Analytical Method for Residual Stresses Determination in Thin Welded Joints

Residual stresses (RS) in welded joints can contribute to the stress enhancement concentrated in the connection of different components, mainly concerning structures and piping. A fast method for assessing RS in a thin weld through the calculation of heat flow and thermal expansion data is explained - obtained by implementing a previous programme in a personal computer (PC) code - to evaluate the through-wall temperature distribution and the RS field due to multi-pass welding of flat or axi-symmetric joints. The calculation of temperature distribution, axial and hoop thermal stresses through the finite thickness of a specimen is described, in particular, considering some basic simplifying assumptions. Validation of experimental is shown, related to thin welded joints, comparing finite elements method (FEM) analysis, direct measurements and the considered analytical method results.