A Comparative Study on the Fatigue Evaluation for Weldments under Out-of Plane Bending Load Using Structural Stress and Hot Spot Stress

Abstract

Fatigue strength assessments with two types of load carrying fillet weldment under out-of-plane bending load have been carried out by using both hot spot stress and structural stress methods. Basis for the derivation of structural stress method is discussed in detail. Finite element analyses using shell elements models have been performed for the fatigue strength assessment of weldments. As a result of the fatigue strength evaluation for load carrying transverse fillet weldment, hot spot stress method is found to be consistent with structural stress method as well as measurement. Hot spot stress, however, estimated for the load carrying longitudinal fillet weldment exhibit large variation with respect to mesh size and element type while the calculated structural stress for the longitudinal fillet weldment is relatively independent of mesh size. The fatigue life estimation according to structural stress has been introduced with the master S-N curve.