Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is a novel kind of welding for joining metals that are impossible or difficult to weld by conventional methods. Three-dimensional nature of FSW makes the experimental investigation more complex. Moreover, experimental observations are often costly and time consuming, and usually there is an inaccuracy in measuring the data during experimental tests. Thus, Finite Element Methods (FEMs) has been employed to overcome the complexity, to increase the accuracy and also to reduce costs. It should be noted that, due to the presence of large deformations of the material during FSW, strong distortions of mesh might be happened in the numerical simulation. Therefore, one of the most significant considerations during the process simulation is the selection of the best numerical approach. It must be mentioned that; the numerical approach selection determines the relationship between the finite grid (mesh) and deforming continuum of computing zones. Also, numerical approach determines the ability of the model to overcome large distortions of mesh and provides an accurate resolution of boundaries and interfaces. There are different descriptions for the algorithms of continuum mechanics include Lagrangian and Eulerian. Moreover, by combining the above-mentioned methods, an Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) approach is proposed. In this paper, a comparison between different numerical approaches for thermal analysis of FSW at both local and global scales is reviewed and the applications of each method in the FSW process is discussed in detail. Observations showed that, Lagrangian method is usually used for modelling thermal behavior in the whole structure area, while Eulerian approach is seldom employed for modelling of the thermal behavior, and it is usually employed for modelling the material flow. Additionally, for modelling of the heat affected zone, ALE approach is found to be as an appropriate approach. Finally, several significant challenges and subjects remain to be addressed about FSW thermal analysis and opportunities for the future work are proposed.

This article reviews the status of thermomechanical analysis of the friction stir welding (FSW) process for establishing guidelines for further investigation, filling the available research gaps, and expanding FSW applications. Firstly, the advantages and applications of FSW process are introduced, and the significance and key issues for thermomechanical analysis in FSW are pointed out. Then, solid mechanic and fluid dynamic methods in modeling FSW process are described, and the key issues in modeling FSW are discussed. Different available mesh modeling techniques including the applications, benefits and shortcomings are explained. After that, at different subsections, the thermomechanical analysis in FSW of aluminum alloys and steels are examined and summarized in depth. Finally, the conclusions and summary are presented in order to investigate the lack of knowledge and the possibilities for future study of each method and each material.

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High rotational motion from the welding tool generates a significant amount of the heat during friction stir welding (FSW). Basically, during FSW the heat is mostly coming from the frictional force between the tool shoulder and the plates. Therefore, a precise calculation of the friction coefficient can increase the accuracy of the finite element analysis (FEA) of the process. However, researchers have applied constant values, and that causes a gap between the reality and the simulated model especially after the welding plunging step. In this study, a mathematical formulation is proposed in order to calculate the temperature dependent values of the friction coefficient and also to explore the influence of the temperature in the friction coefficient. To solve the governing equations of the process, the MATLAB®software is used. The results indicate that, from 25°C to the AA 6061-T6 melting point (580°C), the values of the friction coefficient fall steadily in a range of 0.207089 to 0.000582. Furthermore, the material shear stress and the material yield stress decrease consistently as the temperature rises. Consequently, the influence of the temperature in the contact input parameters and the material properties are discussed in detail and a good correlation with the published results is achieved.