Fatigue strength of mash seam welded joints

K . T O K A J I , H . S H I O TA , A . M I N A G I a n d M . M I YATA 1
Department of Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
1
Marujun Co. Ltd, 3-22 Asanishi, Ogaki 5033-0945, Japan
Received in final form 1 August 1999

A B S T R A C T Reversed bending fatigue tests have been conducted using four series of mash seam

welded joints obtained from the coupling of two different steels and plate thicknesses.
Fatigue strength was evaluated and the effects of material property changes resulting
from welding were studied. Fatigue strength of all series of the welded joints decreased
slightly compared with that of the base steel. Type of steel and plate thickness in the
welded samples exerted very little influence on fatigue strength. In the welded joints
between steels with the same plate thickness, fatigue failure took place at a location
away from the weld zone in the plate with the lower strength, while in the welded
joints between plates of different thickness, failure occurred at the shoulder between
the thin and thick plate, i.e. at the weld zone. Regardless of the type of steel and the
plate thicknesses joined, fatigue strengths of the mash seam welded joints were slightly
higher than those of the laser welded butt joints.
Keywords mash seam welding; fatigue strength; type of steel; plate thickness.

INTRODUCTION

Tailored blanks have recently been applied to body

panels in the automotive industry for weight reduction
and increased rigidity. As joining methods for tailored
blanks, mash seam welding and laser welding have both
been employed successfully. Laser welding has the advantages of high power capability, high speed, narrow bead
width and low heat distortion. Mash seam welding,
however, is considered to be a more desirable method
compared with laser welding, because of its low installation cost and relatively large precision tolerances.
Therefore, mash seam welding has become of increasing
interest for extensive applications, not only in automotive, but also in other industrial fields.
Fatigue performance of welds is particularly important
in actual service, thus their fatigue properties such as
fatigue strength and fatigue crack propagation should be
better understood. However, there have been very limited studies on the fatigue properties of mash seam
welded joints to the authors knowledge.1
In the present study, reversed bending fatigue tests
have been conducted using four series of mash seam
welded joints obtained from the coupling of two different
steels and plate thicknesses. Fatigue strength was evaluated and the effects of type of steels and plate thickness
were studied on the basis of material property changes

2000 Blackwell Science Ltd. Fatigue Fract Engng Mater Struct 23, 453459

around the weld zone. Furthermore, fatigue strengths of

the mash seam welded joints were compared with those
of the laser welded butt joints obtained in a previous
report.2
EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS

Specimen preparation
The materials used in this study were cold rolled, low
carbon steel ( JIS SPCC, designated SP hereafter) and
high tensile strength steels ( J1S APFC390 and
APFH490, HT) with plate thicknesses of 2 and 3.2 mm,
equivalent to those usually used for automotive body
panels. The base steel was SP with the plate thickness
of 2 mm, and the type of steels and plate thicknesses
joined were varied as SP and HT, and 2 mm and 3.2 mm,
respectively. Four series of welded specimens were prepared by mash seam welding and are refered to as
SP2.0M, SP3.2M, HT2.0M and HT3.2M for the combinations of two different steels and plate thicknesses as
shown in Table 1. The welding parameters are listed in
Table 2. A different welding condition was employed for
HT3.2M, because Erichsen test results indicated that
the same condition as other welded specimens was
inappropriate for HT3.2M.
Specimen configurations are shown in Fig. 1, where

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454

K . TO K A J I e t a l .

Table 1 Combinations of plate thickness and steel type

Specimen code

Thickness and steel

SP2.0M
SP3.2M
HT2.0M
HT3.2M

2.0 mm (SPCC)+2.0 mm (SPCC)

2.0 mm (SPCC)+3.2 mm (SPCC)
2.0 mm (SPCC)+2.0 mm (APFC390)
2.0 mm (SPCC)+3.2 mm (APFH490)

Table 2 Welding conditions

Parameter

SP2.0M, SP3.2M
HT2.0M

HT3.2M

Welding current (kA)

Electrode force (kN)
Welding speed (m/min)
Overlap (mm)

20
10
1.5
2.5

15
10
1.0
4.0

Fig. 2 Macroscopic views of weld zone: (a) SP2.0M, (b) SP3.2M.

were prepared, which were machined from the base

steel, SP, with a thickness of 2 mm.
Examples of a macroscopic view of the weld zone are
shown in Fig. 2 for SP2.0M and SP3.2M. The top of
the specimens is the upper surface of the plate at welding.
The overlap was 2.5 mm for those specimens, but the
resultant weld zone expands because of the electrode
force. Similar features were observed for HT2.0M and
HT3.2M.
Procedures
Tensile tests were performed on a universal material
testing machine. The loading rate was not controlled.
Fatigue tests were conducted on a reversed plane bending
fatigue testing machine operating at a frequency of
33 Hz in laboratory air at ambient temperature. During
fatigue testing, applied stress was monitored with a strain
gauge mounted on the specimen surface. For the specimens with different thicknesses, SP3.2M and HT3.2M,
the thick plate (3.2 mm) was gripped, and bending
moment was applied to the thin plate (2 mm). In this
case, the specimens were fixed so that the centre of
rotation of the fatigue testing machine coincided with
the centre-line of the thin plate thickness.
Fig. 1 Specimen configurations: (a) tensile specimen, (b) fatigue
specimen.

