This presentation was made at the NAFEMS UK Seminar "Welding Simlation - How Much Validation is Enough?"

Resource Abstract

Weld modelling – the prediction of weld residual stresses using finite element techniques – has been developed and applied in the UK civil nuclear industry over the last two decades. Its development and use were driven by the extensive residual-stress-driven creep cracking problems encountered in the UK Advanced Gas Cooled reactor fleet.



This effort resulted in the R6 Weld Modelling Guidelines, originally issued in 2009, which presented a state of the art, formalised approach to using finite element techniques to predict residual stresses in austenitic steel welds, with a strong focus on validating those predictions based upon the safety significance of the component of interest.