The characteristics of high heat input (342kJ/cm) EG (Electro Gas Arc) welded joint of EH36-TM steel has been investigated. The weld metal microstructure consisted of fine acicular ferrite (AF), a little volume of polygonal ferrite (PF) and grain boundary ferrite (GBF). Charpy impact test results of the weld metal and heat affected zone (HAZ) met the requirement of classification rule (Min. 34J at -20 ℃). In order to evaluate the relationship between the impact toughness property and the grain size of HAZ, the austenite grain size of HAZ was measured. The prior austenite grain size in Fusion line (F.L+0.1 mm) was about 350 ㎛. The grain size in F.L+1.5 mm was measured to be less than 30 ㎛ and this region was identified as being included in FGHAZ(Fine Grain HAZ). It is seen that as the austenite grain size decreases, the size of GBF, FSP (Ferrite Side Plate) become smaller and the impact toughness of HAZ increases. Therefore, the CGHAZ was considered to be area up to 1.3mm away from the fusion line.Results of TEM replica analysis for a welded joint implied that very small size (0.8~1.2㎛) oxygen inclusions played a role of forming fine acicular ferrite in the weld metal. A large amount of (Ti, Mn, Al)xOy oxygen inclusions dispersed, and oxides density was measured to be 4,600-5,300 (ea/mm2). During the welding thermal cycle, the area near a fusion line was reheated to temperature exceeding 1400℃. However, the nitrides and carbides were not completely dissolved near the fusion line because of rapid heating and cooling rate. Instead, they might grow during the cooling process. TiC precipitates of about 50 1 00nm size dispersed near the fusion line.

The membrane of the LNG carriers consists of thin strips of INVAR(Fe-36%Ni) steel plates, and the junction between INVAR strips is fabricated by welding. Thousands of the raised edge joints, regularly spaced, are located around all the side of the tank corner near the transverse bulkhead, and TIG welding is manually made on the top of the raised edges. Since the thickness of all the laminated edge plies is extremely thin and the weld position is under a bad accessibility, highly skilled workers are required to perform welding relatively for a long welding time. An alternative scheme for the corner membrane fabrication is proposed in the study to improve the installation workability and thus productivity. The scheme replaces the welded edges with the preformed corrugation ones. A panel strip with regularly-spaced corrugations is installed at the corner instead of the individual flat strip of which edge is vertically raised to be welded with the adjacent strip. In the study, a series of the evaluation on the corrugated edge members was performed to assess the applicability to the real LNG carrier fabrication. Opening displacement at the raised edge was experimentally examined. Elastic stiffness regressed from the displacement was nearly same in both edge types. Edge displacement and local stresses were calculated under hydrostatic pressure and temperature change due to liquefied cargo. Fatigue test was performed on both corrugated and welded edge specimens consisting of two or five plies of invar strips. Fatigue strength of the corrugated specimens was not less than that of the welded specimens.

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