Residual Stresses in Thick-Section Electron Beam Welds in RPV Steels

Abstract

Low pressure electron beam welding offers the prospect of large increases in productivity for thick section welds in RPV steels. However, it is important to understand how this welding process affects the structural performance of the completed weld. This paper reviews and presents key results from a programme of weldment manufacture, materials characterisation, residual stress measurements, and finite element modelling of EB welds made in plate of three thicknesses, 30mm, 130mm, and 200mm, and in three steels: SA508 Gr 2, SA508 Gr 3 C1 1, and SA516 Gr 70.