The article provides results of the microstructure examinations and mechanical properties (hardness and microhardness tests) of the welded joint T91 steel taken from the live steam pipeline. Examined joint has been exploited for about 45 000 hours in a temperature of 535oC and the steam pressure equals to 13.5 MPa. Examined joint was made as a double bead by the additional materials with a different chemical composition. It was proved that the joint was characterized by a differential microstructure on the cross-section of the weld. Moreover, decarburized zone in the lower alloyed material and carbides zone in the higher alloyed material were revealed in the weld line and on the boundary penetration of beads. Furthermore, it was shown that the main mechanism of a joint degradation is a privileged precipitation of carbides on the grain boundaries, and an increase of their size.

Research was conducted on welded joints of martensitic steel Thor 115 made with two filler materials – CrMo91 and Ni 6082. The scope of the investigations included: non-destructive and destructive testing. The macro- and microstructural investigations revealed correct structure of the weld, without welding imperfections. In the joint welded with Ni 6082, the so-called Nernst’s layers and δ-ferrite grains were visible. The investigations of the analysed joints showed that their properties, i.e. tensile strength and impact strength, were higher than the required minimum, whereas hardness was lower than the maximum value of 350 HV permitted for this group.