Non-destructive measurement of residual stresses in carbon steel weld joints

Abstract

Residual stress measurements have been carried out on 8 and 12 mm thickness carbon steel single V weld joints by X -ray diffraction and ultrasonic techniques. The maximum tensile and maximum compressive stresses on the surface of the 12 mm carbon steel weld joint are higher than those on the surface of the 8 mm carbon steel weld joint. The results also indicate that the variation in the surface residual stress across the weld is different from that for the through thickness residual stresses. The effect of constraint, which depends on the thickness of the weld joint, is found to influence the surface and through thickness residual stresses. The effect of stress relief annealing heat treatment on residual stresses was also studied.