Modeling the ferrite-to-austenite transformation in the heat-affected zone of stainless steel multi-pass welds

The ferrite/austenite transformation in austenitic stainless steel welds was modeled by considering the transformation as a diffusion-controlled process. A finite-difference method was used to solve the diffusion equations. The transformation behavior was evaluated for both isothermal aging and linear cooling over a range of cooling rates. The analysis provides information on the change in ferrite content as a function of heat treatment as well as the rate of the formation (or dissolution) of ferrite. The compositions of the ferrite and austenite are also obtained in the analysis. the results show that the approach to equilibrium can often be indirect and sometimes counter to intuition. The analysis is useful in providing information on the microstructural stability in austenitic stainless steel welds that cannot be obtained experimentally