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Welded joints

Introduction 2

• A welded joint is a permanent joint which is obtained by the fusion of the edges of
the two parts to be joined together, with or without the application of pressure and
a filler material.

• The heat required for the fusion of the material may be obtained by burning of gas
(in case of gas welding) or by an electric arc (in case of electric arc welding).

• Welding is extensively used in fabrication as an alternative method for casting or

forging and as a replacement for bolted and riveted joints.

• It is also used as a repair medium e.g. to reunite metal at a crack, to build up a

small part that has broken off.
 Advantages and Disadvantages of Welded Joints over
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Riveted Joints
Advantages
• The welded structures are usually lighter than riveted structures.

• The welded joints provide maximum efficiency which is not possible in case
of riveted joints.

3. Alterations and additions can be easily made in the existing structures.

4. As the welded structure is smooth in appearance, therefore it looks pleasing.

5. In welded connections, the tension members are not weakened as in the case of
riveted joints.

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6. A welded joint has a great strength. Often a welded joint has the strength of the
parent metal itself.

7. Sometimes, the members are of such a shape (i.e. circular steel pipes) that they
afford difficulty for riveting. But they can be easily welded.

8. The welding provides very rigid joints.

9. It is possible to weld any part of a structure at any point. But riveting requires
enough clearance.

10. The process of welding takes less time than the riveting.
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Disadvantages
1. Since there is an uneven heating and cooling during fabrication, therefore the
members may get distorted or additional stresses may develop.

2. It requires a highly skilled labor and supervision.

3. Since no provision is kept for expansion and contraction in the frame, therefore
there is a possibility of cracks developing in it.

4. The inspection of welding work is more difficult than riveting work.

Types of Welded Joints 6

1. Lap joint or fillet joint, and

2. Butt joint.
➢ Lap Joint:
o The lap joint or the fillet joint is obtained by overlapping the plates and then
welding the edges of the plates. The cross-section of the fillet is approximately
triangular.

o The fillet joints may be

1. Single transverse fillet, 2. Double transverse fillet, and 3. Parallel fillet joints.

The fillet joints are shown in Figure on (Next Slide)

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Fig: Types of lap or fillet joints.

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➢ Butt Joint:
o The butt joint is obtained by placing the plates edge to edge

o In butt welds, the plate edges do not require bevelling (A surface that meets
another at an angle other than a right angle.) if the thickness of plate is less than
5 mm.

o If the plate thickness is 5 mm to 12.5 mm, the edges should be bevelled to V or U-

groove on both sides.

The butt joints may be

1. Square butt joint, 2. Single V-butt joint

3. Single U-butt joint, 4. Double V-butt joint, and

5. Double U-butt joint

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• The other type of welded joints are corner joint, edge joint and T-joint.

Fig. Types of butt joints.

Fig. Other types of welded joints.

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The main considerations involved in the selection of weld type are:
1. The shape of the welded component required,
2. The thickness of the plates to be welded, and
3. The direction of the forces applied.
Basic Weld Symbols 11

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Strength of Transverse Fillet Welded Joints 14

• The fillet or lap joint is obtained by overlapping the plates and then welding the
edges of the plates. The transverse fillet welds are designed for tensile strength.

• Let us consider a single and double transverse fillet welds as shown in Fig. (a) and
(b) respectively.

Fig. Transverse fillet welds.

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• To determine the strength of the fillet joint, it is assumed that the section of fillet is
a right angled triangle “ABC” with hypotenuse “AC” making equal angles with
other two sides “AB” and “BC”.

Fig. Enlarged view of a fillet weld.

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• The length of each side is known as leg or size of the weld and the perpendicular
distance of the hypotenuse from the intersection of legs (i.e. BD) is known as
throat thickness.

• The minimum area of the weld is obtained at the throat “BD”, which is given by
the product of the throat thickness and length of weld.

Let
t = Throat thickness (BD),
s = Leg or size of weld,
= Thickness of plate, and
l = Length of weld,
• we find that the throat thickness, 17

∴ *Minimum area of the weld or throat area,

A = Throat thickness ×Length of weld

• If “σt” is the allowable tensile stress for the weld metal, then the tensile
strength of the joint for single fillet weld,

and tensile strength of the joint for double fillet weld,

Strength of Parallel Fillet Welded Joints 18

• The parallel fillet welded joints are designed for shear strength. Consider a double
parallel fillet welded joint as shown in Fig. (a). We know that the minimum area
of weld or the throat area.

Figure
• If “τ” is the allowable shear stress for the weld metal, then the shear strength of the 19
joint for single parallel fillet weld,

and shear strength of the joint for double parallel fillet weld,

Notes:
o If there is a combination of single transverse and double parallel fillet welds as
shown in Fig (b), then the strength of the joint is given by the sum of strengths of
single transverse and double parallel fillet welds.
Mathematically,
P = 0.707s × l1 × σt + 1.414 s × l2 × τ
where “l1” is normally the width of the plate.

