Improving fatigue life for aluminium cruciform joints by weld toe grinding

• Published in: Fatigue & fracture of engineering materials & structures Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 152 - 163
• Main Authors: YE, N., MOAN, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2008; Blackwell Science; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Aluminium; aluminium alloy; Aluminum; Applied sciences; Design engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Experiments; Fatigue; Fatigue life; Joining, thermal cutting: metallurgical aspects; Materials science; Mathematical analysis; Mechanical properties and methods of testing. Rheology. Fracture mechanics. Tribology; Metals. Metallurgy; Notches; stress concentration factor; Stresses; weld; Welded joints; Welding; Stress concentration; Fatigue life; Welding; Machining; Mechanical properties; Weld toe; Fatigue; Grinding; Cruciform joint; weld; Welded joint; stress concentration factor; aluminium alloy
• ISSN: 8756-758X; 1460-2695
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-2695.2007.01210.x

ABSTRACT The increase of fatigue life in aluminium cruciform joints by weld toe grinding was the focus of the current study. The test data are presented by both a nominal stress range approach and by the more refined structural and notch stress range approaches. The influence of the weld toe angle, weld leg length and weld toe radius on the structural and notch stress concentration factor (SCF) was systematically studied by means of finite element analysis. Experimental data based on 18 pieces of as‐welded and 13 pieces of weld toe‐ground specimens made of 12 mm thick plates showed a significant improvement in fatigue life in aluminium by grinding the weld toe and confirmed the permitted improvement in fatigue life by design codes.