Application of local approaches to the assessment of fatigue test results obtained for welded joints at sub-zero temperatures

Several studies have found significant increase in the fatigue strength of welded joints of structural steels at sub-zero temperatures. This study addresses the research by investigating the applicability of local fatigue assessment methods to welded joints exposed to sub-zero temperatures. For this purpose, fatigue test results of two fillet weld details with weld toe and weld root failure are evaluated at a range of temperatures using a variety of structural hot-spot and notch stress approaches, then are compared to the nominal stress approach. Large differences in prediction accuracy are found for the analysed assessment methods and both failure locations.

Subjects

Effective notch stress

Fatigue assessment methods

Finite elements

Low temperature fatigue

Structural hot spot stress

Funding(s)

Ermüdungsfestigkeit von Schweißverbindungen bei Minusgraden

Options

Application of local approaches to the assessment of fatigue test results obtained for welded joints at sub-zero temperatures