Abstract: In long-distance pipelines, the connection between pipelines is often the weakest link. Based on the concept of structural reinforcement, the current study employed the flux cored arc welding-gas (FCAW-G) with low heat input of 12.48 kJ/cm to perform thickening with thickness of 8 mm on the girth welded joint. Combining OM, SEM, EBSD, hardness test, tensile DIC test and finite element simulation, the microstructure and fracture behavior were systematically analyzed. The results showed that, at the surfacing-thickened section scale, the surfacing strengthening process can eliminate the harmful effect of softened zone, thereby transferring the fracture location from the softened zone to the thickened base metal, while increasing the ultimate tensile strength from 644 MPa to 693 MPa. At the full-size pipeline scale, the surfacing strengthening process can suppress the failure behavior of girth welded joint, thereby transferring the fracture location from the surfacing-thickened section to the unthickened section. This dual-scale fracture location transfer significantly improves the service reliability of girth welded joint. The current study distinguishes the research scheme of traditional metallurgical control to improve the softening of heat affected zone, but through the technical strategy of local thickening of pipe end, the bearing capacity of softening zone is improved, so that it no longer constitutes the weak link of welded joint, and provides a geometric strengthening way for the failure control of girth weld of high steel grade pipeline.