Microstructure-texture related toughness anisotropy of API-X80 pipeline steel characterized by means of 3D-EBSD technique

The variations of in plane Charpy toughness anisotropy as a function of the microstructure and texture of an industrial grade of API -X80 pipeline steel was studied. Standard size Charpy samples with a long axis orientated at 0, 22.5, 45, 67.5 and 90 degrees with respect to the rolling direction of the plate were tested at different temperatures varying from -196 degrees C to 20 degrees C. Microstructure and texture of the plates were investigated by means of electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD), XRD and the recently developed 3D EBSD technique. The spatial grain shape orientation distribution was examined on samples which were cut from the middle thickness of an industrial rolled plate by means of 3D EBSD and following grain shape reconstruction and approximation of the grain shape with ellipsoids. It was found that the experimentally observed 3D microstructures could well be correlated to the anisotropy of the measured Charpy impact toughness of the steel for the Charpy samples. The Charpy toughness anisotropy of the plates in the transition region where both ductile and brittle fractures take place can be related to the microstructural anisotropy characterized by the grain shape orientation and the spatial distribution of the 2(nd) phase