Understanding welding distortion: thermal fields thermo-mechanical effects

A first introduction to welding mechanics is given, based at this stage on uncoupled analytical solutions for thermal and thermomechanical behaviour. Rosenthal’s well-known quasi-static solution for the temperature field caused by a fast-moving, concentrated heat source is used to demonstrate the influence of different material properties and welding process conditions on the temperature fields. An approximate thermo-mechanical solution due to Okerblom is used to demonstrate the roles of the thermal dilatation of the material being welded and the heat input on welding deformations. This solution is also used to illustrate the development of residual stress fields and the potential for buckling.