Efficient analysis of welding thermal conduction using the Newton–Raphson method, implicit method, and their combination

Finite element analysis is commonly used to investigate the thermal-mechanical phenomena during welding. To improve the computing efficiency of finite element analysis for welding thermal conduction, a novel Newton–Raphson method (NRM) without the computation of inverse matrix and a hybrid method combing the NRM and conventional implicit method (IMP) were developed. Comparison of computing time between the hybrid method implemented in an in-house software JWRIAN and the IMP used in a commercial software ABAQUS indicated that the computing speed of the former was about 4.5 times faster than that of the latter. Additionally, compared to the conventional IMP, the NRM exhibited higher computing efficiency in the analysis of transient thermal conduction during the welding heating process. Meanwhile, a combined hybrid method of the NRM and IMP was verified to be more efficient in analyzing the welding thermal conduction throughout the heating and cooling processes. Moreover, the thermal cycles computed by the hybrid method were consistent with those from experimental measurement, indicating the high accuracy of the hybrid method. Furthermore, the hybrid method was used to predict the temperature field of the corner boxing fillet joint welded by a low transformation temperature weld metal for generation of compressive residual stress.