Fatigue Strength Improvement and Fatigue Characteristics by TIG-Dressing on Weld Bead Toes

용접지단부 TIG처리에 의한 피로강도향상 및 피로특성

The 4-point bending tests have been performed In order to estimate the effect of TIG-dressing on fatigue strength and fatigue characteristics quantitatively for non load-carrying fillet welded joints subjected to pure bending. As a result of fatigue tests, fatigue strengths of as-welded specimens have satisfied the grade of fatigue strength prescribed in specifications of korea, AASHTO and JSSC. Fatigue strength at 2 million cycles of TIG-dressing specimens have increased compared with as-welded specimens. As the result of beachmark tests, fatigue cracks occurred at several points, where the radius of curvature and flank angle in the weld bead toes were low, and grew as semi-elliptical cracks, then approached to fracture. As a result of finite element analysis, stress concentration factor in weld bead toes has closely related to the flank angle and radius of curvature, and between these, the radius of curvature has more largely affected in stress concentration factor than flank angle. As a result of fracture mechanics approaches, the crack correction factor of test specimens has largely affected on stress gradient correction factor in case a/t is below 0.4. From the relations between stress intensity factor range estimated from FEM analysis and fatigue crack growth rate, fatigue life has been correctly calculated.