Neutron Diffraction Evaluation of Residual Stress for Several Welding Arrangements and Comparison With Fitness-for-Purpose Assessments

In this research, the neutron diffraction technique was used to investigate and compare the residual stress characteristics in several weld arrangements. This research has focused on the effects on residual stress of restraint condition applied during welding, the start and end of the weld for a single bead, and increasing the number of passes. The measured residual stress distributions are normalized by the yield strength of the material and compared with distribution provided in fitness-for-purpose procedures. It is found that the current safety assessment procedure BS 7910 and R6 Level 1 significantly conservative for longitudinal stresses outside the weld and heat affected zone, and for transverse residual stress across the weldment for surface measurements. For a less conservative assessment, R6 Level 2 is recommended, however, even if this assessment is often conservative, in particular, for transverse residual stresses.