A utilização do aço ASTM A 335 P91 tem sofrido um aumento considerável, especialmente em função da necessidade de materiais com maior resistência à fluência para aplicações em unidades de utilidades (geração de vapor) e de processo. Por ser um material de difícil soldabilidade, diversos problemas são enfrentados durante a construção das unidades e, posteriormente, durante manutenção, geralmente em função de problemas de soldagem oriundos da fase de fabricação e construção. As normas de projeto e construção utilizadas internacionalmente vêm sofrendo adaptações a fim de melhorar a utilização deste material, mas seus requisitos ainda apresentam importantes lacunas em relação às principais práticas recomendadas pela literatura técnica mais atual. Visando uma melhor utilização deste material, obtendo juntas soldadas com propriedades mecânicas e metalúrgicas mais consistentes, o presente trabalho foi desenvolvido avaliando-se a influência de parâmetros de soldagem energia de soldagem e temperatura de tratamento térmico pós-soldagem (TTPS) sobre as propriedades mecânicas e metalúrgicas, incluindo resistência à fluência, de juntas soldadas de aço ASTM A 335 P91. Foram testadas nove juntas soldadas, combinando três níveis de energia de soldagem com três temperaturas de TTPS. Os resultados obtidos indicam que é possível ter melhor controle sobre as propriedades deste material, desde que se opere com níveis mais restritos de energia de soldagem e maiores temperatura de TTPS, observando-se as limitações pertinentes, especialmente no que tange à temperatura crítica de transformação Ac1. / The use of ASTM A 335 P91 has been increased considerably specially because of the need for materials with higher creep resistance for power generation (nuclear and thermoelectric) and oil and gas processing applications. As this is a material with poor weldability, several issues are faced during construction of these unities, and later during maintenance usually associated with welding problems originated in the fabrication and construction phase. The design and construction codes most used worldwide are receiving important revisions targeting to enhance the use condition of this material but its requirements still show important lacks when compared to the main practices recommended by the more recent technical literature. Aiming a better usage of this material obtaining sound welded joints with more consistent metallurgical and mechanical properties, this work was developed assessing the influence of some welding parameters welding heat input and temperature of post-­weld heat treatment (PWHT) on the metallurgical and mechanical properties, including creep strength, of welded joints of ASTM A 335 P91 steel. Nine welded joints were submitted to testing, combining three different levels of welding heat input with three different PWHT temperatures. The results show that it is possible to have a better control over the properties of this material since it is used lower welding heat inputs combined to higher PWHT temperatures, taking care about the limitations regarding the critical transformation temperature Ac1.

A utilização do aço ASTM A 335 P91 tem sofrido um aumento considerável, especialmente em função da necessidade de materiais com maior resistência à fluência para aplicações em unidades de utilidades (geração de vapor) e de processo. Por ser um material de difícil soldabilidade, diversos problemas são enfrentados durante a construção das unidades e, posteriormente, durante manutenção, geralmente em função de problemas de soldagem oriundos da fase de fabricação e construção. As normas de projeto e construção utilizadas internacionalmente vêm sofrendo adaptações a fim de melhorar a utilização deste material, mas seus requisitos ainda apresentam importantes lacunas em relação às principais práticas recomendadas pela literatura técnica mais atual. Visando uma melhor utilização deste material, obtendo juntas soldadas com propriedades mecânicas e metalúrgicas mais consistentes, o presente trabalho foi desenvolvido avaliando-se a influência de parâmetros de soldagem energia de soldagem e temperatura de tratamento térmico pós-soldagem (TTPS) sobre as propriedades mecânicas e metalúrgicas, incluindo resistência à fluência, de juntas soldadas de aço ASTM A 335 P91. Foram testadas nove juntas soldadas, combinando três níveis de energia de soldagem com três temperaturas de TTPS. Os resultados obtidos indicam que é possível ter melhor controle sobre as propriedades deste material, desde que se opere com níveis mais restritos de energia de soldagem e maiores temperatura de TTPS, observando-se as limitações pertinentes, especialmente no que tange à temperatura crítica de transformação Ac1. / The use of ASTM A 335 P91 has been increased considerably specially because of the need for materials with higher creep resistance for power generation (nuclear and thermoelectric) and oil and gas processing applications. As this is a material with poor weldability, several issues are faced during construction of these unities, and later during maintenance usually associated with welding problems originated in the fabrication and construction phase. The design and construction codes most used worldwide are receiving important revisions targeting to enhance the use condition of this material but its requirements still show important lacks when compared to the main practices recommended by the more recent technical literature. Aiming a better usage of this material obtaining sound welded joints with more consistent metallurgical and mechanical properties, this work was developed assessing the influence of some welding parameters welding heat input and temperature of post-­weld heat treatment (PWHT) on the metallurgical and mechanical properties, including creep strength, of welded joints of ASTM A 335 P91 steel. Nine welded joints were submitted to testing, combining three different levels of welding heat input with three different PWHT temperatures. The results show that it is possible to have a better control over the properties of this material since it is used lower welding heat inputs combined to higher PWHT temperatures, taking care about the limitations regarding the critical transformation temperature Ac1.

