Abstract
In this study, we investigated fatigue crack growth behavior of laser welded sheet metal due to a single overload. Fatigue specimens were made using butt joint of cold rolled sheet metal that was welded by $CO_2$ laser. The fatigue crack propagation tests were performed in such a way that fatigue loading was parallel to the weld line while crack propagation was perpendicular to the weld line. Single overload was applied when fatigue crack tip was arrived near the weld line. The distances between the crack tip and the weld line at which a single overload was applied were 6, 4 and 2mm. The effect of specimen thickness and overload ratio on the fatigue behavior was determined. The plastic zone size of crack tip due to the single overload was determined from the finite element analysis. For investigating fatigue crack growth behavior, we used different thickness specimen 0.9mm and 2.0mm, and variable overload ratio applied fatigue crack propagation test. Also we used finite element analysis for investigating the plastic zone size of crack tip when single overload applied