Dynamic Recrystallization Behavior of Q370qE Bridge Steel

Abstract Bridge steel has been widely used in recent years for its excellent performance. Understanding the high-temperature Dynamic Recrystallization (DRX) behavior of high-performance bridge steel plays an important role in guiding the thermomechanical processing process. In the present study, the hot deformation behavior of Q370qE bridge steel was investigated by hot compression tests conducted on a Gleeble 3800-GTC thermal-mechanical physical simulation system at temperatures ranging from 900 ℃ to 1100 ℃ and strain rates ranging from 0.01 s−1 to 10 s−1. The obtained results were used to plot the true stress-strain and work-hardening rate curves of the experimental steel, with the latter curves used to determine the critical strains for the initiation of DRX. The Zener-Hollomon equation was subsequently applied to establish the correspondence between temperature and strain rate during the high-temperature plastic deformation of bridge steel. In terms of the DRX volume fraction solution, a new method for establishing DRX volume fraction was proposed based on two theoretical models. The good weathering and corrosion resistance of bridge steel lead to difficulties in microstructure etching. To solve this, the MTEX technology was used to further develop EBSD data to characterize the original microstructure of Q370qE bridge steel. This paper lays the theoretical foundation for studying the DRX behavior of Q370qE bridge steel.