Influence of Weld Defects on the Fatigue Resistance of Thick Steel Plates

Multi-wire submerged arc welding (SAW) process is conventionally used for long welds with large cross sections in tubular steel tower manufacturing. By applying non-vacuum electron beam welding (NVEBW), the number of passes and the heat input can be notably reduced. For plate thicknesses of 20 mm or more the continuous appearance of solidification cracks inside the weld cross section rouse a great challenge. The fatigue resistance is reduced significantly and the safety of the component cannot be ensured. In this paper analytical and experimental investigations are discussed for predicting fatigue life of defective welds.