Analysis and prediction of welding distortion in complex structures using elastic finite element method

The Elastic Finite Element Method based on the inherent strain theory is used to predict the welding distortion of ship structures. In addition, a method to predict welding distortion of complex structures by using elastic FEM is presented. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, a typical case of a ship's structure is examined and the resulting welding distortion is compared to that obtained by using thermal elastic-plastic finite element method.Un análisis elástico de elementos finitos basado en la teoría de la deformación unitaria inherente es utilizado para predecir la distorsión causada por la soldadura en estructuras de barcos. Adicionalmente, se propone un nuevo método para predecir la distorsión de estructuras complejas. Los resultados obtenidos son luego comparados con aquellos obtenidos por medio de análisis termo-plástico de elementos finitos