skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Effects of Failure Modes on Strength of Aluminum Resistance Spot Welds

Journal Article · · SAE Transactions. Journal of Materials & Manufacturing, V114-5(493-502
OSTI ID:892226

This paper examines the effects of failure modes on the static strength and total energy absorption of aluminum spot-welded samples using experimental, statistical, and analytical approaches. The main failure modes for aluminum spot welds are nugget pullout and interfacial fracture. Two populations of aluminum spot welds were studied. Within each population, coupon configurations of lap shear, cross tension and coach peel were considered. Thirty replicate static strength tests were performed for each coupon configuration. The resulted peak load and energy absorption level associated with each failure mode was studied using statistical models. Next, an analytical model was developed to determine the failure mode of an aluminum resistance spot weld based on stress analysis. It is found that weld size, sheet thickness, and level of weld porosity and defects are the main factors determining the cross tension failure mode for an aluminum spot weld. The peak load and energy absorption levels for the cross tension and coach peel samples tested are found not to be very sensitive to the failure modes under static loading.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
892226
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-48242; TRN: US200622%%612
Journal Information:
SAE Transactions. Journal of Materials & Manufacturing, V114-5(493-502, Journal Name: SAE Transactions. Journal of Materials & Manufacturing, V114-5(493-502
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English