RESULTS

(a) and (b) are tensile and fatigue specimens, respectively.

These specimens were fabricated from welded plates of
300350 mm for tensile specimens and 200350 mm
for fatigue specimens, so that the welding line normal
to the specimen axis was located in the middle of their
15-mm straight section. Specimens were not polished or
trimmed before the experiment. For comparison with
the welded specimens, unwelded specimens (SP2.0B)

Material property changes caused by welding

For the four series of welded specimens, microstructure,
hardness and residual stress were examined around the
weld zone. The results obtained are shown in Figs 36
as a function of the distance from the centre of the weld
zone, where (a) is the microstructure, (b) is the Vickers
hardness profile and (c) is the residual stress distribution.

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455

Fig. 3 Material property changes resulting from welding in

SP2.0M: (a) microstructure, (b) hardness, (c) residual stress.

Microstructure
Metallographic examination of microstructure was made
on the longitudinal section. In SP2.0M [Fig. 3(a)], a
pronounced change in microstructure can be seen only
in the weld zone, where remarkable grain growth
occurred. In SP3.2M [Fig. 4(a)], no appreciable change
takes place in the thin plate, but in the thick plate,
microstructure varies from coarse grain structure in the
weld zone, to columnar grain structure and very fine
equiaxed grain structure with increasing distance from
the weld zone. The original microstructure can be seen
at the location approximately 67 mm away from the
centre of the weld zone. In HT2.0M [Fig. 5(a)], microstructural changes are observed around the weld zone.
Coarse grain and columnar grain structures are seen in
the weld zone and in the neighbouring region in the SP
plate, respectively, while coarse grain and fine grain
structures are seen in the HT plate. Similar changes can
be seen for HT3.2M [Fig. 6(a)].
Hardness
Vickers hardness was also measured on the longitudinal
section. The hatched area in Figs 36 represents the
scatter band of the original hardness for each steel. In
SP2.0M [Fig. 3(b)], hardness increases considerably only

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Fig. 4 Material property changes resulting from welding in

SP3.2M: (a) microstructure, (b) hardness, (c) residual stress.

in the weld zone and the maximum value reaches 1.3

times the hardness of the base steel. The region of
increased hardness extends to the outside of the weld
zone in SP3.2M and decreases to that of the base steel
at approximately 10 mm from the centre of the weld
zone [Fig. 4(b)]. In HT2.0M [Fig. 5(b)], no significant
increase in hardness is seen in the HT plate, but hardness
increases remarkably around the weld zone in SP plate.
In HT3.2M [Fig. 6(b)], hardness increases in both plates,
and even at the end of the straight section of the
specimens in SP plate hardness increases can be seen.
Residual stress
Residual stress parallel to the specimen axis was measured
using the X-ray diffraction method. The conditions for
measurement are listed in Table 3. Measurements were
made on both surfaces of the welded specimens. The
hatched area shows the scatter band of residual stress
for unwelded plates. It should be noted that compressive
residual stress exists around the weld zone in all series
of the welded specimens and the magnitudes are slightly
larger than that of each steel. Tensile residual stress

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K . TO K A J I e t a l .

Fig. 5 Material property changes resulting from welding in

HT2.0M: (a) microstructure, (b) hardness, (c) residual stress.

Table 3 Conditions of X-ray stress measurement

Characteristic X-ray
Diffraction
Tube voltage (kV)
Tube current (mA)
Filter
Irradiated area (mm2 )

Cr-Ka
211
30
20
V
42

might have resulted near the weld zone, but it was not
detected because the irradiated area of the X-ray was
large compared with the weld zone.
Tensile test
Tensile test results are listed in Table 4. The tensile
strength of the specimens with plates of different thickness was higher than that of those with the same
thickness, and the specimens composed of different steels
showed higher tensile strength than the specimens of
plates made of the same steel.
All series of the welded specimens revealed fracture at
a location away from the weld zone in the SP plate with

Fig. 6 Material property changes resulting from welding in

HT3.2M: (a) microstructure, (b) hardness, (c) residual stress.
Table 4 Tensile test results
Specimen
code

