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What Is Heat Affected Zone or HAZ in Welding?

The heat affected zone, or HAZ, refers to the area of the base metal next to a weld that does not melt during welding but has its properties altered by the heat from the welding process. The width of the HAZ depends on factors like heat input and the material's thermal conductivity, with lower heat input and higher thermal conductivity producing a narrower HAZ. Within the HAZ, the microstructure and phases of the metal change with temperature, such as the transformation from body-centered cubic to face-centered cubic structure that occurs above 723°C. Controlling heat input and cooling rates can minimize unwanted grain growth and phase transformations in the HAZ.

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539 views4 pages

What Is Heat Affected Zone or HAZ in Welding?

The heat affected zone, or HAZ, refers to the area of the base metal next to a weld that does not melt during welding but has its properties altered by the heat from the welding process. The width of the HAZ depends on factors like heat input and the material's thermal conductivity, with lower heat input and higher thermal conductivity producing a narrower HAZ. Within the HAZ, the microstructure and phases of the metal change with temperature, such as the transformation from body-centered cubic to face-centered cubic structure that occurs above 723°C. Controlling heat input and cooling rates can minimize unwanted grain growth and phase transformations in the HAZ.

Uploaded by

behzad mohammadi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is Heat Affected Zone or HAZ in Welding?

Most people think that a weld is only the portion of metal fused during welding. This is a very
limited way of looking at a weld. A more accurate way is to consider a weld as the area affected
by the heat input during welding. According to this definition, a weld is composed of three main
parts illustrated below Figure :

1. fused zone (weld metal)

2. bonding zone (fusion line)

3. base metal heat-affected zone (HAZ)


So what is HAZ?

The area of the base metal next to the weld does not melt but is changed by the heat from the
welding process. In a way, this area is heat-treated by the welding process, that is, its mechanical
properties have been altered. In theory, the HAZ refers to all areas of the base metal heated to
above ambient temperature during welding. In practice, the term HAZ is used to describe the areas
altered by welding heat input.

Width of HAZ?
The width of the HAZ depends primarily on heat input and thermal conductivity (heat dissipation
in base metal). If heat input is decreased or thermal conductivity increased, the HAZ size will
decrease. This means that a weld made with the SMAW process will normally produce a narrower
HAZ than one made with FCAW (using a large diameter electrode). Similarly, stainless steel will
have a larger HAZ than carbon steel, since the thermal (heat) conductivity is lower than steel.

Properties and transformation during welding in HAZ?

The iron-carbon phase diagram shows that a phase transformation starts when the temperature
reaches 723°C. At that temperature, BCC transforms into FCC. Since weld cooling rates from
temperatures above 723°C may be rapid, hardening of the weld area is common. The heat-affected
zone (HAZ) is a very important area because weld faults may occur in this zone.

As can be seen in the above Figure, the transformations that take place in the HAZ depend on the
highest temperature attained at each point of the zone during welding.

This figure illustrates what happens to steel that has been cold worked before welding. This is the
case for most rolled plates that did not receive a heat treatment after rolling. Where the
temperature is minimal, grains (deformed by rolling) will use the heat provided by the welding
process to recrystallize. Long grains (deformed by rolling) will transform into several smaller
grains. Areas where the temperature rises above 723°C will show the effects of phase
transformations (BCC – FCC – BCC). Near the weld fusion line, where temperatures are just
below the melting point, very large grains form. This is generally the weakest part of a weld.

When it is important to limit grain growth in the HAZ, the welder should be following strict
welding procedures and limit heat input by using small (stringer) weld beads when possible.
Weaving is commonly used, but should be limited to plain low-carbon steels where heat
treatments have lesser effects.
How to Avoid Hydrogen Cracking
Once the steel has been selected and purchased for welding, the options available to counter the

possibility of hydrogen cracking include:

Minimize weld joint restraint.


Avoid notches in the area of the weld.
Use a low hydrogen process.
Use low hydrogen consumables and ensure their proper storage.
Use high arc energy to reduce the cooling rate (but this may reduce other properties such as
strength and toughness).
Use preheat (and post-heat); its main function is to slow down the cooling rate below 100°C and
give more time for hydrogen to diffuse out.

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