Abstract
In this study, the improvement of low cycle fatigue strength by toe finishing technique was investigated experimentally and analytically. T-shape welded joints with different plate thickness were fabricated, and weld toes of some specimens were finished by TIG-dressing or burr-grinding. The low cycle fatigue test results demonstrated that the crack initiation lives of finished specimens were much longer than those of as-welded specimens. We also analyzed the local st rain around the finished zone and investigated the geometric effects on the local strain. Parametric analyses carried out by finite element analyses demonstrated that the local strain was strongly influen ced by the radius and depth of the finished dent as well as the main plate thickness. Finally, we proposed a simple equation to estimate the fatigue strength of the welded joints includ ing the geometric effects.
