The effect of differential thermal expansion on residual stresses in a welded connection

Abstract

Two tests were conducted on a welded joint between a forging and a pipe adaptor, to investigate the effect of differential thermal expansion in the various parts of the joint, on the residual stress. The first test was carried out with the weld in the approved manufacturing stress relieved condition. The second test was carried out following normalizing and extended stress relief heat treatments.

Strain gauge measurements were made on the heat affected zones and at various positions across the weld as the forging was heated and cooled through approximately 250° C. The apparent strain outputs of the gauges used at each location were determined from gauges attached to ‘stress free islands’ machined in the weld at the required postions Since the tests could only be carried out over a 250° C range the results were linearly extrapolated to cover the range of stress relief temperatures.

It is shown that differential expansion can have significant effects on residual weld stresses as the structures are temperature cycled.