16th International Conference on New Trends in Fatigue and Fracture (NT2F16)
May 24-27, 2016, Dubrovnik, Croatia
THE EFFECT OF RESIDUAL STRESSES ON FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH
IN WELDED STIFFENED PANELS
A. Firstauthorfamilyname1, Ž. Božić2,, B.B. Thirdauthorfamilyname3
2University
1University, School, Address, City, Country
of Zagreb, Faculty of Mech. Eng. And Nav. Arch., I. Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
3University, School, Address, City, Country
Abstract: This paper presents models for predicting fatigue crack propagation in welded stiffened panels. The Mode I total stress intensity factor values with respect to crack length were determined based on the superposition rule of linear elastic fracture mechanics by using finite element method. The FEM models included idealized residual stress distribution patterns. By
using the Paris law the crack propagation life was simulated for a welded stiffened panel
specimen and compared with results of cyclic tension fatigue tests.
Keywords: Modeling, Fatigue, Crack propagation, Residual stress
1. Introduction
The crack growth rate in welded stiffened panels can be significantly affected by the residual
stresses which are introduced by the welding process. The high heat input from the welding
process causes tensile residual stresses in the vicinity of a stiffener. The tensile stresses are
equilibrated by compressive stresses in the region between the stiffeners.
In the present investigation, the fatigue crack propagation in welded stiffened panel specimens
was studied taking into account residual stresses. The finite element method was used to determine the Mode I total stress intensity factor Ktot, based on the superposition rule of linear elastic
fracture mechanics. The influence of welding residual stress on crack growth rate is accounted
for by replacing the nominal stress ratio R in empirical power laws by the effective stress intensity factor ratio Reff [1, 2].
2. Residual stresses modeling
It is well-known that the residual stress in a welded stiffened panel is tensile along a welded
stiffener and compressive between the stiffeners. Residual stresses may significantly influence
the stress intensity factor (SIF) values and fatigue crack growth rate [3].
The so-called residual stress intensity factor, Kres, is required for the prediction of fatigue
crack growth rates in welding residual stress fields. The analysis method is based on the superposition rule of linear elastic fracture mechanics. In the residual stress field, under the cyclic
loads, the total SIF range ΔKtot and effective SIF ratio Reff are given as:
∆𝐾tot = (𝐾app,max + 𝐾res ) − (𝐾app,min + 𝐾res ) = ∆𝐾app
(1)
Under cyclic loading, only the Reff changes due to the presence of residual stresses. Welding
residual stresses can be idealized by the triangular distribution or the rectangular distribution
[4], with peak residual tensile stress equal to the yield strength of the steel. In this study the
distribution of welding residual stresses in the stiffened panel specimen is taken into account
in a similar manner, as depicted in Figures 1a and 1b.

Corresponding author
E-mail address: zeljko.bozic@fsb.hr (Ž. Božić)
b)
a)
Fig. 1. Welding residual stress distribution: a) rectangular; b) triangular.
0.8
Elber
Schijve
0.75
0.7
0.65
U
0.6
0.55
0.5
0.45
0.4
0.35
0
0.02
0.04
a (m)
0.06
0.08
Fig. 2. Factor U for the rectangular residual stress distribution.
3. Conclusions
Compressive welding residual stresses decreased the total SIF values Ktot, and the crack growth
rate between the two stiffeners. The Elber and Schijve models, which take into account the
effective stress intensity factor ratio, Reff, were implemented to simulate fatigue crack propagation in the test specimen. The simulated crack growth rate was higher in the region of tensile
residual stresses, which is in good agreement with experimental results.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Grant No. 120-0362321-2198.
The support is gratefully acknowledged.
References
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welded stiffened panels. Fatigue and Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures 2014;
37(9):1043–1054.
[2] Servetti G, Zhang X. Predicting fatigue crack growth rate in a welded butt joint: the role of effective
R ratio in accounting for residual stress effect. Eng. Fract. Mech. 2009; 76: 1589–1602.
[3] Anderson TL. Fracture mechanics, fundamentals and applications. 3rd ed. Norway: CRC Press: Taylor and Francis Group; 2005.
[4] Dexter RJ, Pilarski PJ, Mahmoud HN. Analysis of crack propagation in welded stiffened panels. Int.
J. Fatigue. 2003;25:1169–1174.