Issues in Welding of HSLA Steels

Abstract

The application of High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) steels has expanded to almost all fields viz. automobile industry, ship building, line pipe, pressure vessels, building construction, bridges, storage tanks. HSLA steels were developed primarily for the automotive industry to replace low-carbon steels in order to improve the strength-to-weight ratio and meet the need for higher-strength materials. Due to higher-strength and added excellent toughness and formability, demand for HSLA steel is increasing globally. With the increase of demand; other issues like the selection of filler grade and selection of suitable welding process for the joining of these steels have become very significant. This paper discusses the various issues regarding selection of suitable grade and selection of suitable welding process for joining of HSLA steels and issues concerning the structural integrity of HSLA steel welds.