Effect of Alloying Elements on Solidification Cracking Susceptibility of High Manganese Austenitic Steel

This paper reports on the effect of carbon, silicon, manganese, chromium and aluminum on solidification cracking susceptibility of high manganese steel. The solidification cracking susceptibility of high manganese steel has been evaluated by using trans-Varestraint test and BTR that is one of the evaluation index of the solidification cracking susceptibility was obtained and compared. According to quenched microstructure observation by EPMA and EBSD analysis, solidification mode at all material might be an austenite phase (single-phase), in addition MnS was observed in the weld metal of all tested samples with different chemical composition and M3P particle was observed only for 13%Cr material. A numerical analysis approach for solidification cracking susceptibility of high manganese steel depending on some solute elements was carried out to quantitatively evaluate the temperature range and confirm the validation of BTR and influence of the solidification phenomenon. Based on both temperature ranges obtained experimentally and analytically, the solidification cracking susceptibility increased with increasing carbon, silicon and manganese, and these doesn’t change by chromium content in the high manganese steel. And then, aluminum decreased the solidification cracking susceptibility, but it might be caused ductility-dip cracking in the steel.