Determination of causes of crack-like defects in the heavy plate steel 09Г2С is a crucial task, the solution of which is aimed at improving the mechanical safety of oil storage steel vertical tanks. In order to determine the causes for the formation of a group of crack-like defects oriented towards rolling, revealed during grinding and magnetic inspection of the tank wall surface near the vertical weld, the analysis of the chemical composition and testing of the mechanical properties of heavy plate steel were carried out, including the determination of the anisotropy of impact toughness in the temperature range from +20 to –75 °С, analysis of metal microstructure in the area of defect formation on transversal sections and rolled surface. Impact bending tests of 09Г2С heavy plate steel after controlled rolling in longitudinal and transverse directions showed no anisotropy of impact toughness, as well as high purity of steel as for sulfur and titanium, which at higher content causes impact toughness anisotropy. The revealed features of metal microstructure near the defects made it possible to conclude that the crack-like defects were formed during the rolling of gas bubbles at the stage of preparing semi-finished rolled products for finishing rolling. One of the possible methods to prevent such defects from getting into finished rolled products is the use of automated systems of visual inspection of rolled products in the manufacturing process.
