• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.24 no.3 s.174
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• pp.567-580
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• 2000

This paper proposes an integrated approach, which is independent of specimen geometry and loading type, for predicting the fatigue life of spot welded specimens. We first establish finite element models reflecting the actual specimen behaviors observed on the experimental load-deflection curves of 4 types of single spot welded specimens. Using finite element models elaborately established, we then evaluate fracture parameter J-integral to describe the effects of specimen geometry and loading type on the fatigue life in a comprehensive manner. It is confirmed, however, that J-integral concept alone is insufficient to clearly explain the generalized relationship between load and fatigue life of spot welded specimens. On this ground, we introduce another effective parameter $J_e$ composed of $J_I$, $J_{II}$, $J_{III}$, which has been demonstrated here to more sharply define the relationship between load and fatigue life of 4 types of spot welded specimens. The crack surface displacement method is adopted for decomposition of J, and the mechanism of the mixed mode fracture is also discussed in detail as a motivation of using $J_e$.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.24 no.1 s.173
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• pp.38-51
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• 2000

The study on the mechanical behavior of a spot-welded specimen is largely divided into the quasi-static overload failure analysis and the fatigue failure prediction. The main issue in an overload analysis is to examine the critical loads, thereby providing a generalized overload failure criterion. As the welding spot forms a singular geometry of an external crack type, fatigue failure of spot-welded specimens can be evaluated by means of a fracture parameter. In this study, we first present the limit loads of 4 representative types of single spot-welded specimens in terms of the base metal yield strength and specimen geometries. Recasting the load vs. fatigue life relationships experimentally, obtained here, we then predict the fatigue life of spot-weld specimens with a single parameter denoted the equivalent stress intensity factor. This crack driving parameter is demonstrated to successfully describe the effects of specimen geometry and loading type in a comprehensive manner. The suggested fatigue life formula for a single spot weld can play a key, role in the design and assessment of spot-welded panel structures, in that the fatigue strength of multi-spots is eventually determined by the fatigue strength of each single spot.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.21 no.B
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• pp.213-222
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• 2001

In the study, the fatigue strength improvement and mechanism have been estimated by the Spot-Heating treatment on welded bead toes. For this, web-gusset specimens were made without residual stresses and the others with residual stresses imposed by Spot-Heating. The 4-point bending tests were performed in order to estimate the effect of spot-heating on fatigue strength and fatigue characteristics quantitatively for non load-carrying fillet welded joints subjected to pure bending. As a result of fatigue test, fatigue strength of As-Welded specimen for non load-carrying fillet welded joints subjected to pure bending has satisfied the grade of fatigue prescribed in specifications of korea, AASHTO and JSSC. As compare with As-Welded specimen and Spot-Heating specimen have increased about 20% for the fatigue strength at $7.7{\times}10^6$ cycles. The Spot-Heating by reformation of the residual stress on welded bead toes has greatly affected the fatigue crack propagation life, but has slightly affected the fatigue crack initiation life.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.485-488
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• 2000

In this study, the fatigue characteristic of spot weld specimen was studied by using the various specimen. The specimen types were tensile shear specimen welded one spot and two spot, and cross tension. The tensile tests and fatigue tests were executed to know the mechanical properties under static and fatigue load condition. In addition, the relationship was illustrated by finite element method.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.74-83
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• 2001

In this study, internal fatigue crack initiation and propagation behavior were investigated by triple piece spot welded specimen. To estimate fatigue life of the specimen varied with shape and thickness, Crack tip opening angle(CTOA) correlated with stress intensity factor was used as the stiffness parameter. The relation between fatigue life and CTOA can be arranged by the quantitative equation for each specimen by experiment. In addition, the variation of stress distribution was solved and the effect on fatigue crack behavior was examined by finite element method(FEM).

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.279-286
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• 1999

Failure of spot-weld joints in car body may cause noise, vibration and safety problems. Systematic procedures for estimating fatigue strength of general spot-weld joints are developed in this paper. Fatigue test results for various spot-welded specimens are analysed using the finite element method. It is found that the maximum principal strain at the nugget boundary on the inner surface governs the fatigue failure of spot-welded joints.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.20-28
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• 1997

The fatigue crack propagation properties and fatigue life of two kinds of Al body panel for automobile were examined experimentally by using the plate specimen and the single spot welding specimen. The fatigue limit of spot welding specimens was lower than that of a plate specimen. The fatigue limit was similar in two kinds of spot welding specimen. The shape and size of crack propagation were observed and measured on beach mark of fracture surface. The crack propagation of surface crack specimen showed almost same tendency to that of a thick plate as almost semi-elliptical. In spot welding specimen, the fatigue crack occurred in inside surface of nugget area was almost semi-elliptical. The crack growth rate can be explained using equation of stress intensity factors.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2003

Evaluation of fatigue strength on the spot welded part is very important for strength design of spot welded steel structures. In this paper, we could get the life cycle of the spot welded part using the lethargy coefficient obtained through the quasi-static tensile shear test for the specimen welded by current 10kA. The reliability evaluation of the life cycle is completed by comparing the life cycle calculated under the constant loading rate with the life cycle obtained by dynamic fatigue test. And then the result calculated by the lethargy coefficient is verified through the lift cycle calculated using the dynamic final tensile stress formula under the increased loading speed. This way can make save the time and cost in processing of predicting the life cycle of a structure.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.29 no.8 s.239
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• pp.1153-1160
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• 2005

Many methods of spot weld modeling have been developed to increase efficiency and guarantee the robustness fer the CAE analysis. In this research they are introduced and the performance is compared in a viewpoint of stiffness and durability. For evaluating the performance a multi-spot welded specimen as well as two single welded specimen is used. The results show that the CWELD element considering 'patch to patch' is stiffer than other modeling methods in stiffness and more conservative in durability. It also offers simple modeling and since it is much easier to maintain the orrhogonality of the BAR element expressing a nugget, we can obtain more exact reaction forces and moments in a nugget. Therefore the CWELD element is the most excellent in the assessment of durability.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.69-75
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• 1999

Spot welding has been used in the sheet metal joining processes because of its high productivity and convenience. In this study, predicting methods of fatigue life of spot welded joint have been investigated and fatigue and static tests were conducted with the peel-tension specimens using cold rolled steel plate(SPCC). Fatigue life of peel-tension spot welded joint was influenced by tail effect. Fatigue life evaluation using modified stress index parameter, considering the effective eccentric length, can predict the life more exactly than conventional stress index parameter.