TY - JOUR

T1 - Numerical and experimental assessment of liquid metal embrittlement in externally loaded spot welds

AU - Prabitz, Konstantin Manuel

AU - Antretter, Thomas

AU - Rethmeier, Michael

AU - El-Sari, Bassel

AU - Schubert, Holger

AU - Hilpert, Benjamin

AU - Gruber, Martin

AU - Sierlinger, Robert

AU - Ecker, Werner

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.

PY - 2024/1/30

Y1 - 2024/1/30

N2 - Zinc-based surface coatings are widely applied with high-strength steels in automotive industry. Some of these base materials show an increased brittle cracking risk during loading. It is necessary to examine electrogalvanized and uncoated samples of a high strength steel susceptible to liquid metal embrittlement during spot welding with applied external load. Therefore, a newly developed tensile test method with a simultaneously applied spot weld is conducted. A fully coupled 3D electrical, thermal, metallurgical and mechanical finite element model depicting the resistant spot welding process combined with the tensile test conducted is mandatory to correct geometric influences of the sample geometry and provides insights into the sample’s time dependent local loading. With increasing external loads, the morphology of the brittle cracks formed is affected more than the crack depth. The validated finite element model applies newly developed damage indicators to predict and explain the liquid metal embrittlement cracking onset and development as well as even ductile failure.

AB - Zinc-based surface coatings are widely applied with high-strength steels in automotive industry. Some of these base materials show an increased brittle cracking risk during loading. It is necessary to examine electrogalvanized and uncoated samples of a high strength steel susceptible to liquid metal embrittlement during spot welding with applied external load. Therefore, a newly developed tensile test method with a simultaneously applied spot weld is conducted. A fully coupled 3D electrical, thermal, metallurgical and mechanical finite element model depicting the resistant spot welding process combined with the tensile test conducted is mandatory to correct geometric influences of the sample geometry and provides insights into the sample’s time dependent local loading. With increasing external loads, the morphology of the brittle cracks formed is affected more than the crack depth. The validated finite element model applies newly developed damage indicators to predict and explain the liquid metal embrittlement cracking onset and development as well as even ductile failure.

KW - Advanced high-strength steel

KW - Damage prediction

KW - Finite element simulation

KW - Liquid metal embrittlement

KW - Resistance spot welding

KW - Tensile resistance spot welding experiment

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85183625442&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://pureadmin.unileoben.ac.at/portal/en/publications/numerical-and-experimental-assessment-of-liquid-metal-embrittlement-in-externally-loaded-spot-welds(92c188fd-e12b-492d-873d-152bb00039cb).html

U2 - 10.1007/s40194-024-01696-7

DO - 10.1007/s40194-024-01696-7

M3 - Article

VL - 68.2024

SP - 2713

EP - 2722

JO - Welding in the world

JF - Welding in the world

SN - 0043-2288

IS - 10

ER -