REDUCTION OF DISTORTION IN WELDED ALUMINUM STRUCTURES BY DIFFERENTIAL HEATING

As aluminum is gaining in application in many engineering fields, distortion problems associated with welding aluminum alloys becomes important. This problem is becoming more severe as the fabricated aluminum structures grow larger and more complex. In this experimental investigation, a "Differential Heating" technique was tried for preventing longitudinal distortion of a built-up T beam. Without the help of previous similar experimental work or hypothesis, this work was of trial-and-error nature. This was done mainly for collecting data, so that some other investigators can develop a hypothesis from this work. Also it was intended for further improvement of the M.I.T. one-dimensional heat flow program. From the experimental work, it showed that this technique did not produce absolutely distortion-free structures. However, the differential heating did reduce the residual stresses and strains. With proper boundary conditions and temperature differential, it is believed to be a workable process. With the development of distortion prediction and correct temperature differential estimation, in the future, this technique can be easily and cheaply applied industrially for distortion-free fabrication.

• Corporate Authors:

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Sea Grant Program, 77 Massachusetts Avenue
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02139
• Authors:
  • Lin, C H
• Publication Date: 1977-2

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aluminum; Aluminum alloys; Distortion (Structures); Welding; Welds
• Uncontrolled Terms: Aluminum welding
• Old TRIS Terms: Weld distortion
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00159501
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Report/Paper Numbers: MS Thesis
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1977 12:00AM