T-joint Fillet Weld Research Articles

Numerical analysis and experimental investigation of welding residual stresses and distortions in a T-joint fillet weld

This paper presents a numerical and experimental study of residual stresses and distortions induced by the T-joint welding of two plates. Within the framework of numerical investigations, a thermo-mechanical finite element analysis is performed by using a shell/three-dimensional modeling technique to improve both the computational efficiency and the accuracy. The influence of the choice of the local 3D model size on the temperature, residual stress, and displacement distributions is investigated. A minimal 3D zone size that had both appropriate convergence of the solution and accuracy is defined. To validate the numerical model, a series of experiments using a fully automated welding process are conducted. A thermographic camera and an optical measurement system are used to measure the temperature and displacement distributions.

Parametric Study of Welding Temperature Distribution in T-Joint Fillet Weld Using FEM

This paper presents FE simulation of Arc welding process using nonlinear transient thermal analysis to study the effect of process parameters on temperature distributions in T-joint fillet welds. An APDL (ANSYS Parametric Design Language) program is developed to define moving surface heat source model with Gaussian distribution into simulations by using commercially available FE code ANSYS. The transient temperature distribution in fillet weld during welding process are predicted and subsequently validated with published experimental results. Influence of heat energy input, electrode angle, welding speed and plate thickness on temperature distribution was further explored. The present work provides a basis for prediction of welding residual stresses and distortions in fillet joints.

Numerical Simulation of Welding Sequence Effect on Temperature Distribution, Residual Stresses and Distortions of T-Joint Fillet Welds

Welding sequence is one important factor which affects the residual stresses and distortions produced during welding, thus determines the welding quality and performance. In this paper, 3D numerical simulation of temperature distribution, residual stresses and distortions of the T-joint fillet weld with respect to the variation of welding sequence is presented. The finite element simulation involved thermo-mechanical analyses. Four welding sequences (WS) considered are one direction welding (WS-1), contrary direction welding (WS-2), welding from centre of one side (WS-3) and welding from centres of two sides (WS-4). The simulation results revealed that peak temperature achieved in the welding was greatly affected by the welding sequence and residual stress and angular distortion produced cannot both hold in minimum for a WS. The smallest residual stresses and the smallest angular distortions are related respectively to WS-2 and WS-4. The distributions of temperature, longitudinal and transverse residual stresses as well as angular distortions were also presented.

Finite element analysis of the residual stresses in T-joint fillet welds made of similar and dissimilar steels

In this paper, weld residual stress analyses are performed for T-joint fillet welds made of similar and dissimilar steels. Three-dimensional uncoupled thermo-mechanical finite element model which can accurately capture residual stresses in a weld piece is developed in order to predict the residual stress states in the fillet-welded T-joint. Results show that the maximum longitudinal residual stresses near the weld toes of the similar steel welds increase with increasing yield stress of the steel welded. For the dissimilar steel welds, the overall trend, shape and magnitude of the residual stress profiles in flange and web are similar to those of the corresponding similar steel welds despite the slight difference between the residual stresses in parts at which the flange and web come in contact with each other.

Analysis of residual stresses and distortions in T-joint fillet welds

T-joint fillet welds are extensively used in ship engineering and bridge structures. Localized heating from the welding process and subsequent rapid cooling induce tensile residual stress near the toe of the T-joint in fillet welds. Welding produces thermal stresses that cause structural distortions, which influence the buckling strength of the welded structures. This study describes the thermal elasto-plastic analysis using finite element techniques to analyse the thermomechanical behaviour and evaluate the residual stresses and angular distortions of the T-joint in fillet welds. Furthermore, this work employs the technique of element birth and death to simulate the weld filler variation with time in T-joint fillet welds. Also discussed are the effects of flange thickness, welding penetration depth, and restraint condition of welding on the residual stresses and distortions.