Comparative Study on Internal Residual Stresses in Electron Beam Welds

For electron beam welded joints of sheet metal with a thickness of approx. 10 mm, the distribution morphology of the internal residual stresses in the weld was researched. The residual stress distributions were measured by the strain gauge method and the Modified Deep Hole Drilling Technique (MIRS method) and were analyzed by the finite element method. Consequently, the residual stresses in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the weld were tension near the center of the plate thickness and tended to become compression as the location of stress shifted towards the top and bottom surfaces. The mechanism of such a particular profile of residual stress distribution can be considered peculiar to electron beam welding.