STUDY OF MECHANICAL-BEHAVIOR AND FRACTURE -RESISTANCE OF WELDED-JOINTS

This article presents in condensed form the main results of a digital analysis program 'for the mechanical behaviour of welded junctions car ried out jointly by the CEA, EDF and Framatome. A parametric study, ba sed on the finite elements calculation, made it possible to identity t he main factors governing the rupture strength of austenitic stainless steel weld seams used in the nuclear industry. The consequences of th e metallurgical and mechanical heterogeneity of weld seams on the vali dity and the practical use of engineering methods are then presented.