Combined Solid and Shell Element Modelling of Welding

Abstract

Finite element calculations of residual stress distribution in a welded component from a hollow square section inconel tube are presented in this paper, figure 1. Shell element can be successfully used in finite element calculations of thin walled structures [1]. However, in the weld and the heat affected zone (HAZ) shell elements may not be sufficient, since the through thickness stress gradient is high in these regions. In the study presented here a combination of eight-nodes solid elements and four-nodes shell elements is used. The solid elements are used in and near the weld and shell elements are used elsewhere. This combination of solid elements and shell elements reduces the number of degrees of freedom in the problem in comparison with the use of solid elements only.