Abstract:

ESDU 77011 gives graphs of the stress in the loaded plate plotted against endurance obtained from test data for constant amplitude loading on welds in plates of between 1/4 and 2 inch in thickness reported in a wide range of sources in the literature. The joints were prepared with square, or single or double U or V, ends and welded from both sides. Two graphs show the data for weld toe failure cases, one for a fully-tensile loading and one for zero mean stress. Both show 95 per cent confidence lines derived from a statistical analysis. A third graph shows failures initiated at a weld defect for both fully tensile and zero mean stress loadings, again with confidence limits. The influence of weld defects is discussed and a graph shows the reduction in defect-free fatigue strength plotted against the reduction in cross-sectional area due to defects. Also discussed are the effects of residual stresses and size, mean stress, and weld bead shape.