Failure simulation in resistance spot-welded lap-joints using cohesive zone modeling

Abstract

This paper concentrates on simulating fracture in thin walled single-lap joints connected by resistance spot-welding (RSW) process which were subjected to tensile loading. For this purpose, three sets of lap-joints with different spot configurations were tested to achieve the joints’ tensile behavior. To simulate the joints tensile behavior, firstly a 2D axisymmetric finite element (FE) model was used to calculate residual stresses induced during the welding process. Then the results were transferred to 3D models as pre-stress. In this step, cohesive zone model (CZM) technique was used to simulate fracture in the models under tensile load. Cohesive zone parameters were extracted using coach-peel and shear lap specimens. The results were employed to simulate deformation and failure in single lap spot weld samples. It has been shown that considering the residual stresses in simulating deformation and fracture load enables quite accurate predictions.

Keywords

spot-welding / fracture / residual stress / cohesive zone model (CZM)

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