Transient Thermomechanical Analysis of a Welded Joint

Jignesh Nakrani 2015H141040H

Arveen Arora 2015H141042H
Introduction
In this project, a three-dimensional model based on finite element analysis in
ANSYS is used to study the thermal variation and thermomechanical process in
the welding process of steel plates. The model incorporates the temperature
variation, displacement and stress fields of the welded material. The heat source
incorporated in the model involves the hot weld pool. The goal is to obtain a
time-dependent thermal solution followed by a thermomechanical solution,
which provides displacement and stress fields at different times.
Problem Statement

Figure 1: Schematic Diagram of Welded Joint

Consider the welded steel joint shown in Fig.1 (due to symmetry with respect to
the plane of the weld pool, only half of the geometry is shown). The plate is
12.5 cm long, 2 cm high, and 10 cm wide. The weld pool is assumed to be 0.5
cm long. In this heat transfer analysis, the surrounding air is at a temperature of
T = 229.82K (ambient temperature). The temperature-dependent film
coefficients for the top, bottom, and side surfaces are given in Table 1, as well
as the temperature-dependent thermal conductivity The density and specific heat
are assumed to be constant at = 7850 kg/m^ and c = 500 J/(kg-''K),
respectively. The temperature is fixed at 299.82K along the surface coinciding
with the x-y plane, and there is no heat transfer along the opposite surface

(symmetry plane). The initial temperature for the weld pool is 1852.94K, and
for the remaining volume, 299.82K. In this thermomechanical analysis, the plate
is fixed in all directions along the side coinciding with the x-y plane, and the
symmetry plane is constrained in the z-direction only. The elastic modulus,
Poisson's ratio, and coefficient of thermal expansion are Youngs modulus = 200
GPa, poisons ratio = 0.3, and thermal coefficient of expansion = 60xl0 -6 ppm/K,
respectively. The goal is to obtain a time-dependent thermal solution followed
by a thermomechanical solution, which provides displacement and stress fields
at different times.
Table 1: Temperature dependent properties

Preprocessor
Property
Elastic modulus E
Poissons ratio
Density
Specific heat
Thermal coefficient of expansion

Value
200 Gpa
0.3
7850 kg/m3
500 J/kg K
60xl0-6 ppm/K

Model generation
Thermal solid element brick 8node 70 is taken for the analysis. And modelling
is done of the rectangular block with the given dimensions. Only half of the
geometry is taken due to symmetry.

Solid 70 geometry

The generated model is as shown below in the figure 2.

Figure 2: Model generated

Meshing
The volume mapped meshing 4 to 6 sided is done with the help of the meshing
tool in the ANSYS. The mesh generated is shown in the figure 3.

Figure 3: Mesh generated Model

Boundary conditions as mentioned in the table are applied. Different surfaces

are having different film coefficients i.e. different heat transfer rate. By solving
the current LS we get the solution.
Postprocessing
Contours can be plotted of the temperature variation at different substeps. Here
we plot the contour of the temperature variation at the substep 5.

Figure 4: Contour plot temperature substep 5

Thermomechanical analysis
The element is changed from solid70 to solid45 to carry out the mechanical
behaviour analysis of the plates due to thermal expansion. The conditions are
applied and the contours are plotted of normal stresses in Z-direction.

Solid45 element

Figure 5: Stress contour plot

Conclusion
We obtain transient temperature, displacement and stress variation of the welded
plate. In this way we can analyse different cross section with different boundary
conditions and obtain the contour plots. The stress variation can be used to
analyse and optimise the welding process.