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Finite Element Simulation of a Technological Process of Welding

Alexey I. Borovkov Alexander A. Michailov Victor S. Modestov Computational Mechanics Laboratory, St.Petersburg State Polytechnical University, Russia
Abstract Welding is often applied for jointing structural components with each other, and for increasing joint strength a multilayer weld is to be performed. For example, this technology is used in the turbo-machine engineering for structural component fitting to a shaft. The structural component composed from two parts is fitted to a shaft without a gap, then both parts are coupled with each other, and the multilayer weld is made. In the process of welding, the high temperature differences result in large temperature strains, which affect the distribution of the contact pressure between a structural component and a shaft after cooling of the weld, as a result of which there could occur skewing, and a component would be attached to a shaft improperly. The results of the research of contact interaction between a structural component and a shaft during a manufacturing process of welding and a consequent cooling are presented in the paper. On the basis of the developed mathematical models for a solution of a decoupled quasistatic termo-elasto-plastic problem with account of the contact interaction, the problem was solved in two stages. 1.The first stage included a solution of the transient nonlinear 3D thermal problem, in which model of the welding process is the driving heat source of the appropriate power. The thermal properties of the materials are functions of the temperature. After laying the first joint weld, at the next stage of a solution the members modeling the second joint weld were taken into account. The obtained earlier solution is transferred to a new model and the all process repeats. As a result, the variation of temperature fields during welding is obtained, and the time of the joint weld cooling up to an ambient temperature was found. 2.The second stage included the solution of a series of the quasistatic nonlinear problems of the plasticity theory with account of thermal fields obtained at the previous stage. For simplification of a problem the transferring of metal in to a fluid phase during welding was not considered. For accounting plastic strains, the bilinear model of kinematical hardening was chosen. As a result, the plastic strain localization areas were found out, and it was stated that the contact pressure field is characterized by asymmetrical distribution on the contact surface and stabilizes with time.

Introduction
Welding is often applied for jointing structural components with each other, and for increasing joint strength a multilayer weld is to be performed. For example, this technology is used in the turbo-machine engineering for structural component fitting to a shaft. The structural component composed from two parts is fitted to a shaft without a gap, then both parts are coupled with each other, and the multilayer weld is made. In the process of welding, the high temperature differences result in large temperature strains, which affect the distribution of the contact pressure between a structural component and a shaft after cooling of the weld, as a result of which there could occur skewing, and a component would be attached to a shaft improperly. The purpose of the research is analyzing contact interaction between a structural component and a shaft to develop recommendations on prevention of a skew. Because the problem is nonlinear, i.e. the result depends on loading history, at carrying out of the analysis it was required to simulate all process of a welding.

Describing of the Model


The construction consists of a shaft in diameter D and a structural element representing the cylinder with internal bore, composed from two symmetrical parts (Figure 1). Technology of connection of a structural element with shaft following: the structural component is fitted to a shaft without a gap and then both parts are coupled with each other. Initial contact pressure is absent. After that the multilayer weld is made.

Figure 1. Technology of connection of a structural element with shaft The multilayer weld is lying by pieces with width 1 cm and groove is filled along axis of shaft. So, the joint weld composed from 9 pieces based on geometrical size of groove (Figure 2).

Figure 2. A model of the multilayer weld Geometrical characteristics of the model (Figure 3): D= d int ; d int =700 mm; d ext = 900 mm; L= 2600 mm; h= 300 mm; h rab = 70 mm; b= 20 mm. Owing to the symmetry of the problem, a quarter of the model is being considered.

Figure 3. Geometrical characteristics of construction

FE Model and Analysis Procedure


Some parameters of FEM for full model with all joints weld: - Applied finite element: solid 20-node element SOLID90- for solution of the transient thermal problem; contact 8-node element CONTA174 - for solution of the transient thermal problem and elastoplasticity problem, solid 20-node element SOLID95 - for solution of the elastoplasticity problem. - Number of elements: 49921 and 520 contact elements - Number of nodes: 213643 Number of degrees of freedom: 213643- for solution of the transient thermal problem; 640929 - for solution of the elastoplasticity problem. Thermal contact conduction between two contacting surfaces is used with contact conductance coefficient (TCC-coefficient) exceeding properties of the materials on two orders. Main contact properties are used default for solution of the elastoplasticity problem.

The problem of thermoelastoplasticity is solved in the semi-coupled statement, i.e. at first, the transient thermal problem is solved, and then, after obtaining transient temperature distribution fields, the stress tensor component distribution and the plastic strain field are determined (successive analysis).

Transient Thermal Analysis


The goal of this analysis stage was obtained variation of temperature fields during welding and definition of the time of the joint weld cooling up to ambient temperature. Material of construction is carbon steel. Thermal properties of the material are functions of the temperature. Thermal properties are presented in the table below.

