Application of finite element analysis for the prediction of the fatigue lifetime of spot welds with triple SPCC plates

The fatigue characteristic of triple spot welded SPCC plates with the variation of the thickness and the geometry under tensile-shear loading is studied by finite element analysis (FEA) and the obtained data is compared with experimental data. Using 3-D solid element model and 3-D beam-shell model, the maximum equivalent stress and the beam deformation angle (BDA) for various thickness and geometry is studied. The linear relation between crack opening angle (COA) from experiment and the BDA from FEA for beam-shell model is represented, and the empirical prediction of fatigue lifetime is proposed using the relation between COA and BDA.