Thermo-elastic-plastic finite element models for gas-shielded metal-arc welding fabrication

Abstract

The application of finite element analysis to the simulation of welding processes is an active and growing field of research, with many different engineering and physical aspects that can be investigated through numerical techniques. The models presented in this paper cover the scope of welding simulation for the prediction of residual stresses and distortion. The work presented forms part of an on-going project aimed at developing tools for effective prediction of welding residual stresses and distortion in thin plate structures typical of the shipbuilding industry. Fillet welding of stiffeners onto a thin plate was simulated using commercial package Ansys. The models' results were compared and validated against experimental data and equivalent finite element models that adopt a simplified and hence more computationally efficient approach. The objective was to further validate the simplified approach and evaluate the impact of the simplifications on the models' effectiveness in predicting residual stresses and distortion.