Influence of Si Content on the Microstructure and Tensile Properties of Weathering Bridge Steel Produced via Thermal Mechanical Control Process

Abstract

In this study, the effects of Si on the microstructure and tensile properties of weathering bridge steel were elucidated. The thermal mechanical control process (TMCP), containing two stages of controlled rolling and accelerated cooling process, was simulated using a thermo-mechanical simulator for four experimental steels with varying Si contents (0.15–0.77 wt.%). Micro-tensile tests were performed, and the microstructures were observed via optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD). Furthermore, the tensile properties and microstructures of these steels were analyzed. The results show that a mixed microstructure comprising granular bainitic ferrite (GBF), quasi-polygonal ferrite (QF), and martensite/austenite (M/A) constituent was formed in each sample. With an increase in Si content, the GBF content decreased, QF content increased, mean equivalent diameter (MED) of the QF+GBF matrix increased, and the fraction and average size of the M/A constituent increased. With a rise in Si content from 0.15 to 0.77 wt.%, the contributions of dislocation strengthening, grain boundary strengthening, and precipitation strengthening decreased from 149, 220, and 21 MPa to 126, 179, and 19 MPa, respectively. However, the combined contribution of solution strengthening, lattice strengthening, and M/A strengthening increased from 41 to 175 MPa, which augmented the final yield strength from 431 to 499 MPa. The decreasing yield ratio shows that strain hardening capacity is enhanced due to an increase in the fraction of the M/A constituent as well as in the MED of the QF+GBF matrix. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which Si content controls the microstructure and mechanical properties of weathering bridge steel were also discussed.