Welding residual stresses analysis of aluminum alloy cylinder

The laser welding residual stresses in an aluminum alloy thick-wall cylinder is investigated by means of nonlinear finite element method. The article has simulated the residual stresses distribution of the longitudinal weld. The result shows that the temperature is high and temperature gradients are large in the very narrow zone under the laser beam. And the axial residual stress shows the alternate tensile stress and compressive stress. Also the axial residual stress is tensile stress along weld line and the stress peak value appears in the middle of the welded seam. What is more, it is symmetric distribution in the distance from the beginning and the last step welding 20 mm. Good agreements are found between calculated results and measured results indicating the validity of the assumptions made for the development of the model.