Current Welding Consumables Research in the U. S. Navy

One of the thrusts of U.S. Navy research is directed toward providing new and advanced material systems with improved properties, and developing methods and materials to construct current and future generation naval vessels more economically. It focuses on materials of construction, fabrication methods and consumables, and methods to ensure and enhance structural integrity. One specific area in this thrust is that of welding the Navys high strength steels. Toward this end, work is being conducted on a number of topics pertaining to welding Navy steels with yield strengths exceeding 100 ksi. Four tasks are discussed in this presentation. HSLA-100 Welding Consumables Development addresses evaluation of experimental compositions, data analysis, and identification of optimum compositions. Low-carbon Bainitic Weld Metals discusses the effects of alloying on weld metal strength and cooling rate sensitivity, and the effect of titanium-bearing inclusions on weld toughness. Weldability Methodology addresses transformation expansion, weldability tests, diffusible hydrogen, and cracking models. Welding Fluxes discusses determination of flux composition and correlations with weld performance. Future research for each task is also described. Weld metal, Welding consumables, HSLA-100, Low- carbon bainite, Weldability, Diffusible hydrogen, Welding flux, Steel.