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o In order to allow for starting and stopping of the bead, 12.5 mm should be added
to the length of each weld obtained by the above expression.

o For reinforced fillet welds, the throat dimension may be taken as 0.85 t.
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Example 10.1.
A plate 100 mm wide and 10 mm thick is to be welded to another plate by means of
double parallel fillets. The plates are subjected to a static load of 80 kN. Find the length
of weld if the permissible shear stress in the weld does not exceed 55 MPa.
Solution.
Given: Width = 100 mm ; Thickness = 10 mm ; P = 80 kN = 80 × 103 N ;
τ = 55 MPa = 55 N/mm2

Special Cases of Fillet Welded Joints 22

• Circular fillet weld subjected to torsion:
Consider a circular rod connected to a rigid plate by a fillet weld as shown in Fig.
Let
d = Diameter of rod,
r = Radius of rod,
T = Torque acting on the rod,
s = Size (or leg) of weld,
t = Throat thickness,
*J = Polar moment of inertia of the weld section
Fig.. Circular fillet weld subjected to torsion
o We know that shear stress for the material,
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o This shear stress occurs in a horizontal plane along a leg of the fillet weld. The
maximum shear occurs on the throat of weld which is inclined at “45°” to the
horizontal plane.

∴ Length of throat, t = s sin 45° = 0.707 s

and maximum shear stress,

• Circular fillet weld subjected to bending moment 24

Consider a circular rod connected to a rigid plate by a fillet weld as shown in Fig.
Let
d = Diameter of rod,
M = Bending moment acting on the rod,
s = Size (or leg) of weld,
t = Throat thickness,
Z = Section modulus of the weld section

Fig. Circular fillet weld subjected to bending moment.

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We know that the bending stress,

This bending stress occurs in a horizontal plane along a leg of the fillet weld. The
maximum bending stress occurs on the throat of the weld which is inclined at 45° to
the horizontal plane.

∴ Length of throat, t = s sin 45° = 0.707 s

and maximum bending stress,

• Long fillet weld subjected to torsion. 26

Consider a vertical plate attached to a horizontal plate by two identical fillet welds as
shown in Fig.

Fig.. Long fillet weld subjected to torsion.

• Let 27
T = Torque acting on the vertical plate,
J = Polar moment of inertia of the weld section

• The effect of the applied torque is to rotate the vertical plate about the Z-axis
through its mid point. This rotation is resisted by shearing stresses developed
between two fillet welds and the horizontal plate.

• It is assumed that these horizontal shearing stresses vary from zero at the Z-axis
and maximum at the ends of the plate. This variation of shearing stress is
analogous to the variation of normal stress over the depth (l) of a beam subjected
to pure bending.

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• The maximum shear stress occurs at the throat and is given by

 Strength of Butt Joints 29

• The butt joints are designed for tension or compression. Consider a single V-butt
joint as shown in Fig. (a).

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In case of butt joint, the length of leg or size of weld is equal to the throat thickness
which is equal to thickness of plates.

∴ Tensile strength of the butt joint (single-V or square butt joint),

Where
l = Length of weld. It is generally equal to the width of plate.
and tensile strength for double-V butt joint

Where
t1 = Throat thickness at the top, and
t2 = Throat thickness at the bottom.
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The size of the weld should be greater than the thickness of the plate, but it may be
less. The following table shows recommended minimum size of the welds.

Table Recommended minimum size of welds

Stresses for Welded Joints 32

The stresses in welded joints are difficult to determine because of the variable and
unpredictable parameters like homogeneity of the weld metal, thermal stresses in the
welds, changes of physical properties due to high rate of cooling etc. The stresses are
obtained, on the following assumptions:

1. The load is distributed uniformly along the entire length of the weld, and

2. The stress is spread uniformly over its effective section.

 Stress Concentration Factor for Welded 33
Joints
The reinforcement provided to the weld produces stress concentration at the
junction of the weld and the parent metal. When the parts are subjected to fatigue
loading. the stress concentration factor as given in the following table should be
considered.
Table. 10.6 Stress concentration factor for welded joints.

Note : For static loading and any type of joint, stress concentration factor is 1.0.

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Example 10.4.

A plate 100 mm wide and 12.5 mm thick is to be welded to another plate by means of

parallel fillet welds. The plates are subjected to a load of 50 kN.

Find the length of the weld so that the maximum stress does not exceed 56 MPa.

Consider the joint first under static loading and then under fatigue loading.

Solution.
Given: Width = 100 mm ; Thickness = 12.5 mm ; P = 50 kN = 50 × 103N ; τ = 56
MPa = 56 N/mm2
• Length of weld for static loading
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• Length of weld for fatigue loading
we find that the stress concentration factor for parallel fillet welding is 2.7.
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Example 10.5.
A plate 75 mm wide and 12.5 mm thick is joined with another plate by a single
transverse weld and a double parallel fillet weld as shown in Fig. The maximum
tensile and shear stresses are 70 MPa and 56 MPa respectively.

Find the length of each parallel fillet weld, if the joint is subjected to both static and
fatigue loading.

