Abstract
Fatigue crack propagation behavior in T-shape welded joints subjected to out-of-plane bending and shear force was investigated. Firstly, the redistributio n of welding residual stress due to crack extension was investigated analytically and experimentally. Afte r the crack propagates more than about 60% of the main plate thickness, the residual stress was almost re leased. Secondly, fatigue tests on T-shape welded joints was conducted in order to grasp the crack propagation behavior. The condition that main crack arrests can be evaluated by calculating effective stress intensity factor range. In some test cases, although main crack arrested, the specimen was broken due to the initiation of counter surface crack. It was demonstrated that the initiation of counter crack was a ssessed based on plastic strain in counter surface by elasto-plastic finite element method.
