Residual Stress Evaluation in Butt-welded IN718 Plates

Thermo-mechanical finite element analysis has been performed to assess the residual stress in the butt-weld joints of IN718 plates utilizing the commercial software package ANSYS, employing 2D plane stress models. Temperature dependant properties of the material are specified. The radial heat flux distribution is considered on the top surface of the weldment. Convective and radiative heat losses are taken into account through boundary conditions for the outward flux. The present 2D plane stress analysis results are found to be in good agreement with existing 3D finite element analysis results. 2D welding simulations are minimizing the complexity of the problem and providing the nature of residual stress in welds.