Eliminating Fatigue Failures in Welded Joints Though Proper Joint Design

Most materials, including steel, when subjected to repeated strains will weaken
and eventually initiate cracking. If repeated loading continues, the cracks will
grow through the member thickness and increase in length. The development of
these cracks through this process is termed fatigue crack initiation and growth.

Fatigue damage in large structures normally accumulates most rapidly at notches

or discontinuities, where stresses are raised above those in the surrounding
structure by local effects.

Fatigue in welded joints is a complex problem primarily related to structural

geometry and joint design, with secondary links to material properties.

Welded joints cannot be perfect. All joints have flaws and imperfections that
reduce the structural integrity or fatigue life of the joint. Imperfections lead to
higher localized stress, thus fatigue cracks most always start at an imperfection.
The localized stress is often called the notch stress, hinge point or leak path.

There are three main classes of imperfections that will decrease the fatigue life of
a welded joint:

a) Surface Weld Discontinuities

i) cracks
ii) lack of fusion or penetration

b) Embedded Weld Discontinuities

i) cavities
ii) solid inclusions, e.g. porosity and slag

c) Geometrical / Shape Imperfections

i) axial misalignment
ii) angular misalignment
iii) imperfect weld profile
iv) undercut and root undercut (it gives rise to stress concentration effect)

Surface Weld Discontinuities and Embedded Weld Discontinuities

Embedded Weld Discontinuities such as weld porosity and slag inclusion will
reduce fatigue life, but are less harmful than Surface Weld Discontinuities for the
fatigue life of a welded connection. Surface Weld Discontinuities such as weld
toe undercut, cracks, overlaps, porosity, slag inclusions and incomplete
penetration can have a significant influence on fatigue life. Figure 1 illustrates
many of the flaws that can exist in a welded joint.

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Eliminating Fatigue Failures in Welded Joints Though Proper Joint Design

Figure 1: Common Geometrical and Internal Weld Discontinuities

Geometric Imperfections
Geometric imperfections in welded joints such as misalignment, angular
misalignment, angular distortion, excessive weld reinforcement, incomplete root
penetration and otherwise poor weld shapes can reduce fatigue life by several
orders of magnitude. Geometric imperfections differ from Surface Weld
Discontinuities and Embedded Weld Discontinuities in that their effect is to
enhance existing regions of stress concentration in the welded joint, chiefly the
weld toe, rather than to provide additional sites for possible fatigue crack
initiation.

The effect of the Geometric imperfections is to cause an increase or decrease in

stress in the joint when it is loaded, due to the introduction of local bending
stresses.

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Eliminating Fatigue Failures in Welded Joints Though Proper Joint Design

How Welds Fatigue

In welded steel structures, fatigue cracks will almost certainly start to grow from
welds, rather than other details, and especially in welds with surface defects or
welds using partial penetration welds. A partial penetration weld joint has an un-
fused area where the weld does not completely penetrate the joint. Joints likely to
contain stress concentration, such as partial penetration welds, are more liable to
initiate cracks.

Most welding processes leave minute metallurgical discontinuities from which

cracks may grow. These points cause local stress concentrations of the type
shown in Figure 3. Small discontinuities close to these points will therefore react
as though they are in a more highly stressed member and grow faster.

Notch Stress and

Hinge Points
Leak Path
Figure 3. Partial Penetration Weld

Fatigue is a weakest link process which depends on the local stress in a small
area. While the higher strain at a notch makes no significant contribution to the
overall deformation, cracks may start growing here and eventually result in
fracture of the part. Almost all fatigue cracks start at the surface since slip occurs
easier here than in the interior.

Additionally, simple fracture mechanics considerations show that surface defects

and notches are much more damaging than internal defects of similar size. The
physical condition and stress situation at the surface is therefore of prime
importance for the fatigue performance. One of the important variables
influencing the fatigue strength is the surface finish or contour of the finished
weld.

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Eliminating Fatigue Failures in Welded Joints Though Proper Joint Design

To improve the fatigue life of the butt welded joints, full penetration welds must
be used. Surface Weld Discontinuities and Geometric imperfections must be
controlled or eliminated. The method relies on reducing the stress concentration
by removing weld discontinuities and stress notches. The backside of the weld is
ground or gouged to clean metal. This removes any lack of fusion, oxidation,
hinge points and stress notches. The clean metal is then welded over to an
acceptable surface contour.

Figure 4. Full Penetration Weld

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Eliminating Fatigue Failures in Welded Joints Though Proper Joint Design