In the Notch Stress Intensity Factor (N-SIF) approach the weld toe region is modelled as a sharp V-shaped corner and local stress distributions in planar problems can be expressed in closed form on the basis of the relevant mode I and mode II N-SIFs. Initially thought of as parameters suitable for quantifying only the crack initiation life, N-SIFs were shown able to predict also the total fatigue life, at least when a large part of the life is spent as in the propagation of small cracks in the highly stressed region close to the notch tip. While the assumption of a welded toe radius equal to zero seems to be reasonable in many cases of practical interest, it is well known that some welding procedures are able to assure the presence of a mean value of the weld toe radius substantially different from zero. Under such conditions any N-SIF-based prediction is expected to underestimate the fatigue life. In order to investigate the degree of conservatism, a total of 128 fillet welded specimens are re-analysed in the present work by using an energy-based N-SIF approach. The local weld toe geometry, characterised by its angle and radius, has been measured with accuracy for the actual test series. The aim of the work is to determine if the N-SIF-based model is capable of taking into account the large variability of the toe angle, and to quantify the inaccuracy in the predictions due to the simplification of setting the toe radius equal to zero

A B S T R A C T This paper presents a numerical simulation of micro-crack initiation that is based onTanaka-Mura micro-crack nucleation model. Three improvements were added to this model. First, multiple slip bands where micro-cracks may occur are used in each grain. Second improvement deals with micro-crack coalescence by extending existing micro-cracks along grain boundaries and connecting them into a macro-crack. The third improvement handles segmented micro-crack generation, where a micro-crack is not nucleated in one step like in Tanaka-Mura model, but is instead generated in multiple steps. High cycle fatigue testing was also performed and showed reasonably good correlation of proposed model to experimental results. Because numerical model was directed at simulating fatigue properties of thermally cut steel, edge properties of test specimens were additionally inspected in terms of surface roughness and micro-structural properties.Keywords fatigue; fatigue crack initiation; fatigue crack propagation; numerical modelling. N O M E N C L A T U R Eb = exponent of fatigue strength C = material parameter of Paris equation C xy = elastic stiffness coefficients d = slip band length G = shear modulus HAZ = heat affected zone k = frictional stress of dislocation on a slip plane K t = stress concentration factor m = material parameter of Paris equation N = number of stress cycles for fatigue failure N c = number of cycles for a micro-crack nucleation N i = stress cycles for the fatigue crack initiation N p = stress cycles for the fatigue crack propagation N i s = number of cycles for micro-crack nucleation on a segment s in stage i N i s ,min = the lowest number of cycles for micro-crack nucleation in stage i R = stress ratio R a = average roughness height R m = ultimate tensile stress R p0,2 = yield stress R z = maximal roughness height

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High fatigue reliability is one of the most important design criteria for welded offshore steel structures. Due to repeated wave loading fatigue cracks may initiate and grow in welded joints that are important for the integrity of these structures. The present paper presents the methodology and the practical calculations for risk based inspection planning for fatigue cracks in welded details. Due to the uncertainty in the variables involved in the problem the planning has to be carried out by stochastic modeling and risk based assessments. Scatter in potential crack growth has to be analyzed by applied probabilistic facture mechanics and the uncertainty in the performance of the actual inspection technique has to be determined. With given risk acceptance criteria the practical outcome of the analyses is recommended inspection techniques and associated planned inspection time intervals. The classical theory is outlined and the latest recommendations from a Joint Industry Project recently completed by Det Norske Veritas in Norway are discussed. Discussion on how to model the fatigue process correctly is emphasized, particularly the role of time to crack initiation versus the subsequent crack propagation phase. Proper modeling of these two phases is crucial to get the potential crack path correct and thus obtain a reliable estimate of the probability of crack detection. For the crack propagation phase the selection of geometry functions is addressed. A practical case study for life extension of an offshore oil loading system is finally presented. A structural significant item in the system is the steel gooseneck connection for the sub-sea flexible loading hoses. The case is an interesting one in the way that two similar systems were analyzed independently, one analysis based on the tradition S-N approach and one where the decisions were reliability based by applying the Risk Based Inspection approach.