DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTOMATIC EVALUATION SYSTEM FOR SHAPE PARAMETERS AND STRESS CONCENTRATION FACTORS OF WELDED JOINTS

Abstract

The stress concentration is widely known that has a significant influence on fatigue performance, but the calculation cost is high when using FEM or other methods when to evaluate the stress concentration for geometries measured with a 3D scanner. Although several simple formulas have been proposed to estimate the stress concentration factor, no method has yet been established to uniquely and automatically determine all geometrical parameters that serve as input parameters for Kt equations. In this study, an automatic evaluation system for shape parameters and fatigue performance based on Kt of welded joints was developed. Accuracy verification using an ideal model confirmed that the system can predict the weld geometries in a sufficiently high precision. Comparison with the results of manual measurement confirmed that the stress concentration factors were evaluated to be equivalent or on the safe side.