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Fatigue crack growth in friction stir welded (FSW) aluminium alloys 2024-T3 and 6013-T6 were predicted using two commercial software programs, ESACRACK and AFGROW in order to facilitate lifetime predictions of FSW aircraft structures. The following circumstances were modelled, taking residual stresses into consideration: crack growth parallel to the weld, with a crack in the nugget, subjected to constant amplitude loading; crack growth parallel to the weld, with a crack in the nugget, subjected to periodic tensile overloading; and crack growth perpendicular to the weld, with constant amplitude loading. The model predictions were compared with experimental results for butt welds in samples of 4 mm and 6 mm thickness, tested using varying load ratios, constant or variable amplitude loading, and different crack orientations.

4th International Symposium, 14-16 May 2003, Poster Session, Paper 03