Evaluation of fatigue strenght of welded structures by local strain measurements

The object of the paper is the experimental evaluation of the local strain conditions near the fatigue-crack starting zones in welded structures, at the toe of weld joints. These zones are characterized by steep gradients for strain and stress. The evaluation is performed using strain gages and finite-element techniques on real cruciform weld joints. The results illustrate the possibilities and the limitations posed by the use of local strain measurements to assess the fatigue strength of welded structures. These factors are usually estimated on the basis of a nominal stress approach.Paper was presented at 1983 SESA Spring Meeting held in Cleveland, OH on May 15–19, 1983.