Experimental and numerical thermo-mechanical analysis of friction stir welding of high-strength alluminium alloy

Abstract

This paper presents experimental and numerical analysis of the change of temperature and force in the vertical direction during the friction stir welding of high-strength aluminium alloy 2024 T3. This procedure confirmed the correctness of the numerical model, which is subsequently used for analysis of the temperature field in the welding zone, where it is different to determine the temperature experimentally. 3D finite element model is developed using the software package Abaqus; arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian formulation is applied. Johnson-Cook material law and Coulomb?s Law of friction are used for modelling the material behaviour. Temperature fields are symmetrical with respect to the welding line. The temperature values below the tool shoulder, i.e. in the welding zone, which are reached during the plunge stage, are approximately constant during the entire welding process and lie within the interval 430-502?C. The temperature of the material in the vicinity of the tool is about 500?C, while the values on the top surface of the welding plates (outside the welding zone, but close to the tool shoulder) are about 400?C. The temperature difference between the top and bottom surface of the plates is small, 10-15?C.