Heat management and tensile strength of 3 mm mixed and matched connections of butt joints of S355J2+N, S460MC and S700MC

High‐strength structural steels are beneficial in terms of the sustainability of constructions due to the possible reduction of weight and overall material needs. Nevertheless, high‐strength steels have a smaller processing parameter range in regarding the specific heat input and resulting cooling rate. Especially the cooling time t8/5 characterizing the time span to cool down from 800 to 500 °C is an important indicator. Single layer butt‐welded gas metal arc welding (GMAW) connections of 3 mm plates between normal strength (S355J2+N, S460MC) and high‐strength steels (S700MC) as well as matched connections (S460MC, S700MC) are carried out. Hereby, the influence of the energy input, melting rate, joint preparation, filler metal (matching and undermatching) and backing methods are observed. Spatially resolved IR‐thermal observation shows variations within the welds of up to 50 % in the cooling time t_8/5 depending on those parameters. These fluctuations lead to significant changes of the microstructure within the melting and heat‐affected zone. UCI hardness mappings show the softening and microstructural change within these zones. Those soft zones can be the region of failure for butt welded connections as shown by transverse tensile tests with spatially resolved optical strain measurements. The results obtained can be used to define more precise welding procedures of these types of connections and also are used to develop design rules for mixed connections made of normal strength and high‐strength steel.