Effect of Residual Stress on Crack Growth Specimens Fabricated From Weld Metal

Slitting method residual stress measurements (Hill Engineering and UC Davis) and finite element weld simulation (US Nuclear Regulatory Commission) have been conducted in order to evaluate both the residual stress intensity factor and residual stress profiles for two compact tension coupon blanks. The two compact tension coupon blanks were provided by Argonne National Lab (ANL) and are similar to coupons used in ongoing stress corrosion cracking (SCC) studies in weld metal. The experimental data and finite element results are in reasonable agreement, showing similar trends in calculated residual stress profiles. Results from the work document the effect of specimen size and location on residual stress profiles, and could be used to determine the degree to which residual stresses affect crack growth measurements made in similar coupons.