Local heating for reducing residual stress and fatigue-performance improvement of welded joints

Abstract

This study conducts a series of experiments and numerical simulations to explore the effectiveness of local induction heating in reducing welding residual stress and enhancing the fatigue life of steel structural members. The primary focus was on diminishing tensile residual stress around box-welded joints using an induction heating device. The investigation encompassed various heating conditions, including temperature, position, and sequence, to examine the reduction of welding residual stress. Experimental and analytical approaches were utilized to assess these conditions. Residual stress measurements confirmed the efficacy of stress reduction through local heating, while numerical simulations elucidated the underlying stress reduction mechanism. Additionally, the study evaluated the impact of this residual stress reduction on the fatigue performance of the box-welded joints. It was found that fatigue life could be significantly improved by local heating under two distinct loading conditions in which tensile and compressive stresses were applied to the weld toe. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd