Distribution of residual stresses in welded high strength structural steel beams

Abstract

Aim of this research was to observe the effective distribution of residual stresses in welded beams of high strength structural steels after welding them with two sequences, using two different types of sections and two different steels.

S355J2C3 was welded as hole section and in the first series the buff welds were welded first, so that shrinkage was not hindered by the steel plates of the beam. In the second series the fillet welds were welded first and the butt welds was not last so that they could not shrink easily, and cause high tensile residual stresses.

S890QL was observed as double-Tsection and the welding sequences were the same.

The results confirmed what was thought, high residual stresses were found in the butt welded beams, but their magnitude was much lower than the yield limit in the S890 QL steel.