TWI Digital Library

As part of a study investigating FSW as a method for joining the lids on copper canisters for the long term storage of nuclear waste, the development of microstructure and heat flow during the FSW process was experimentally investigated. The microstructure and hardness profiles were investigated for two locations, at the start of the welds (essentially cold conditions) and when the steady state was reached. Grain size distributions and orientation were measured which also provided evidence of recrystallisation and deformation. A mathematical model was used to correlate heat flow with the grain size and hardness distributions.

4th International Symposium, 14-16 May 2003, Session 3B: Dissimilar & Special Materials 1, Paper 02