Round Robin Prediction of Residual Stresses in the Edge-Welded Beam R6 Validation Benchmark Problem

A simple austenitic steel beam specimen with a single autogenous weld bead laid along its top edge is an ideal training problem for novice weld modellers. This geometry may be analysed using either 3D or 2D FE models and employing either block-dumped or moving heat source techniques, with a variety of material constitutive models. This paper describes a residual stress simulation round robin performed on the validation benchmark problem of this type recently added to the R6 defect assessment procedure. A variety of solution strategies of increasing complexity are applied to the problem and the results compared with accuracy targets specified in the validation benchmark. It is found that the greatest solution accuracy is obtained using a 3D moving heat source, and mixed isotropic-kinematic material hardening behaviour.