Synopses & Reviews
Welding is the most important method of joining components made of metallic materials. Most welding processes involve the melting of the surfaces to be joined followed by subsequent cooling. Melting is achieved by local heat input, keeping heat diffusion into the component and heat dissipation into the surroundings as low as possible. The effects of local heating are summarized under the term "weldability", a property of the structure to be welded influenced by design, material and manufacturing measures. In recent years, theoretical developments in thermodynamics, continuum mechanics and microstructural kinetics have made a systematic assessment of weldability possible. This includes the weldability-related optimization of design, materials and welding processes. The systematic approach based on theory and mathematics is termed "weldability analysis". This book isbased on this systematic approach. It proceeds from the temperature field, treats residual stress and distortion on that basis and ends with practitioners' measures to reduce the former. A preliminary chapter introduces the field and a final chapter reviews the strength effects of welding.
Synopsis
Almost all welding technology depends upon the use of concentrated energy sources to fuse or soften the material locally at the joint, before such energy can be diffused or dispersed elsewhere. Although comprehensive treatments of transient heat flow as a controlling influence have been developed progressively and published over the past forty years, the task of uniting the results compactly within a textbook has become increasingly formidable. With the comparative scarcity of such works, welding engineers have been denied the full use of powerful design analysis tools. During the past decade Dr Radaj has prepared to fulfil this need, working from a rich experience as pioneer researcher and teacher, co-operator with Professor Argyris at Stuttgart University in developing the finite element method for stress analysis of aircraft and power plant structures, and more recently as expert consultant on these and automotive structures at Daimler- Benz. His book appeared in 1988 in the German language, and this updated English language edition will significantly increase the availability of the work.