Understanding the High-Temperature Mechanical Properties of A710 (HSLA-80) Steel With Use of Complementary Atom Probe Tomography and Electron Microscopy

Alloy ASTM A710 (HSLA-80) is a co-precipitation hardened steel with a desirable combination of mechanical properties and weldability, making it an excellent candidate for use in structural applications such as bridges, shipbuilding, and pipelines. There have been extensive studies of the strengthening mechanisms, effect of heat treatment and continuous cooling, and kinetics of the precipitation process in this and similar materials, but little work has been performed to understand the high-temperature mechanical properties [1-6]. Understanding the effect of high temperatures on the mechanical properties of these and similar alloys is very important in terms of engineering for structural integrity and well-understood failure mechanisms in a fire. In this study we use local-electrode atom probe tomography, transmission electron microscopy, and optical metallography as complementary techniques that lend fundamental insight into the high-temperature mechanical behavior of A710 on multiple length scales.