Influence of thickness of flange plate on the reduction of angular distortion by welding with trailing reverse-side flame line

ABSTRACT

In manufacturing of the steel bridge, fillet welded T-joint is widely used and angular distortion is often generated. So, reduction or control of angular distortion without additional processes to welding is strongly demanded because it takes great time and effort to correct the angular distortion. In this study, the effectiveness of welding with trailing reverse-side flame line heating for preventing angular distortion was investigated through the welding experiment and numerical simulation in submerged arc welding of fillet T-joint with three different thick flange plate. First, the heat source models for numerical analysis of both submerged arc welding and flame line heating were constructed based on the comparison with the measured temperature histories and angular distortion. And then, these heat source models were used in combination with various kinds of distance between two heat sources to make clear the appropriate distance condition for smallest angular distortion was 150 mm, and it does not depend on thickness of flange plate. It was also confirmed that the experimental angular distortions were in good agreement with those calculated. With a focus on the influence of thickness of flange plate, the reduction of angular distortion by welding with trailing reverse-side flame line heating becomes smaller with increasing thickness of flange plate. However, angular distortion could be adequately prevented under the appropriate flame line heating condition in either thickness of flange plate because the welding-induced angular distortion also becomes smaller with increasing thickness of flange plate. Thus, it was concluded that welding with trailing reverse-side flame line heating could be useful for preventing angular distortion of fillet T-joint, which is a component of steel bridge, enough not to correct it after welding.

KEYWORDS:

• Submerged arc welding
• reverse-side flame line heating
• fillet welded T-joint
• angular distortion
• thickness of flange plate

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to Professor Eiichi Murakawa of the Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University and Assistant Professor Masakazu Shibahara of Osaka Prefectural University for their valuable assistance during our use of the JWRIAN numerical analysis software.