ULTRASONIC MEASUREMENT OF RESIDUAL STRESSES IN WELDED SPECIMENS AND STRUCTURES

The application of an ultrasonic non-destructive method for residual stress (RS) measurements has shown that, in many cases, this technique is very efficient and allows measuring the RS both in laboratory conditions and in real structures in field for a wide range of materials. Using this technique, one can measure the RS at the same points many times, studying for instance, the changes of RS under the action of service loading or effectiveness of stress-relieving techniques. An ultrasonic computerized complex (UCC) for non-destructive measurement of residual and applied stresses was developed recently. The complex includes a measurement unit with transducers, basic supporting software, an advanced database and an Expert System, housed in a laptop, for analysis of the influence of RS on the fatigue life of welded elements. In general, the ultrasonic method allows one to measure the RS in both cases: averaged through thickness or in surface layers. The present version of UCC allows measuring the averaged through thickness biaxial RS in plates 2 - 150 mm thick. The results of ultrasonic RS measurement in large scale welded specimens and structures. are also discussed in this paper.