Method for determining reheat cracking susceptibility

1. A method for determining a susceptibility of a sample to reheat cracking, the sample being made of at least one material, which includes a welded area, the method comprising:

measuring a length of the sample;

applying a first stress to the sample to achieve a predetermined elongation of the sample;

exposing the elongated sample to a predefined heat treatment;

applying a second stress to the elongated sample that has been exposed to the predefined heat treatment, until the sample breaks at least into two different pieces; and

determining the susceptibility of the broken sample to reheat cracking.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining comprises:

calculating a creep damage severity index for the broken sample based on temperature profiles of the heat treatment; and

evaluating a damage parameter of the sample based on the calculated creep damage severity index.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of calculating comprises:

approximating a real temperature of the heat treatment with a step temperature curve; and

calculating the creep damage severity index as a sum of the severity index for each step of the step temperature curve.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining comprises:

calculating a creep strain accumulation severity index for the broken sample based on temperatures profiles of the heat treatment; and

evaluating a damage parameter of the sample based on the calculated creep strain accumulation severity index.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of calculating comprises:

approximating a real temperature of the heat treatment with a step temperature curve; and

calculating the creep strain accumulation severity index as a sum of the severity index for each step of the step temperature curve.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat treatment is one of:

a first heat treatment that includes a first region of increasing temperature, a second region of constant temperature, a third region of increasing temperature, a fourth region of constant temperature, and a fifth region of decreasing temperature;

a second heat treatment that includes a first region of increasing temperature, a second region of constant temperature, and a third region of decreasing temperature; and

a third heat treatment that includes a first region of increasing temperature with a first slope, a second region of increasing temperature with a second slope, a third region of decreasing temperature with a third slope, a fourth region of constant temperature, and a fifth region of decreasing temperature with a fourth slope.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

cutting the sample to include only welded material.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

cutting a face of the sample to be parallel to a grain orientation of the material of the sample.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

applying on plane surfaces of the sample strain gauges and/or thermocouples to monitor strain and/or temperature of the sample.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining further comprises:

analyzing at least one fracture surface of the broken sample with a scanning electron microscope to identify a first area of crack damage and a second area of fast fracture, wherein the first area of crack damage includes a third area of intergranular pure brittle crack damage; and

classifying the sample as susceptible to reheat cracking when at least one of the following conditions are met: the third area is higher than about 0% of the first area and the first area of crack damage is higher than about 10% of a total area of the fracture surface of the broken sample, the broken sample having a chemical composition of 2.25 Cr 1 Mo 0.25V.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining further comprises:

analyzing at least a transversal micrographic section to determine the percentage of coarse grain size structure; and

validating the test when the coarse grain structure in the section is equal or higher than about 45% of the total cross section area.

12. A system for determining a susceptibility of a sample to reheat cracking, the sample being made of at least one material, which includes a welded area, the system comprising:

an interface configured

to receive first data from a length measuring device that measures a length of the sample,

to receive second data from a stress applying and measuring device configured to apply a first stress to the sample to achieve a predetermined elongation of the sample and to determine a stress in the sample,

to receive third data from a heat applying device configured to expose the elongated sample to a predefined heat treatment, and

to receive fourth data from the stress applying and measuring device configured to apply a second stress to the elongated sample that has been exposed to the predefined heat treatment until the sample breaks at least into two different pieces; and

a processor connected to the interface and configured

to control the length measuring device, the stress applying and measuring device, and the heat applying device, and

to determine the susceptibility of the broken sample to reheat cracking, based on the first, second, third and fourth data received from the length measuring device, the stress applying and measuring device, and the heat applying device via the interface.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:

calculate a creep damage severity index for the broken sample based on temperature profiles of the heat treatment; and

evaluate a damage parameter of the sample based on the calculated creep damage severity index.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

approximate a real temperature of the heat treatment with a step temperature curve; and

calculate the creep damage severity index as a sum of the severity index for each step of the step temperature curve.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:

calculate a creep strain accumulation severity index for the broken sample based on temperatures profile of the heat treatment; and

evaluate a damage parameter of the sample based on the calculated creep strain accumulation severity index.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the step processor is further configured to:

approximate a real temperature of the heat treatment with a step temperature curve; and

calculate the creep strain accumulation severity index as a sum of the severity index for each step of the step temperature curve.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the heat treatment is one of:

a first heat treatment that includes a first region of increasing temperature, a second region of constant temperature, a third region of increasing temperature, a fourth region of constant temperature, and a fifth region of decreasing temperature;

a second heat treatment that includes a first region of increasing temperature, a second region of constant temperature, and a third region of decreasing temperature; and

a third heat treatment that includes a first region of increasing temperature with a first slope, a second region of increasing temperature with a second slope, a third region of decreasing temperature with a third slope, a fourth region of constant temperature, and a fifth region of decreasing temperature with a fourth slope.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

analyze at least one fracture surface of the broken sample with a scanning electron microscope to identify a first area of crack damage and a second area of fast fracture, wherein the first area of crack damage includes a third area of intergranular pure brittle crack damage; and

classify the sample as susceptible to reheat cracking when at least one of the following conditions are met: the third area is higher than about 0% of the first area and the first area of crack damage is higher than about 10% of a total area of the fracture surface of the broken sample, the broken sample having a chemical composition of 2.25 Cr 1 Mo 0.25V.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

analyze at least a transversal micrographic section to determine the percentage of coarse grain size structure; and

validate the test when the coarse grain structure in the section is equal or higher than about 45% of the total cross section area.

20. A computer readable medium for storing computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, determine the processor to determine a susceptibility of a sample to reheat cracking, the sample being made of at least one material, which includes a welded area, the instructions comprising:

measuring a length of the sample;

applying a first stress to the sample to achieve a predetermined elongation of the sample;

exposing the elongated sample to a predefined heat treatment;

applying a second stress to the elongated sample that has been exposed to the predefined heat treatment, until the sample breaks at least into two different pieces; and

determining the susceptibility of the broken sample to reheat cracking.