Treatment of residual stress in failure assessment procedure

The effect of residual stress on component failure has been investigated using the distributions from current failure assessment procedures, and a residual stress profile simple to apply with less conservatism has been proposed for the weld geometries of T-plate and tubular T-joint. The stress intensity factors (SIFs) in the two weld geometries under various types of loads have been calculated using the Green’s function method. The Green’s functions were determined not only for the T-plate but also for the tubular T-joint with the built-in ends. The use of a linear (bending) stress profile, derived from an analysis of measured residual stress distributions in T-plate and tubular T-joints, has been examined. The profile was validated with experimentally measured residual stress distributions in two materials, a high strength and medium strength ferritic steel and two geometries, a T-plate joint and a tubular T-joint for crack lengths up to half the plate or pipe thickness. Whereas the recommended residual stress distributions are geometry and material specific, it is shown that a simplified linear bending profile provides a possible guideline, applicable to a range of materials and geometries, where detailed information on weld procedures or residual stress profiles are unavailable.