• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.48-55
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• 2013

In this study, fatigue tests were performed on longitudinal out-of-plane gusset fillet welded joints and transverse non-load-carrying cruciform rib fillet welded joints, and then applicability of hammer-peening treatment on improvement of fatigue life for fatigue damaged weld joints were investigated. Fatigue tests were carried out on three types of gusset and rib welded specimens: as-welded specimens, post-weld hammer peened specimens and hammer peened specimens at 50% of as-welded specimen's fatigue life. Before and after hammer peening treatment, the geometry of weld toes and surface stresses near weld toes were measured. As a result of hammer peening treatment, compressive residual stresses of 30-83MPa were introduced near weld toes of the gusset and rib welded joints, and 130% increase in fatigue life and fatigue limit of the welded joints could be realized by hammer peening treatment at 50% fatigue life of as-welded conditions.