CRACKS IN

WELDS
PAPER
PRESENTATION
 Introduction
Crack is a discontinuity caused by the tearing of the metal while in
a plastic condition or fracturing of the metal when cold.

Cracks occur because the stress at that point in the weldment

exceeds the ultimate tensile strength or ultimate shear strength of
the base metal or weld metal.

Cracking can occur in the weldment, at the fusion line or in the

base metal.

Cracks may be classified according to location and direction of line

and they may range in size from large cracks to extremely small
fissures. Mainly weld cracking are of two types: 1) Hot Cracks, 2)
Cold Cracks
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 Hot Cracks
 Hot-cracks takes place when the
weld metal is half liquid and half
solid and has no tensile strength. In
another way they occur during
solidification.
 Hot cracks occur mainly in the
weld bead but sometimes they may
develop in the HAZ ( Heat
Affected Zone ).
 When cracks are located in the
weld metal they are referred to as
solidification cracks while in HAZ
they are called liquation cracks.
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 Factors Which May Promote Hot
Cracking
 Solidification Structure
 Segregation
 High Stress in Weld Metal
 Material Thickness
 Joint Restraint
 Width/Depth Ratio
 Weld Bead Shape
 Material Composition; high Carbon and Nickel Contents
 Weld Procedure: 1) High Welding Speed, 2) Long Arc
 Poor Fit-up
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 Cold Cracking

 Cold cracking occur when HAZ of

the base metal becomes hard and
brittle due to its rapid cooling after
the weld metal has been deposited
and sufficient hydrogen has been
absorbed by weld metal from the
arc atmosphere.
 The martensite formation
temperature, Ms is relatively low
HIC tends to occur at relatively
low temperatures and hence the
name cold cracking.

COLD CRACK (HIC) IN HAZ

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 Factors Which may Promote Cold
Cracking
 Hydrogen in weld metal and HAZ
 Joint restraint and high thermal severity
 Presence of impurities
 Susceptible microstructure of HAZ
 High welding speeds
 Low welding density
 Weld of insufficient cross-sectional area
 Relatively low temperature, between 200 and -100 °C

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 Nomenclature, Location & Orientation
of Weld Cracks
 Longitudinal cracks

 Transverse cracks

 Crater Cracks

 Underbead Cracks

 Toe Cracks

All these kinds of cracks are

classify in the weld metal and
HAZ (Base Metal).

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Classification of Cracking According to
Location in a Weldment

1)weld-metal crater cracking; 2)weld-metal transverse cracking;

3)Base metal heat-affected zone transverse cracking; 4) Weld-metal
longitudinal cracking; 5)Toe cracking; 6)Underbead cracking; 7)Fusion
line cracking; 8)Weld-metal root cracking

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 Weld Metal Cracks
 Crater cracks:- Crater cracks can occur when welding is interrupted. These cracks
are usually star shaped and progress only up to the edge of the crater. Such cracks
are also called Paw Cracks for their resemblance to bird’s paw.

 Longitudinal Weld Metal Cracks:- Longitudinal weld metal crack usually

running through the centre of the weld, often is an extension of crater formed at the
end of the weldment.

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 Weld Metal Cracks
 Transverse Weld Metal Cracks:- Transverse weld metal cracks that run
across the weld perpendicular to weld axis. These are often shrinkage cracks
produced when the weld metal is cooling and contracts.

LONGITUDINAL WELD METAL CRACKS

TRANSVERSE WELD METAL CRACKS

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 Base Metal Cracks
 Longitudinal Base Metal Cracks:- This type of cracks run parallel to the
weld but lie in base metal and may be formed as extensions of bond-line
cracks due to poor weld metal penetration into the sides of the butt joint.

 Transverse Base-Metal Cracks:- Transverse base metal cracks develop

perpendicular to weld axis and are placed in the HAZ. They are usually
associated with welding of high hardenability steels e.g., tool steels and
certain alloy steels.

LONGITUDINAL BASE METALCRACK

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 Base Metal Cracks
 Underbead or Toe Cracks:- Surface Cracks in te base metal,under or near
the weld are known as underbead cracks. Similar cracks that appear on the
plate surface adjacent to the weld are called toe cracks.

TRANSVERSE BASE METAL CRACKS

UNDERBEAD & TOE CRACKS

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 Factors Contributing to Weld Metal
Cracking
 The contraction forces set up in
the weld metal on cooling tend to
cause cracking in the weld metal
and the base metal.
 The susceptibility to cold
cracking is proportional to he
hydrogen content of the weld
atmosphere.
 With an open arc and hot humid
weather the arc atmosphere will
contain more hydrogen as water
vapour then in cool, dry weather HIC IN ROOT BEAD OF A Y-
which causes cold cracking. GROOVE

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Factors Contributing to Weld Metal
Cracking
 Low heat input with interruption
in the welding cycle tends to
aggravate the cracking problem.
 The welding position and its
influence on bead size, heat input,
number of passes, etc. has a direct
influence on the cracking
tendency.
 Greater crack sensitivity is
exhibited by high-alloy base
metal and heavier plate thickness.

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 Hot Cracking Tests
 For determining hot cracking propensity of metals, the most
sensitive tests are:
1. Varestraint test

2. FISCO Test

3. Lehigh Restraint Test

4. Tekken Y-Groove

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 Cold Cracking Tests
 These are also referred to as Hydrogen-Induced Cracking
Tests & Weldability tests. The most commonly used tests
are:
1. Cruciform Test

2. Controlled Thermal Severity (CTS) Test

3. Lehigh Restraint Test

4. Implant Test

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 Techniques for Avoid Cracking
 Dry the electrodes or the flux in accordance with the manufacturer’s
recommendations.

 Reduce stresses on the weld by avoiding large root gaps and high
restraint.

 If preheating is specified in the welding procedure, it should also be

applied when tacking or using temporary attachments.

 Preheat the joint to a distance from the joint line to ensure uniform
heating through the thickness of the material.

 Adhere to the heat input requirements.

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 Techniques for Avoid Cracking

 post heat for approximately two to four hours after welding

depending on crack sensitivity.

 In situations where adequate preheating is impracticable, or cracking

cannot be avoided, austenitic electrodes may be used.

 clean the joint faces and remove contaminants such as paint, cutting
oils, grease.

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THANK YOU

Prepared By: JIGAR MEVADA

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