Banerjee, K.2026-02-052016Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science, 2016, 47, 4, pp. 1677-168510735623https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-016-3335-8https://idr.nitk.ac.in/handle/123456789/26031Detailed investigation was carried out on 0.4C steel tubes used for the telescopic front fork of two-wheelers to establish the root cause for the occurrence of transverse cracks at the weld heat-affected zone of the tubes. Fractographic and microstructural observations provide evidences of delayed hydrogen-induced cracking. The beneficial microstructure for avoiding the transverse cracks was found to be the bainitic-martensitic, while martensitic structure was noted to be deleterious. © 2016, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International.Heat affected zoneHydrogenHydrogen embrittlementTubular steel structuresFractographicHigh frequency inductionHydrogen induced crackingHydrogen-induced cold crackingMartensitic structuresMicro-structural observationsTransverse crackWeld heat-affected zoneCracks