Figure 13 Comparison of the longitudinal residual stresses distributionσy (A) and the transversal residual stresses distributionσx (B), along x -direction at midsection (y = 250 mm, z = 4 mm) achieved by the FE models considering and not the plates interaction.
In Figure 14 the numerical displacements, uz , predicted in correspondence of the path y =248 mm, z = 0 mm (green line of Figure 14A) and in corresponding of the path x=125 mm, z = 0 mm (red line of Figure 14B), achieved by imposing the temperatures distribution predicted by the thermal analysis as thermal loads in the mechanical analysis, are compared with the experimental ones measured by means of a Coordinate Measuring Machine(CMM) shown in Figure 2C. According to Figure 14, the numerical results are in good agreement with experimental ones; therefore, it is possible to state that the numerical technique, used for the mechanical analysis, can predict with a high level of accuracy the distortions in the welded joint.