Residual Fatigue Life of Flash Welded Steel Joints: Microstructural and Overloading Effects

摘要

The objective of the present work is to study the fatigue crack growth behaviour in a structural steel used in offshore mooring systems. Accordingly, the study was extended to evaluate crack growth rate also in flash welded chain links. These were fatigue tested in the as-welded and welded and heat treated conditions and the results were then compared with those obtained with the base material. In an effort to extend the fatigue life, a single overload cycle was applied and the observed life extension is presented and discussed in light of the intensity of overloading as well as microstructural characteristics of the fatigued specimens.