Thermomechanical simulation of the heat-affected zones in welded ultra-high strength steels: Microstructure and mechanical properties

•Thermomechanical simulation using Gleeble proved to be a reliable approach to replicate and reconstruct HAZ subzones.•Ferrite and granular bainite as the primary cause behind the HAZ softening.•Acceptable reliability of the hardness models based on microstructures to predict soft zones.•Controversial simultaneous decrease in hardness and toughness was associated with carbide precipitation in tempered phases.