Investigation of residual stresses in tubes with spiral welds

सार

Spiral welding processes encounter significant challenges in the form of bubbles and hot cracking. These issues arise due to the complex nature of residual stress distribution post-welding. Residual stresses within Spirally Welded Tubes (SWTs) can lead to detrimental consequences such as fatigue cracks, stress corrosion, and compromised structural strength. As a result, an accurate and thorough assessment of residual stress distribution is essential before incorporating SWTs into structural components. The widely utilized Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) method involves the use of CO₂ as a shielding gas and a 0.8mm consumable solid wire as an electrode. To model the intricate residual stress distribution, advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is carried out using the ABAQUS software. In order to establish a comprehensive benchmark, the distribution of residual stresses in Longitudinally Welded Tubes (LWTs) is also examined. The intricate thermomechanical behaviour of the weld is effectively captured through the implementation of the DFLUX subroutine within the ABAQUS software. Verification of the simulated residual stress distribution is accomplished using the X-ray diffraction method (XRD). This validation process encompasses both Powder XRD (PXRD) and Portable high-speed XRD (iXRD) techniques, allowing for a meticulous comparative evaluation of the outcomes. Encouragingly, a strong correlation is evident between the empirical findings and the analytical results, underscoring the robustness of the conducted study.