Metals Material Modelling: Welding Simulation and Residual Stresses

This e-learning course is aimed at engineers and designers who want to become familiar with how the Finite Element method can be used to simulate the welding process in metals and the residual stresses arising from welding.

The course will cover the finite element modelling of the welding of metallic structures using filler material where the high temperatures experienced by the materials during welding generate thermo-mechanical stresses and microstructural changes. Finite element solutions for the post-weld residual stresses will be discussed and compared to experimental measurements.

Difficulties encountered by the finite element user and the limitations of finite element software in modelling the welding process will be highlighted using examples to demonstrate the mechanics of welding and the expected accuracy of the finite element solutions.

The pre-requisite for this course is a working knowledge of linear finite element theory and applications. No prior knowledge of Welding is required. The course is independent of any finite element software code.

The objectives of this course are:

• To provide delegates with a good understanding of the welding process used in industry to join two metallic structures
• To highlight the difficulties, limitations and sources of error that may be encountered in modelling welding and the post-weld residual stresses
• To present examples of practical welding problems and highlight the validation of the finite element solutions