Study on tension-tension fatigue strength properties of underwater welded joints of SM41A-2 Plate-to-Plate

수중용접한 국산 SM41A-2강판의 편진반복 인장하중하의 피로강도특성에 관한 연구

Nowadays, the high development of industrial technique demands the optimal design of marine structures to be welded under the water, because the underwater welding of the ship hull and marine structures can decrease manpower and cost of production. However there is not available at present any report on fatigue behavior about underwater welded joints. In this paper under tention- tension repeated fatigue stress with frequency of 10 cycles per second by local controlled system, the fatigue strength properties of underwater welded joints of SM41A-2 Plate-to-Plate of 10 mm thickness were experimentally examined. The results obtained were as follows : 1) The fatigue strength of underwater welded joints of SM41A-2 was peaked at the heat input of about 1, 400 joule/mm(180 A, 36 V), while, at the heat input of more than about 1, 100 joule/mm (160 A, 33 V) that of the underwater welds at the higher than cycle of life rather than the lower cycle was higher than that of the base metal but lower than that of the atmosphere welds on account of both cooling and notch effects. 2) The fatigue limit of underwater welds increased with an increase of heat input resulting in a peak of that at the heat input of about 1, 400 joule/mm and then decreased gradually. 3) The fatigue strength at N cycles was peaked between the heat input of about 1, 400 and 1, 700 joule/mm where the strain was rapidly increased. 4) It was confirmed that the optimal zone of heat input condition for obtaining the underwater welds fatigue strength higher than that of the base metal exists, and if out of this zone, the fatigue strength of the underwater welds was lower than that of the base metal because of lack weld penetration, inclusion of slag, voids, etc. 5) By the fatigue test, the underwater welds fractured brittly without visual deformation, so the strain was remarkably less than of the atmosphere welds. 6) The fatigue life factor was peaked at the heat input of about 1, 600 joule/mm (200 A, 36 V) at which the mean strain is a little higher than that of the base metal but quite lower than those of the atmosphere welds, resulting in good underwater welds because both fatigue strength and ductility of the underwater welds are higher than those of the base metal at such heat input.