Features of thermal stress generated by welding and cutting of dissimilar steels

Abstract

Bridges that are damaged by an increase of vehicle load, corrosion and earthquake need repair or strengthening. Repair procedures of steel bridge generally include cutting, bolting and welding, which occasionally bring in a stress concentration within limit range. Therefore, a chain of confirmation about the safety of the structure is necessary. A safety evaluation method that considers heat effect is necessary to repair damaged structure by welding. Generalized welding and cutting residual stress is employed to estimate the safety of structure during the welding repair work. This research investigates the features of thermal stress generated by welding and cutting. The pattern of cutting residual stress distribution is classified with respect to the ratio between length and width of plate. The features of residual stress generated by welding or cutting are reported. © 2006 Science Reviews.