Measurement of residual stresses in single‐pass and multipass fillet welds using inherent strains: Methods for estimation and measurement of residual stresses by functional representation of inherent strains (5th Report)

Summary

This paper describes a new method for measurement of the three‐dimensional residual stresses in fillet welds using inherent strains, which are considered to be a source of residual stresses. The new method implies first the inherent strains being determined from a few measured elastic strains with the aid of a proposed inherent strain distribution function, and second the residual stresses being calculated through an elastic analysis when the inherent strains are applied to welded joints.

The measurement method is called the TL_yL_z method when three types of T, L_y and L_z specimen are cut from the fillet weld, and the T method when only one specimen T is cut from the weld.

The TL_yL_z and T methods are respectively used to measure three‐dimensional residual stress distributions on the transverse sections of single‐pass and multipass T‐type fillet welds. The residual stresses measured by the TL_yL₂ and T methods show good agreement with the ones directly measured on the surfaces of welded joints, thus demonstrating the validity and practical applicability of the proposed method.