Stress Determination for Fatigue Analysis of Welded Components

Book excerpt: This report introduces definitions of the terminology relevant to stress determination for fatigue analysis of welded components. The various stress concentrations, stress categories and fatigue analysis methods are defined. Fatigue analysis methods considered are nominal stress, hot spot stress, notch stress, notch strain and fracture mechanics approaches. The report also contains comprehensive recommendations concerning the application of finite element methods and experimental methods for stress determination. It is intended for fatigue design of common welded structures, such as cranes, excavators, vehicle frames, bridges, ship hulls, offshore structures etc. fabricated from materials at least 3mm thick. In general, attention is focused on weld details which give rise to fatigue cracking from the surface, notably from the weld toe.