Boxing fillet weldments are found in many parts of a ship"s structure. Both fatigue strength and the welding procedure of boxing fillet weldments are primary concerns of ship builders. Fatigue tests and stress analyses were performed for specimens with boxing fillet welded attachments of three types : conventional boxing fillet weld (continuous round fillet weld) and two other shapes of boxing fillet weld (non-continuous round fillet weld). Specimens were made by two welding processes - manual arc and C02 semi-automatic welding, and two welding positions : flat and a combination of horizontal and over-head position.
Boxing fillet weldment comprises one of the most important ship structural components, from viewpoint of both fatigue strength and welding procedure. Fatigue cracks at side longitudinal in VLCC is one example where case fatigue cracks initiate from weld toes of boxing fillet weldments Boxing fillet weldments in ship structural members are now constructed by conventional boxing fillet welds, that is to say, continuous round fillet welds using various welding process and positions. Due to the above mentioned features of the conventional boxing fillet weld, other welding methods which are easier to automate with robots but assure at least the same fatigue strength, are strongly desired. We have been studying new boxing fillet welding procedures which allow for easier welding procedures and good fatigue strength with discontinuous parts. This paper is a report on a part of our study. In order to examine the difference of welding procedures on the configuration of the weld bead, three types of high strength steel specimens (see section 2) were prepared by using the combination of two welding processes and two welding positions. The welding processes were manual arc and C02 semi-automatic welding, and the welding positions were flat and a combination of horizontal and over-head positions.
