Modeling welding using FEA

[brad]

I am looking for information regarding welding simulation using FEA. Let me be very clear as to what I desire.
I want to know what methodologies have been developed and employed that can properly simulate the thermo-mechanical aspects of welding (both spot and arc welding) on the structure.
I am not looking for answers along the lines of "use beam elements to connect the parts together". Instead I am looking for any research which has been done by people regarding the effect these temperature changes, phase changes, and cooling have on the joined material. The welds themselves are of secondary consideration to me.

A specific example (just to clarify) would be: I arc weld two pieces of sheet metal together. The act of arc-welding these together will distortion and residual stresses within the sheet metal structures. I want to be able to simulate these.

I do not expect anybody to tell me "how" to do this; I am looking for somebody to point me to some available papers/theses/etc. on this topic.
Thank you,
Brad

 

[lelswe]

You can find references and info at sublinks of

http://www.mt.luth.se/~lel/

and download at

http://www.cad.luth.se/publications.asp

lars-erik

 

[GJS]

Hi Brad,

Dont know if this is in the links suggested by Lars-erik, but this link...

http://www.stud.ntnu.no/~artem/welding.htm

..has been very useful to me for modelling the welding process, especially using ABAQUS. Example decks are included so you should be able to quickly build a model (unverified, admitedly) to play with, and then play tunes with it. All chapters of the thesis are included as PDF documents, so all the background is there as well, which should start the paper chain.

Hope its a nudge in the right direction.

GJS

 

[pablofr]

Mr. Brad,

Maybe the link below would be helpful.

http://theses.mit.edu/Dienst/UI/2.0/Describe/0018.mit.theses/1981-67?abstract=

Best Regards!