PNNL

Abstract

We present a new smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) model for friction stir welding (FSW). FSW has found broad commercial application in the marine, aerospace, rail and automotive industries. Development of the FSW process for each new application, however, has remained largely empirical. Few established numerical modeling techniques have been developed that can explain and predict important features of the process physics involved in FSW. This is particularly true in the areas of material ?ow, mixing mechanisms, and void formation. In this paper we present a novel modeling approach to simulate FSW that may have signi?cant advantages over current ?nite element or ?nite di?erence based methods. Unlike traditional grid-based methods, Lagrangian particle methods such as SPH can simulate the dynamics of interfaces, large material deformations, and the material’s strain and temperature history without employing complex tracking schemes. Three-dimensional simulations of FSW on AZ31 Mg alloy are presented. Numerical results are in a close quantitative agreement with experimental observations.