TY - JOUR A1 - Shi, L. A1 - Chen, J. A1 - Yang, Chunliang A1 - Chen, G. A1 - Wu, C. T1 - Thermal-fluid-structure coupling analysis of void defect in friction stir welding JF - International Journal of Mechanical Sciences N2 - Understanding the void defect formation mechanism and simultaneous predicting the tool service life in friction stir welding are critical for optimizing the welding parameters. However, the void defect formation mechanism in friction stir welding is not yet elucidated. In this study, a novel integrated thermal-fluid-structure coupling model of the friction stir welding process was proposed for simultaneous prediction of the weld formation and tool service life. A new non-uniform distribution model of the tool-workpiece contact pressure was proposed to describe the interaction between the tool and the workpiece. The void defect formation mechanism was quantitatively studied using the proposed integrated thermal-fluid-structure coupling model. The results show that the plastic material flows in the horizontal direction and can completely fill the cavity behind the tool for the welding condition of forming a sound weld. While the tool-workpiece contact interfacial frictional shear stress in the rear of the tool is decreased significantly which leads to a severe decrease in the plastic material flow velocity. Therefore, after bypassing the tool from the retreating side, the plastic material at the bottom of the weld stagnates, and void defect forms in the middle and lower part of the weld at the advancing side. The difference between the maximum and the minimum tool-workpiece contact pressure could serve as a numerical criterion to predict void defects. A sound joint is formed when the difference is lower than the critical value of 15 MPa, while a void defect is formed in the weld if it is higher than this critical value. The maximum equivalent stress acting on the tool is located at the pin root with severe stress concentration at a high welding speed. The front of the tool is subjected to tensile stress while its rear is subjected to compressive stress, therefore the tool is apt to fracture at its root under an inappropriate welding condition. The average normal stress of the tool varies periodically with its period consistent with the rotation period of the tool. The service life of the tool is decreased with the increase in welding speed and the decrease in rotation speed. The model is validated by experimental results. KW - Friction stir welding KW - Thermal-fluid-structure coupling model KW - Tool-workpiece interaction KW - Void defect formation mechanism KW - Tool service life PY - 2023 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2022.107969 SN - 0020-7403 VL - 241 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - Elsevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-56929 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -