Study of End Cracking during One-Sided Submerged Arc Welding with Flux-Copper Backing

Abstract

Longitudinal hot tearing, popularly called as end cracking, frequently takes place in the end portions of large steel panels’ butt joints, using one-sided, submerged-arc welding with flux copper backing welding process (FCB welding). The study was to look for the possibility to improve and/or prevent the end cracking issue during FCB welding, center blind-hole drilling technique was used to measure the welding residual stress for five different cases, considering hot tearing mechanism, its influence factors and the relevant reported prevention measures. Unpredictable result was observed subsequently that transverse compressive stress is found on the shallow surface of weld seams, which could give supplementary information to the common assumption for conventional low heat input welding method that cracks initiation is caused by tensile stresses across the welded joints. The study concluded that FCB welding end cracking issue is caused by the comprehensive function of different stresses, and also properly use tack welding practice, suitable elastic run-off plate and relatively low heat input energy which will reduce the end cracking susceptibility for the tested materials.