Table 1 T,
o

k,

W o m C

c,

J o kg C
473 -

kg m3
-

20 700

54 33

7800

The welding process was simulated by the driving heat source appropriate to heat flow the power 3000 W. Thermal flow heats up a surface the area 1
2

cm

within 1 minute. After that heat source is moving and heats up the next

surface the area 1 cm within 1 min (simultaneously on previous surface a convection is occurred). This loop was repeated again until the joint weld has been laid. Then joint weld was cooled up within 5 min and the process was repeated again for new joint weld. Algorithm of welding process is shown in Figure 4 through 5. The axis of abscesses axis is presented the total time, where t w = 6 min - time of laying a joint weld, N=9 - number of joint welds.

Figure 4. Algorithm of welding process

Figure 5. Algorithm of welding process (the driving heat source)

On other surface G convection boundary conditions were applied:

k
where

T = (T G T ) , n G

= 6.8

W - film coefficient o , T = 20 C - bulk temperature. 2 m

At initial time temperature was constant all over the model and was equaled 20 C . The obtained earlier solution for model with i numbers of joint welds is being an initial distribution of temperature for model with i+1 numbers of joint welds. For that Submodeling procedure was used. The (i + 1) initial temperature same as ambient temperature.
th

joint weld had

The time of simulation was chosen so that the joint weld was cooled up close to ambient temperature. If a joint weld temperature was larger than ambient temperature then simulation time was increased and calculations were continued for new simulation time. In that way simulation time 150 min was chosen. It corresponds with time of the joint weld cooling up within 50 min.

Results
The temperature fields for different number of joint welds at various moments of time are shown in Figure 6 through 9. The diagram temperature vs. time for different number of joint welds in control points is presented below. Based on these plots we can conclude that at time t=150 min the average temperature on shaft surface didn't exceed 50
o

C . So, this moment of time we can assume as simulation time.

Figure 6. Temperature fields at laying the 1st joint weld

Figure 7. Temperature fields at laying the 2nd joint weld

Figure 8. Temperature fields at laying the Nth joint weld

Figure 9. Temperature fields at the joint weld cooling up process

Nonlinear thermoelastoplasticity analysis


The goal of this analysis stage was obtained variation of stress-strain state during welding and definition of a contact force between shaft and structural element and also was revealed of a skew in attaching a structural element to a shaft as a result of welding process. For simplification of a problem the transferring of metal in to a fluid phase during welding was not considered. For accounting plastic strains, the bilinear model of kinematical hardening was chosen see Figure 10.

Figure 10. Stress-strain curve Physical properties of the material are presented in the table below.

Table 2 T,
o

E, N m2

11

,
10

1 C

20 700

2.1 10
-

0.3 -

The contact interaction with friction by Coulomb's law was considered. Friction coefficient equaled 0.1. At it was mentioned above, the obtained earlier solution for model with i numbers of joint welds is being an initial distribution of displacements for model with i+1 numbers of joint welds. For that Submodeling procedure was used. As a result of interpolation errors in stress tensor components evaluation can originate. The reason for this is that at the time moment when the next joint weld is brought into the model, nodes lying on the joint weld interface have non-zero displacement. Consequently, elements attached to the (i + 1) joint weld have non-zero deformation. Let's consider it by the example of a plane problem of the elasticity theory (Figure 11 - Displacement vector in joint weld interface elements). Let the elements e1 and e2 belong to the i belong to the (i + 1)
th th th

joint weld (blue color) and elements e3, e4

joint weld (red color). Let at the previous solution step the elements e1 and e2 have received
th

non-zero deformation to which there corresponds a displacement vector ( u x , u y ) in nodes 1 through 6. At the subsequent solution step the elements belong to the (i + 1) joint weld is brought into the model. After Submodeling, the displacement in nodes will be distribution in the following way, see Figure 11. So, element e3 has a prestressed state and stress level is able to exceed yield stress. It doesn't correspond to physics of a problem. Further we shall show, that the given error can be neglected.

Figure 11. Displacement vector in joint weld interface elements

Results
From distribution of plastic strain intensity on a shaft surface and on a groove surface of structural element (see Figure 12) we can conclude that plastic strain intensity achieves the maximum value at joint weld interface. This plastic strain intensity is localized and quickly decreased in time (Figure 12). On a shaft surface plastic strain intensity achieves the greatest value in point 2 (Figure 13) and increases till the moment time 99 min. It is time of the N joint weld lying. Results show, that the error caused by the given algorithm is neglected, and does not influence an arrangement of a structural element and distribution of contact pressure. Let's consider the contact pressure distribution in contact zone (Figure 14). Let's note, that during technological process of welding the area of contact pressure is small and increases at the moments of time corresponding to cooling up of joint welds (Figure 15 ). Let's estimate force that will hold a structural element on to a shaft after performing of welding. For this we consider an average contact pressure < Pcont > , acting after performing of welding (t=150 min):
th

< Pcont > =

1 Scont

Scont

p dS

By results of research < Pcont > =3.43 MPa, that compare favorably to experimental data. Uniform distribution of contact pressure zones on a surface of a structural element allows to conclude on absence of a skew in an arrangement of a structural element on the shaft.

Figure 12. Distribution of plastic strain intensity (left - on the shaft, right - on the structural element). Location of the control points

Figure 13. Plastic strain intensity vs. time

Figure 14. Distribution of contact pressure on structural element. Location of the control points

Figure 15. Contact pressure vs. time

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