LAUSR

ABSTRACT Welding of thin-plate panels often results in distortion during the assembly process. The mitigation and control of distortion are critical, and methods such as pre-stressing/heating and pairing the plates have been investigated and used in manufacturing industries. However, these methods do not provide a quantitative prediction of distortion due to the complex welding and assembly processes and working practices. In this study, the thermal distortion mechanisms and the effect of welding sequence on panel distortion during assembly are investigated. The possible dimensions of thin-walled structures of offshore platforms are also examined to clarify the effect of these parameters on welding distortion characteristics and structural behaviour in the welding method. The thermal distortion behaviour is investigated using non-linear finite element analyses code and experiments. The results are used to derive closed-form expressions to predict the thermal distortion behaviour of stiffened plate panels for marine applications.