Analysis of circumferentially welded thin-walled cylinders to study the effects of tack weld orientations and joint root opening on residual stress fields

Abstract

Abstract

In recent years, the demand for resilient welded structures with excellent in-service load-bearing capacity has been growing rapidly. The operating conditions (thermal and/or structural loads) are becoming more stringent, putting immense pressure on welding engineers to secure excellent quality welded structures. The local, non-uniform heating and subsequent cooling during the welding processes cause complex thermal stress—strain fields to develop, which finally leads to residual stresses, distortions, and their adverse consequences. Residual stresses are of prime concern to industries producing weld-integrated structures around the globe because of their obvious potential to cause dimensional instability in welded structures, and contribute to premature fracture/failure along with significant reduction in fatigue strength and in-service performance of welded structures. Arc welding with single or multiple weld runs is an appropriate and cost-effective joining method to produce high-strength structures in these industries. Multi-field interaction in arc welding makes it a complex manufacturing process. A number of geometric and process parameters contribute significant stress levels in arc-welded structures. In the present analysis, parametric studies have been conducted for the effects of a critical geometric parameter (i.e. tack weld) on the corresponding residual stress fields in circumferentially welded thin-walled cylinders. Tack weld offers considerable resistance to the shrinkage, and the orientation and size of tacks can altogether alter stress patterns within the weldments. Hence, a critical analysis for the effects of tack weld orientation is desirable.