Incorporation of residual stresses into the SINTAP defect assessment procedure

Residual stresses are an important consideration in the structural integrit y assessment of welded joints and reliable predictions of structural integr ity therefore require that the residual stress distribution is adequately a ccounted for. However, distributions are dependent on the weld geometry and , in the absence of comprehensive information for welded joints, it is usua lly necessary to make conservative assumptions, This can result in unrealis tic predictions, and consequently, further information on the nature and be haviour of residual stress distributions is required to enable the provisio n of improved guidance on this subject. The further development of the BS 7910 and R6 procedures for the assessment of residual stress effects was a principal task in the EC funded project n amed structural integrity assessment procedures for European industry, SINT AP, and an extensive investigation of this subject was performed. It entail ed an extensive literature review of distributions in the principal weld ge ometries (including plate butt, pipe butt, pipe to plate, T-butt and tubula r welded joints), experimental and numerical investigations and the develop ment and validation of procedures. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right s reserved.