INFLUENCE OF SURFACE ROUGHNESS AND CURVATURE RADIUS ON FATIGUE STRENGTH OF OUT-OF-PLANE GUSSET WELDED JOINTS WITH FINISHED WELD TOES

Abstract

As a method of finishing weld toes for improving the fatigue strength, a bar grinder is usually employed. It is known that fatigue strength of steel members depends on stress concentration and surface roughness at the fatigue crack originating point. One of controlling factors on the stress concentration at the finished weld toes is a radius of curvature. In this study, for the purpose of investigating the effects of the curvature radius and surface roughness on the fatigue strength of out-of plane gusset welded joints with finished weld toes, fatigue tests have been performed on model specimens.