Some fatigue tests on friction welded steel bars

TWI Industrial Member Report Summary 485/1994

By S Manteghi

Background

Friction welded connections were produced using 25mm diameter solid bars in BS 970 Grade 080 M40 material (corresponding closely to the AISI 1039 and 1040 steel grades). The main weld parameters were selected to ensure good quality welds on the basis of: visual examination; bend tests; hardness surveys of the bond area and the HAZ, and tensile testing.

The work completed to date comprises the fatigue testing of 25 specimens in the following conditions: as-welded, stress relieved (with flash intact), and flash removed (but otherwise as-welded). All the tests were performed under axial loading in air at ambient temperature under load control. The majority of the tests was performed at a stress ratio of R = 0.1, with the remainder at R = -1.