Kamran Asim

Failure mechanism of laser welds in lap-shear specimens of a high strength low alloy steel

In this study, the failure mechanism of laser welds in lap-shear specimens of a high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel under quasi-static loading conditions is examined based on the experimental results. Optical micrographs of the welds in specimens before tests were examined to understand the microstructure near the weld. A micrographic analysis of the failed welds in lap-shear specimens indicates a ductile necking/shear failure mechanism near the heat affected zone. Micro-hardness tests were conducted to provide an assessment of the mechanical properties of the joint area which has varying microstructure due to the welding process. A finite element analysis was also carried out to identify the effects of the weld geometry and different mechanical properties of the weld and heat affected zones on the failure mechanism. The computational results of the finite element analysis indicate that the material inhomogeneity and geometry of the weld bead play an important role in the ductile necking/shear failure mechanism. The computational results match well with the experimental observations of the necking/shear failure and its location. A finite element analysis with consideration of void nucleation and growth based on the Gurson yield function was also carried out. The results of the finite element analysis based on the Gurson yield function are in good agreement with the experimental observations of the initiation of ductile fracture and its location.Copyright

Effects of weld geometry on stress intensity factor solutions for laser welds in lap-shear specimens

In this paper, the effects of weld geometry on the stress intensity factor solutions for laser welds in lap-shear specimens are investigated. Analytical stress intensity factor solutions for laser welded lap-shear specimens based on the beam bending theory are derived and compared with the analytical solutions for two semi-infinite solids with connection. Finite element analyses of laser welded lap-shear specimens with different weld widths were also conducted to obtain the stress intensity factor solutions. Approximate closed-form stress intensity factor solutions based on the results of the finite element analyses in combination with the analytical solutions based on the beam bending theory and Westergaard stress function for a full range of the normalized weld widths are developed for use with the stress intensity factor solutions for kinked cracks to correlate and estimate fatigue lives of laser welded lap-shear specimens. The effects of the weld protrusion on the stress intensity factor solutions for the pre-existing cracks in lap-shear specimens are also investigated. The presence of the weld protrusion decreases the stress intensity factor solutions for the pre-existing crack near the weld protrusion for the load carrying sheets and the lower stress intensity factor solutions can be used to explain more favorable conditions for kinked fatigue crack propagation from the other pre-existing crack tip and to estimate fatigue lives of laser welded lap-shear specimens under high cycle loading conditions as observed in experiments.© 2011 ASME