This paper describes the numerical prediction of the fatigue strength at the toe of steel fillet-welded joints in conditions of HCF, comparing and integrating results from an energy-based approach based on the Average Strain Energy Density (A-SED) and structural stresses derived using the nodal forces approach (Mesh-Insensitive) on shell FE models. The analysis considers plates of different thicknesses and weld sizes. The proposed method combines the two mentioned approaches to exploit the advantages of both, allowing a fast preliminary investigation of numerous and complex welded joints within a simplified model, with a coarse mesh and no geometric pre-processing required, while keeping a good adherence to the precision benefits given by local energy evaluations. This activity demonstrates a strong correlation between the numerical values obtained from the proposed innovative approach and the results from predictions made using a standard energy-based approach, with significantly lower computational and setup costs. Data processing and calculations are performed using the open-source software Python 3.10 (Software Foundation, Wilmington, DE, USA) to demonstrate the applicability of this method as a quick and ready-to-use “post-process” tool for industrial applications
Development of a Numerical Prediction Method for the Strain Energy Density of Welded Joints Using Structural Stresses Derived from Nodal Forces
Lucertini, Simone;Morettini, Giulia;Cianetti, Filippo
2025
Abstract
This paper describes the numerical prediction of the fatigue strength at the toe of steel fillet-welded joints in conditions of HCF, comparing and integrating results from an energy-based approach based on the Average Strain Energy Density (A-SED) and structural stresses derived using the nodal forces approach (Mesh-Insensitive) on shell FE models. The analysis considers plates of different thicknesses and weld sizes. The proposed method combines the two mentioned approaches to exploit the advantages of both, allowing a fast preliminary investigation of numerous and complex welded joints within a simplified model, with a coarse mesh and no geometric pre-processing required, while keeping a good adherence to the precision benefits given by local energy evaluations. This activity demonstrates a strong correlation between the numerical values obtained from the proposed innovative approach and the results from predictions made using a standard energy-based approach, with significantly lower computational and setup costs. Data processing and calculations are performed using the open-source software Python 3.10 (Software Foundation, Wilmington, DE, USA) to demonstrate the applicability of this method as a quick and ready-to-use “post-process” tool for industrial applicationsI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.