Internal stresses in a clad pressure vessel steel during post weld heat treatment and their relevance to underclad cracking

A potential connection between the residual stresses generated by a cladding operation, the thermal stresses generated during post weld heat treatment (PWHT), and the propensity for underclad cracking was investigated. As-deposited residual stresses were measured at ambient temperature, using the contour method and neutron diffraction. Measurements were performed in 20 mm thick steel substrates that were partially clad with AISI grade 309 (layer...