Fatigue & fracture in welded structures

Whether you’re involved in transport, energy, construction, marine, or heavy industry applications, this course offers practical insight into the critical challenges that welded structures face—from residual stresses and joint geometry to real-world loading conditions.

Seminar content

This seminar will cover the following major topics:

Unique fatigue and fracture problems in welded structures and examples

• Joint property non-uniformity
• Residual stress and distortion
• Geometric discontinuities

Treatment procedures in codes and standards

• Construction codes
• Post-construction codes (i.e., fitness for service)
• Limitations and examples

Advances in fatigue design and life evaluation methodology

• Mesh-insensitive method
• Design against high cycle fatigue
• Design against low-cycle and ultra-low cycle (seismic) fatigue

Advances in fracture design methodologies

• Fracture toughness characterisation of high strength steel weldments
• Fracture mechanics treatment of weld residual stress
• Refined treatment of misalignments (distortions)

Background

Fatigue is one of the primary causes of failure in welded structures – second only to corrosion – significantly affecting the service life of components across a range of applications. From high-cycle fatigue seen in transport and energy systems, to the extreme seismic demands placed on bridges and steel-framed buildings, the impacts of fatigue is critical.

Proper design and cost-effective fabrication of welded joints require an understanding of the complex interplay between geometry, residual stresses, loading conditions, and weld types and sizes. These challenges are further compounded in demanding environments, where conventional approaches may fall short of delivering reliable performance.

Unlike other engineering structures, welded structures face three unique challenges:

1. joint property non-uniformity;
2. residual stress and distortion; and
3. geometric discontinuities.

That’s why major national and international codes and standards (including BS 7608, BS 7910, IIW Guidelines, Eurocode, NZS 3404, AS/NZS 5100.6, AS 4100, and AS 3990) stipulate various provisions for how to deal with these issues in design and construction for safety-critical applications, grounded in the latest research.

What you’ll learn

This course provides a comprehensive overview of fatigue and fracture control in welded structures. It begins with fundamental principles and traditional fatigue assessment methods before progressing into advanced analysis tools, including modern finite element analysis (FEA) techniques and case studies. Participants will gain practical insight into state-of-the-art strategies for fatigue mitigation and fracture prevention, with an emphasis on real-world applications and performance-based design.

Key focuses will include:

• The unique fatigue and fracture challenges faced by welded structures
• How to navigate major Codes and Standards, and understand their limitations
• How to deal with the three major issues in fatigue and racture control including limitations & alternatives
• Advanced fatigue design and life evaluation methods, including mesh-insensitive techniques
• Strategies for fracture toughness characterisation and managing residual stresses
• Practical dos and don’ts in welded joint design and fabrication for long-term durability

By the end of this course, you’ll have practical insights into performance-based design for fatigue and fracture control—equipping you to extend service life, improve safety, and drive better outcomes in your projects.