In various applications, welding-induced residual stresses have a substantial impact on the integrity of welded constructions. Tensile residual stress can promote stress-corrosion cracking, brittle fracture, and reduces the fatigue life in service, as well as influences component design due to critical stress concentrations within the component.
In the present paper, a six bead multi-pass gas metal arc weld of 20 mm thick structural steel S355J2+N is experimentally and numerically investigated. The studies include transient 2D and 3D numerical calculations which consider temperature-dependent material properties, phase transformations, 'thermal' tempering, transformation plasticity, volume change due to phase transformation, an elasticplastic material model, and isotropic strain hardening. The experimentally determined and calculated residual stresses are in a good agreement. Furthermore, the influence of the preheat and interpass temperature on welding-induced residual stresses is shown in the present investigation.
The results of numerical welding simulations strongly depend on its temperature field. In the present paper, the temperature field of a pulsed gas metal arc weld of structural steel S355J2+N (ASTM A572 Gr. 50) with a thickness of 5 mm is experimentally and numerically investigated. In the case of temperature field validation, volumetric Gauss and double-ellipsoid Goldak heat sources are applied. Additionally, different heat source configurations, including adaptations of thermal conductivity, are analyzed regarding their influence on the calculation of welding-induced distortion.
The investigations clarify the influence of heat source configurations on the calculated results, thus, contribute to an improved prediction of welding-induced distortion.
The present investigations cover different relevant influences on the numerical calculation of welding-induced distortion. Therefore, a single-layer pulsed gas metal arc (GMA) weld of structural Steel S355J2+N with a thickness Öf5 mm is experimentally and numerically investigated. The influences of mesh density, tack-welds, and continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams on welding-induced distortion are studied. The quality and quantity of These effects are clarified based on the used experimental and numerical set up. The occurring differences between the investigated cases achieve significant values. Consequently, prediction of welding-induced distortion can be improved considering the present investigations.
A single-layer pulsed gas metal arc weld of structural steel S355J2+N with a thickness of 5 mm is experimentally and numerically investigated. Two tack welds are considered in the numerical simulation into two different ways. First, the tack welds are represented by elements belonging to the initial material. This implies that the 'tack weld material' was not exposed to any thermal load or phase transformation before actual welding was performed. The weld seam is shortened and there is an influence on the stiffness of the whole structure affecting the calculation result. Secondly, the tack welds were simulated as conducted in the experimental welding procedure. The cases considering tack welding are compared to a simulation neglecting tack welding and to the experimental results.
The influence of tack welds on the calculated welding-induced distortion is clarified and a contribution to an improved simulation-based prediction of welding-induced distortion is possible by modeling tack welding according to the realistic fabrication procedure.
The usage of continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams in numerical welding simulations is state of the art. Nevertheless, specifications provide limits in chemical composition of materials which result in different CCT behavior and CCT diagrams, respectively. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the influence of variations in CCT diagrams on the developing residual stresses. In the present paper, four CCT diagrams and their effect on numerical calculation of residual stresses are investigated for the widely used structural steel S355J2 + N welded by the gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process. Rather than performing an arbitrary adjustment of CCT behavior, four justifiable data sets were used as input to the numerical calculation: data available in the Sysweld database, experimental data acquired through Gleeble dilatometry tests, and TTT/CCT predictions calculated from the JMatPro and Edison Welding Institute (EWI) Virtual Joining Portal software. The performed numerical analyses resulted in noticeable deviations in residual stresses considering the different CCT diagrams. Furthermore, possibilities to improve the prediction of distortions and residual stress based on CCT behavior are discussed.
Continuous cooling transformation (CCT) behavior affects the transient state of
material properties employed in a numerical welding simulation, having a direct influence
on the developing stress state. Three different CCT diagrams for S355J2 steel
were employed to understand the influence of variations in CCT behavior on the numerical
calculation of welding-induced residual stresses. The CCT diagrams were
constructed from transformation data contained in the Sysweld software database,
measured dilatometric data from Gleeble experiments, and transformation data calculated
from the JMatPro software. The calculated transverse and longitudinal residual
stress distributions provided a qualitative correction only in comparison to experimental
measurements, with the largest deviation occurring near the weld
interface. Overall, the results indicate a weak dependency of the calculated residual
stresses due to anticipated CCT variations. The most significant effect on the calculated
residual stresses was shown to be related to the proportion of formed martensite.
It is suggested that CCT data of approximate accuracy is sufficient for reliable
calculation of welding-induced residual stresses.
Welding simulation is a powerful, cost-efficient tool to predict welding induced distortion. Nevertheless, effects on calculation result quality are often unknown, thus, sensitivity analyses should be performed to evaluate the influences of certain parameters on distortion development.
In the present paper, a single-layer gas metal arc (GMA) weld of 5 mm thick structural steel S355J2+N is experimentally and numerically investigated. Subsequent to welding, the numerical modeling begins with a mesh analysis based on modal analyses. Hereby, the influence of different coarsening methods and element edge length (EEL) in welding direction on the deformation behavior or the stiffness of the discrete geometry is the focus of the analysis. Secondly, phase transformations in structural steels such as S355J2+N are decisive for final product properties. The sensitivity of welding-induced distortion is examined regarding different continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams for S355J2+N.
The present investigations deal with different relevant influences on numerical calculation of welding-induced distortion. The quality and quantity of these effects are clarified based on the experimental and numerical set-up employed. Consequently, prediction of welding-induced distortion is possible and potential for pre-production optimization is present.
The development of high-strength structural steels with yield strengths up to 1000 MPa results in the requirement of suitable filler materials for welding. Recently designed low transformation temperature (LTT) alloys offer appropriate strength. The martensitic phase transformation during welding induces compressive residual stress in the weld zone. Therefore, the mechanical properties of welded joints can be improved. The present paper illustrates numerical simulation of the residual stresses in LTT-welds taking into account the effect of varying Ms/Mf-temperatures, and therefore different retained austenite contents, on the residual stresses. Residual stress distributions measured by synchrotron diffraction are taken as evaluation basis. A numerical model for the simulation of transformation affected welds is established and can be used for identification of appropriate Ms-temperatures considering the content of retained austenite.