Numerical Investigation of Residual Stress Distribution in Double-Lap T-Joints Effects of Welding Sequence

This study investigates residual stress development in double-lap T-joints fabricated from medium- and heavy-gauge steel plates. A three-dimensional thermo-mechanically coupled finite element model was developed in Abaqus and validated against blind-hole drilling measurements. Four distinct welding sequence schemes were systematically implemented to quantify their influence on the spatial distribution, peak magnitudes, and evolution trajectories of individual residual stress components (σx, σγ, σz). Results demonstrate that the inherent structural rigidity of medium-to-thick plate assemblies strongly constrains global distortion but does not eliminate sensitivity to sequencing at the local stress level. Although equivalent residual stress peaks remain largely insensitive to welding sequence, the distributions of principal stress components exhibit pronounced sequence-dependent heterogeneity. Specifically, single-side continuous unidirectional welding leverages interpass residual heat accumulation to suppress longitudinal tensile stress, achieving a peak value of 449.9 MPa, the lowest among all configurations. In contrast, double-sided alternating reverse welding promotes thermal dispersion across the joint, thereby reducing both transverse tensile stress magnitude and stress concentration in the distal heat-affected zone. Collectively, these findings establish that optimizing welding sequences for double-lap T-joints in medium-to-heavy plates centers not on minimizing global equivalent stress, but on deliberately tailoring the spatial partitioning and balance of individual stress components, a principle that directly informs robust, performance-driven weld path selection in structural fabrication.