An application of the implicit gradient method to welded structures under multiaxial fatigue loadings

This paper deals with the problem of fatigue strength assessment of welded joints subjected to multiaxial loading. Three-dimensional solid modelling and linear elastic stress analysis, by means of numerical methods, are used to investigate the local stress field at weld toes and roots, geometrically regarded as sharp notches. Starting from the stress field obtained from a linear elastic analysis and taking advantage of the so-called implicit gradient approximation, an effective stress index connected with the material strength is calculated. In particular, there will be an investigation into the possibility of applying the implicit gradient approach to welded structures, under both uniaxial and multiaxial loading conditions, by introducing a multiaxial criterion into the implicit gradient framework. The multiaxial criterion consists of an improvement of the well-established Crossland-like criteria. It will deal with multiaxiality caused by external loadings as well as multiaxial stress fields caused by severe stress raisers. In order to validate the devised approach, theoretical fatigue damage estimations are compared with experimental data. In particular, the proposed approach is applied to a series of applicative examples taken from scientific literature and related to welded joints subjected to uniaxial or in-phase multiaxial fatigue loading.