Abstract
Submarine and deep sea diving structures are generally designed based on their ultimate strength. Fatigue strength at welded joint must be also taken into account because working stress is increased due to the increasing of diving depth and using high yield steel. The pressure hulls of submarine are subjected to fluctuating compressive loading. But in addition to the calculated stresses, high residual tensile stresses at welded part have to be considered. The state of stress level of pressure hull is tensile at surface and compressive at deep diving depth. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the crack initiation and growth at the weld toe of T welded joints of HY-100 steel plate under constant amplitude loading. It is also investigated the phenomenon of the fatigue failure and test methods. Fatigue tests have been using real scaled local structural models of full penetration T-welded joint, which is a part of the cylindrical shell structures reinforced by ring stiffeners. Several load ratios under constant amplitude loading are considered in the tests. Crack initiation and growth characteristics are examined based on the beach marks of the cracked section of the test specimens. A design stress-life curve including the design formula is suggested according to tested data.