INTEGRITY ANALYSIS OF A T-FRAME STIFFENED PANEL WITH A WELD DEFECT

Structural integrity analyses are often an essential part of the design and fabrication processes. In any structural integrity analysis, an accurate representation of component geometry and material constitutive response is required. Weld geometry and weld inhomogeneity add to the complexity of a structural integrity analysis. The current work consists of a structural integrity analysis of a welded T-frame stiffened panel with a lack of penetration weld defect. Material fracture toughness at the continuum scale is used as the failure criterion. Nonlinear finite elements are used in the computational simulation of the welded T-frame. Complementary global and detailed weld defect region models are used to simulate global and local structural response. Differences in weld and base metal properties are explicitly included in the computational formulation. © 1990, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.