Weld toe versus root fatigue failure mode and governing parameters: A study of aluminum alloy load-carrying fillet joints

In load-carrying fillet welded connections, two fatigue failure modes are possible i.e. weld toe cracking and weld root cracking. The fatigue life associated with weld root cracking is typically much lower than weld toe cracking, exhibiting a wider scatter band, especially for welded aluminum alloys. This paper examines fatigue failure mode transition behaviors in load-carrying fillet welds made of aluminum and their governing parameters, among plate thickness, weld penetration, joint misalignment, weld material, and ultrasound impact peening(UIP). Through both experimental and theoretical studies, a quantitative fillet weld sizing criterion was proposed for avoiding weld root cracking in fillet-welded aluminum connections.