Effect of clamping force on the residual stresses offlash butt welding

Flash butt welding is commonly used in the manufacture of continuously welded rails. This investigation performs an electro-thermo-mechanical analysis using finite element techniques to analyze residual stresses in two weldment plates, then we will compare the residual stresses with datasheets that have been published by Department of the US Army Corps of Engineering to evaluate them and we found the fine results. Element birth and death method was adopted to simulate metal melting during the welding process. At the end we survey the effect of clamping force on the residual stresses of flash butt welding procedure.

Keywords:

Electro-thermo-mechanical analysis , Residual stresses , Flash butt welding , Element birth and death method , Clamping force