Figure

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Solution.
Given : Width = 75 mm ; Thickness = 12.5 mm ;σt = 70 MPa = 70 N/mm2 ; τ = 56 MPa = 56 N/mm2.
The effective length of weld (l1) for the transverse weld may be obtained by subtracting
12.5 mm from the width of the plate.
∴ l1 = 75 – 12.5 = 62.5 mm
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Example 10.6.
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Determine the length of the weld run for a plate of size 120 mm wide and 15 mm
thick to be welded to another plate by means of,

1. A single transverse weld; and

2. Double parallel fillet welds when the joint is subjected to variable loads.

Solution.
Given : Width = 120 mm ; Thickness = 15 mm
In Fig., “AB” represents the single transverse weld and “AC”
and “BD” represents double parallel fillet welds.
Figure
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 Eccentrically Loaded Welded Joints 43
• An eccentric load may be imposed on welded joints in many ways. The stresses
induced on the joint may be of different nature or of the same nature. The induced
stresses are combined depending upon the nature of stresses. When the shear and
bending stresses are simultaneously present in a joint (see case 1), then maximum
stresses are as follows:

• Maximum normal stress

• and maximum shear stress

• When the stresses are of the same nature, these may be combined vectorially (see
case 2).

• Case 1 44
Consider a T-joint fixed at one end and subjected to an eccentric load “P” at a

distance “e” as shown in Fig.

Fig.. Eccentrically loaded welded joint.

Let
s = Size of weld,
l = Length of weld, and
t = Throat thickness.
The joint will be subjected to the following two types of stresses:
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1. Direct shear stress due to the shear force P acting at the welds, and

2. Bending stress due to the bending moment P × e.

We know that area at the throat,

A = Throat thickness × Length of weld

∴ Shear stress in the weld (assuming uniformly distributed),

• Section modulus of the weld metal through the throat,

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• Bending moment

• ∴ Bending stress

We know that the

Maximum normal stress,
and maximum shear stress,
Case 2
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When a welded joint is loaded eccentrically as shown in Fig. the following two types
of the stresses are induced:

1. Direct or primary shear stress, and

2. Shear stress due to turning moment.

Fig.. Eccentrically loaded welded joint.

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• Let two loads P1 and P2 (each equal to P) are introduced at the center of gravity
‘G' of the weld system.

• The effect of load [P1 = P] is to produce direct shear stress which is assumed to be
uniform over the entire weld length. The effect of load [P2 = P] is to produce a
turning moment of magnitude [P × e] which tends of rotate the joint about the
center of gravity ‘G' of the weld system. Due to the turning moment, secondary
shear stress is induced.

• We know that the direct or primary shear stress,

(Throat area for single fillet weld = t × l = 0.707 s × l)

• Since the shear stress produced due to the turning moment [T = P × e] at any 49
section is proportional to its radial distance from [G], therefore stress due to [P × e]
at the point [A] is proportional to [AG (r2)] and is in a direction at right angles to
[AG]. In other words,

• or

• where “τ2” is the shear stress at the maximum distance “r2” and “τ” is the shear
stress at any distance “r”. Consider a small section of the weld having area “dA”
at a distance “r” from “G”.

• ∴ Shear force on this small section

and turning moment of this shear force about G, 50

∴ Total turning moment over the whole weld area,

where J = Polar moment of inertia of the throat area about G.

∴ Shear stress due to the turning moment i.e. secondary shear stress,
• In order to find the resultant stress, the primary and secondary shear stresses are
combined vectorially. 51
∴ Resultant shear stress at “A”,

where θ = Angle between τ1 and τ2, and cos θ = r1 / r2

Note:
The polar moment of inertia of the throat area (A) about the centre of gravity (G) is
obtained by the parallel axis theorem, i.e.

Where
A = Throat area = t × l = 0.707 s × l, l = Length of weld, and
x = Perpendicular distance between the two parallel axes.

Polar Moment of Inertia and Section Modulus of Welds

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• The following table shows the values of polar moment of inertia of the throat area
about the center of gravity ‘G’ and section modulus for some important types of
welds which may be used for eccentric loading.
Table: Polar moment of inertia and section modulus of welds.
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Example 10.9.
A welded joint as shown in Fig. is subjected to an eccentric load of 2 kN.Find the size
of weld, if the maximum shear stress in the weld is 25 MPa.

Solution. Given: P = 2kN = 2000 N ; e = 120 mm ;l = 40 mm ; τmax = 25 MPa = 25 N/mm2

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• The joint, as shown in Fig., will be subjected to direct shear stress due to the shear
force, P = 2000 N and bending stress due to the bending moment of P × e.

We know that area at the throat,

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Example 10.11.
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A rectangular cross-section bar is welded to a support by means of fillet welds as
shown in Fig.
Determine the size of the welds, if the permissible shear stress in the weld is limited
to 75 MPa.
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Example 10.13. 60
A bracket carrying a load of 15 kN is to be welded as shown in Fig. .Find the size of

weld required if the allowable shear stress is not to exceed 80 MPa.

Solution. Given : P = 15 kN = 15 × 103 N ; τ = 80 MPa = 80 N/mm2 ; b = 80 mm ;l = 50 mm; e = 125 mm

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From Fig. , we find that AB = 40 mm and BG = r1 = 25 mm.