FCP Report No. 21

Influence of Bending Stresses on the Fatigue Crack Propagation Life in Butt Welds

by

J. D. Burk
F. V. Lawrence
Department of Metallurgy and Mining Engineering

Abstract

The fatigue crack propagation life of A-36 steel double-V butt welds was determined for the conditions of zero-to-tension axial loads. Good agreement between the measured and calculated fatigue crack propagation lives could be obtained only when the bending stresses resulting from joint straightening under load were considered in the analysis. The magnitude of these bending stresses was found to be surprisingly large, and expressions are presented which predict this effect.

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