This paper gives an overview on recent research results of the Darmstadt group inside a project called integral fracture mechanics based determination of the fatigue strength of weldments (IBESS). Purpose of this project is the fracture mechanics based simulation of Wöhler-curves (S-N-curves) of welded joints. Part of this project is the investigation of initial defects and imperfections of welded joints. Metallographic and fractographic investigations have been done to derive a definition of an initial crack situation. Also investigations of the crack growth of multiple short cracks were performed on the basis of thermographic and fractographic studies. Another part of integral fracture mechanics based determination of the fatigue strength of weldments gives attention to the stability of the residual stress field in a welded joint due to the transient plastic deformation behaviour under cyclic loading. Numerical simulations using Döring's material model have been done to investigate the effect of a cyclic loading on a residual stress field in an uncracked and a cracked situation.
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