IMPACT TOUGHNESS OF C-MN STEEL ARC WELDS - BAYESIAN NEURAL-NETWORK ANALYSIS

Charpy impact toughness data for manual metal are and submerged are we ld metal samples have been analysed using a neural network technique w ithin a Bayesian framework. In this framework, the roughness can be re presented as a general empirical function of variables that are common ly acknowledged to be important in influencing the properties of steel welds. The method has limitations owing to its empirical character; b ut it is demonstrated in the present paper that it can be used in such a way that the predicted trends make metallurgical sense. The method has been used to examine the relative importance of the numerous varia bles thought to control the toughness of welds.