Experimental validation of a predictive model for numerical simulation of thermo-metallurgical phenomena during electron beam welding

Abstract

In the present work, thermal cycles measured with thermocouples embedded in specimens are employed to validate a numerical thermometallurgical model of an Electron Beam welding process. The implemented instrumentation techniques aim at reducing the perturbations induced by the sensors in place. A comparison between simulations performed on finite element code SYSWELD and the experimental measurements carried out on 16MnNiMo5 steel in the case of a partial penetration is achieved. This comparison is based on thermal cycles and also on microstructural evolutions, shapes of fusion zone (FZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ).