Weld arrangement effects on the fatigue behavior of multi friction stir spot welded joints

In this study, the effects of friction stir spot weld arrangements as multi type on fatigue behavior of friction stir spot welded joints is investigated. The joints that are considered with five different styles for friction stir spot welded joints: one-row four joints parallel to loading direction, two-row four-joint specimen, one-row four joints perpendicular to the loading axis, three-row as diamond shape with four joints in each edge and five friction stir spot welded specimen in three rows that middle row consist three joints. The correlation between micro hardness, cyclic material constants and mechanical strength of different zones around the friction stir spot welds are assumed to be proportional to base material hardness. A non-linear finite element analysis was carried out for simulating tensile shear multi friction stir spot welded joints with ANSYS software by considering gap effects. Using the local stress and strain calculated with finite element analysis, fatigue lives of specimens were predicted with Morrow, modified Morrow and Smith-Watson-Topper (SWT) damage equations. Experimental fatigue tests of welded specimens have been carried out using constant amplitude load control servo-hydraulic fatigue testing machine. The results reveal that there is relatively good agreement between fatigue life predictions and experimental data in reasonable fatigue life regime. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.