temperature-dependent material property databases for six Navy-relevant low-alloy structural steels: DH-36, HSLA-65, HSLA-80, HY-80, HSLA-100, and HY-100. Published properties of note include specific heat, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, elastic modulus, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and flow stress of alloys, collected from room temperature to near melting. These material properties were provided to ESI group to be turned into SYSWELD material databases for publication. Material properties were directly compared to evaluate trends and anomalies across the alloys and a representative fillet weld T-joint model was simulated in SYSWELD to compare the effects of each material on predicted temperatures, cooling rate, residual stresses, and distortion. Significant variance was found in the mechanical and thermal simulation results across the alloys modelled. While the variance in mechanical results was expected as the alloys were designed to meet different performance specifications, the variance in thermal results was unexpectedly significant and microstructurally relevant. The work presented suggests that in comparisons across similar alloys within a material family, detailed and reliable high-temperature material property databases remain essential to accurate ICME modelling. |