Incorporation of residual stresses into the SINTAP defect assessment procedure

• Published in: Engineering fracture mechanics Vol. 67; no. 6; pp. 573 - 611
• Main Authors: Stacey, A, Barthelemy, J.-Y, Leggatt, R.H, Ainsworth, R.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2000
• Subjects: Defect assessment; Residual stresses; Stress intensity factors; Welded joints; Welded joints; Stress intensity factors; Residual stresses; Defect assessment
• ISSN: 0013-7944; 1873-7315
• DOI: 10.1016/S0013-7944(00)00075-8

Residual stresses are an important consideration in the structural integrity assessment of welded joints and reliable predictions of structural integrity therefore require that the residual stress distribution is adequately accounted for. However, distributions are dependent on the weld geometry and, in the absence of comprehensive information for welded joints, it is usually necessary to make conservative assumptions. This can result in unrealistic predictions, and consequently, further information on the nature and behaviour of residual stress distributions is required to enable the provision of improved guidance on this subject. The further development of the BS 7910 and R6 procedures for the assessment of residual stress effects was a principal task in the EC funded project named structural integrity assessment procedures for European industry, SINTAP, and an extensive investigation of this subject was performed. It entailed an extensive literature review of distributions in the principal weld geometries (including plate butt, pipe butt, pipe to plate, T-butt and tubular welded joints), experimental and numerical investigations and the development and validation of procedures.