Il s'agit dans ce travail de développer une démarche multiéchelles, afin d'identifier puis de modéliser le comportement mécanique d'un matériau à gradient de propriétés (un cordon de soudure) en relation avec les hétérogénéités microstructurales responsables de la déformation et de l'endommagement par fluage des aciers P91, matériaux retenus pour des applications de tenue mécanique à chaud des centrales thermiques à flamme. Cette étude porte sur l'utilisation des techniques de mesure de champs cinématiques par corrélation d'images couplées aux simulations numériques par éléments finis. Les différentes zones d'intérêt sont : le métal de base, l'ICHAZ (intercritical heat affected zone), la FGHAZ (fine grain heat affected zone), la CGHAZ (coarse grain heat affected zone) et le métal fondu. L'identification a porté dans un premier temps sur le comportement en traction et traction–relaxation à l'ambiante et à 625°C. Cette phase a permis d'établir une loi de comportement pour chacune des zones du joint soudé et de prédire la zone de localisation de déformation pour une gamme assez large de vitesse de sollicitation.Une attention particulière a ensuite été portée aux essais de fluage, pour lequel le glissement intergranulaire joue un rôle essentiel dans le comportement du cordon de soudure et notamment dans l'ICHAZ. Afin de mettre en évidence le glissement intergranulaire, une technique de microlithographie a été adoptée. L'effet de ce mécanisme sur le comportement macroscopique et à l'échelle locale a été étudié au moyen de simulations numériques par éléments finis avec introduction de zones cohésives. Pour cela une loi cohésive a été élaborée et validée sur une configuration simplifiée à quatre grains. Ce modèle permet également de rendre compte de la transition fluage dislocation – fluage diffusion en retardant le déclenchement du glissement aux joints de grains quand la vitesse de sollicitation augmente.Cette étude est financée par la Chaire EDF-GDF-SUEZ-GRT gaz - ENSMP –ENPC sur la «durabilité des matériaux et des structures pour l'énergie ». / The goal of this study is to develop a micromechanical approach, to identify and model the elementary mechanisms in connection with the microstructural heterogeneities accountable for the deformation and for the creep damage of P91 steels, material used for applications at high temperature in thermal power plants. This study deals with the use of kinematic full-fields measurements by digital image correlation coupled with finite element numerical simulations for the identification of constitutive equation parameters of materials presenting a strongly heterogeneous microstructure, leading to gradients of mechanical properties. The welded joint in P91 presents various microstructures along the joint: base metal, ICHAZ (intercritical heat affected zone), FGHAZ (fine grain heat affected zone), CGHAZ (coarse grain heat affected zone) and weld metal, which will be characterized by uniaxial tensile tests and tensile-relaxation tests performed at room temperature and at 625°C. These experimental tests enable to establish a constitutive law for each part of the welded joint and for a wide range of strain rate.A particular attention has then been focused on the behaviour at high temperature (creep) for which the intergranular glide plays an essential role, in particular within the ICHAZ. To characterize the grain boundary gliding mechanisms, a technique of microlithography is used. This mechanism is modelled with cohesive zones. A cohesive constitutive equation has been proposed and validated with a simplified four grain configuration. This model is able to take into account the dislocation creep – diffusion creep transition by delaying the beginning of the grain boundaries sliding when the strain rate increases.This study is granted by the EDF-GDF-SUEZ-GRT gas – Mines ParisTech – Ecole des Ponts ParisTech chair on the "durability of materials and structures for the energy ".