Avaliação numérica-experimental do alívio de tensões residuais de soldagem por vibração e tratamento térmico

Abstract

During the welding process, due to the high thermal input, non-uniform expansions and contractions are observed in the base metal. These result in internal stresses in the material, known as residual stresses, which remain even after the completion of the process. Depending on the intensity of these residual stresses, complications may arise that compromise the proper performance of the welded component. To relieve residual stresses, among various existing methods, this work addresses thermal treatment, which is widely standardized and considered the most commonly used method for this purpose, and vibrational treatment, whose application is still limited due to the scarcity of studies and standards. In addition to experimentally exploring the relief of residual stresses, the objective of this study is to develop numerical simulations of the involved processes, as these were used in 38.7 % of the welding studies published in 2022. Thus, measurements were conducted using the blind-hole method to assess welding residual stresses, and it was found that by performing the thermal treatment, there was a maximum reduction of 84.9 % at one of the measurement points. With the vibrational treatment, a reduction of 25.1 % was observed. All numerical simulations developed, along with their respective methodologies, are correct and have been experimentally validated. In addition to residual stresses, non-destructive tests are performed, and mechanical properties and distortions are also evaluated using a 3D scanner. It is concluded that vibrational stress relief treatment is an alternative method to traditional heat treatment, and its use occurs in situations where significant reduction of residual stresses is not required.