Tensile strength
sB (MPa)

Thickness t
(mm)

SP2.0M
SP3.2M
HT2.0M
HT3.2M

317
359
325
366

2.0+2.0
2.0+3.2
2.0+2.0
2.0+3.2

2 mm thickness, with significant elongation. No fracture

at the weld zone was seen.
The increase in tensile strength may be attributed to
the constraint of deformation. Thick plate and high
strength steel (HT) can constrain the deformation of
thin plate and low strength steel (SP), respectively, in
addition to the constraint due to increased hardness
around the weld zone.
Fatigue test
Figure 7 shows the SN diagram for the welded and
base specimens. The welded specimens, except for
HT3.2M, exhibited a slightly lower fatigue strength than

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457

thicknesses, SP3.2M and HT3.2M, failed at the shoulder

between thin and thick plates, i.e. at the weld zone
[Fig. 8(b)].
DISCUSSION

Fatigue strength of mash seam welded joints

Fig. 7 SN diagram for mash seam welded joints and base steel.

the base steel, indicating a detrimental effect of mash

seam welding regardless of the types of steel and plate
thicknesses welded. HT3.2M had a significantly higher
fatigue strength than the base steel and other welded
specimens, which seems to be attributed to the different
welding condition.
SP2.0M shows almost the same fatigue strength as
SP3.2M and the fatigue strength of HT2.0M is nearly
equivalent to that of SP2.0M. These results indicate
little effect of type of steel and plate thickness on
fatigue strength.
Examples of the macroscopic appearance of fatiguefailed specimens are shown in Fig. 8 for SP2.0M and
SP3.2M. Fracture of the specimens with the same thickness, SP2.0M and HT2.0M, took place at a location
away from the weld zone in SP plate, as seen in Fig. 8(a).
In contrast, most of the specimens with different plate

As shown in Fig. 7, the welded specimens, with the

exception of HT3.2M, exhibited a slightly lower fatigue
strength than the base steel. In the welded specimens
with the same thickness, fatigue fracture took place at a
location away from the weld zone in SP plate. This
clearly indicates that neither the material property
changes resulting from welding nor the geometrical
change in the weld zone is a direct cause for the
reduction in fatigue strength. The weld zone is strengthened compared with the base steel due to the presence
of compressive residual stress and the increase in hardness. In addition, the weld zone is thickened because of
the overlap of the plates at welding. Therefore, fatigue
damage is localised in the region of the plate with lower
hardness and strength. Furthermore, stress concentration
derived from the specimen configuration may also occur,
because the location at fracture coincided with the end
of the straight section of the specimens. These are
considered to be the causes for the reduction in fatigue
strength of the welded specimens with the same thickness. Most of the specimens with different plate thicknesses failed at the shoulder between the thin and thick
plate. Also in this case, localised fatigue damage occurred
at a location away from the weld zone in the thin plate,
but much higher stress concentration resulting from the
geometrical change in the weld zone leads to fatigue
failure at the shoulder.
The fatigue strength of HT3.2M was significantly
higher than that of the base steel and other welded
specimens, which appears to be attributed to a slightly
larger increase in hardness over the straight section of
the specimens due to the different welding conditions.
Further studies are needed to evaluate systematically the
effect of welding conditions.
Effect of plate thickness

Fig. 8 Macroscopic appearances of fatigue-failed specimens:

(a) SP2.0M (s=175 MPa, Nf =1.12106 ), (b) SP3.2M
(s=168 MPa, Nf =1.21106 ).

2000 Blackwell Science Ltd. Fatigue Fract Engng Mater Struct 23, 453459

HT3.2M exhibited higher fatigue strength than HT2.0M,

but this difference cannot be attributed to the effect of
plate thickness because of the different welding condition
for HT3.2M. On the other hand, the fatigue strengths of
SP2.0M and SP3.2M were almost the same and any effect
of plate thickness is not apparent, although the main causes
of fatigue failure for the specimens with different thicknesses differ from those for the specimens with the same
thickness, as discussed in the previous section.

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K . TO K A J I e t a l .

