Interpretation of residual stress distributions in previously loaded cracked beams

Abstract

Abstract

The measurement and prediction of residual stress distributions in a fatigue pre-cracked and a plastically overloaded A533B steel beam are described. The residual stresses were obtained experimentally using the neutron diffraction technique. Finite element analysis was employed to predict the elastic-plastic response and residual stresses introduced after overloading. Comparison of the experimental results have been made with the finite element predictions (for both plane stress and strain conditions) averaged over the same sampling volume used to make the neutron diffraction measurements. It has been found that good agreement is achieved away from the near crack tip region. However, close to the crack tip the measured compressive residual stresses are significantly smaller than predicted. This difference is attributed to the A533B steel exhibiting a Bauschinger effect and yielding at a lower stress after a stress reversal.