The observed failure of the specimens with different

thicknesses suggests that the stress concentration at the
shoulder was much more severe than localised fatigue
damage. Therefore, if welding is performed carefully so
that additional stress concentration does not occur, then
fatigue failure at the shoulder could be avoided.
Effect of type of steel
SP2.0M and HT2.0M showed almost the same fatigue
strength, indicating little effect of type of steels joined.
If increase in hardness over the straight section of the
specimens is similar, then fatigue strength would not be
affected by the type of steel because fatigue failure always
took place at a location in the SP plate. Therefore, the
fatigue strength of the welded joints is considered to be
strongly dominated by the base steel, i.e. SP plate in the
present study.
Comparison of fatigue strength between mash seam
and laser welded joints
The authors have previously reported the fatigue
strength of laser welded butt joints coupled with the
same steels and plate thicknesses as in the present study.2
The comparisons of fatigue strength between mash seam
and laser welded joints are shown in Fig. 9, where (a)
and (b) represents the data for the welded specimens
coupled with the same steel (SP/SP) and with different
steels (SP/HT), respectively. The laser welded specimens
are referred to as SP2.0L, SP3.2L, HT2.0L and HT3.2L
in the same manner as the mash seam welded specimens.
In the specimens coupled with the same steel [Fig. 9(a)],
the fatigue strengths of mash seam and laser welded
specimens decreased compared with the base steel.
Regardless of plate thickness, the fatigue strengths of
mash seam welded specimens (SP2.0M and SP3.2M) are
slightly higher than those of the laser welded specimens
(SP2.0L and SP3.2L). In the specimens coupled with
different steels [Fig. 9(b)], HT2.0M shows a slightly
higher fatigue strength than HT2.0L. These results
indicate that mash seam welding is superior to laser
welding as a joining method.
Fatigue failure of the specimens with the same thickness took place at a location away from the weld zone
regardless of welding method. The mash seam welded
specimens have a much broader weld zone than the laser
welded specimens, thus resulting in a slight increase in
hardness even at the end of the straight section of the
specimens, i.e. at the location of fracture. This is considered to be the reason for the higher fatigue strength
of the mash seam welded specimens. The specimens
with different thicknesses failed at the shoulder between
thin and thick plates regardless of the welding method,

Fig. 9 Comparisons of fatigue strength between mash seam and

laser welded joints: (a) welded joints coupled with the same steel
(SP/SP), (b) welded joints coupled with different steels (SP/HT).

suggesting that fatigue strength is primarily affected by

geometrical change in the weld zone after welding. Laser
welding produced a very small geometrical change of
the weld zone compared with mash seam welding because
of its narrow weld bead, thus resulting in much higher
stress concentration at the shoulder.
Finally, fatigue failure at a location away from the
weld zone in both mash seam and laser welded specimens
with the same thickness indicates the integrity of the
weld zone. If specimens have a much longer straight
section, then the difference in fatigue strength between
both weld types would disappear and fatigue strength of
the welded joints would be the same as that of the
base steel.
CONCLUSIONS

Reversed bending fatigue tests were conducted using

four series of mash seam welded joints obtained from
the coupling of two different steels and plate thicknesses.
Fatigue strength was evaluated and the effects of type

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of steels and plate thickness were studied on the basis

of material property changes caused by welding.
Furthermore, the results obtained for the mash seam
welded joints were compared with those of laser welded
butt joints. The following conclusions can be made.
1 In the welded specimens with the same thickness,
microstructural change took place in the weld zone,
while in the welded specimens with different thicknesses, it was seen at a position away from the end of
the weld zone in the thicker plate. Hardness increased
around the weld zone. Compressive residual stress
existed around the weld zone, while tensile residual
stress was not detected.
2 The welded specimens with different thicknesses had
higher tensile strength than the specimens with the
same thickness and the specimens coupled with different steels showed higher tensile strength compared
with the specimens composed of plates of the same
steel.
3 Tensile fracture occurred at a location away from the
weld zone in the thinner plate with lower strength,
regardless of type of steels and plate thicknesses joined.
No fracture at the weld zone was seen.

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459

4 The fatigue strengths of all series of the welded

specimens decreased compared with the base steel.
The type of steels and plate thicknesses joined exerted
very little influence on fatigue strength.
5 In the specimens with the same thickness, fatigue
failure took place at a location away from the weld
zone in the plate with lower strength, while in the
specimens with different thicknesses, failure occurred
at the shoulder, i.e. at the weld zone.
6 Regardless of the type of steels and plate thicknesses,
the fatigue strengths of the mash seam welded specimens were slightly higher than those of the laser
welded specimens.
REFERENCES
1 M. Uchihara, M. Kurita, Y. Hirose, et al. (1996) Formability and
Fatigue Properties of Tailor Welded Blanks by Mash Seam Welding.
Preprint of the Fourth Annual Meeting of Materials and
Processing Division of JSME. No. 9639, 8586. JSME, Tokyo,
Japan (in Japanese).
2 K. Tokaji, H. Shiota, A. Minagi and M. Miyata (1999) Fatigue
strength of laser welded butt joints. Proceedings of the International
Conference on Advanced Technology in Experimental Mechanics,
Vol. 2. 710715. JSME, Tokyo, Japan.