Calibration of the Ultrasonic Technique Using the Deep Hole Drilling, Neutron Diffraction and Contour Residual Stress Measurement on a Ring Stiffened Cylindrical Structures

Abstract

This paper presents the residual stress measurements carried out on a t-section representative of a ring stiffened cylindrical structures. This paper presents the work carried out to ascertain the residual stresses present within a T-plate section representative of a ring stiffened cylindrical structures. The contour, the deep hole drilling (DHD) and the neutron diffraction (ND) methods were applied to determine the longitudinal component of residual stress in the weld toe of the fillet weld in the as-welded condition. The results of these measurements are presented and compared to highlight agreements and discrepancies in the measured residual stress distributions using these different techniques. Finally, non-destructive residual stress measurement using the ultrasonic (US) technique was carried out on the component. The ultrasonic measurement provides a relative measurement and usually requires a tensile test in order to determine the acoustoelastic constant and the time of flight in a stress-free state. The tensile test requires some material to be extracted from the component. The tensile test can be avoided if other residual stress measurement techniques are used for the calibration. After the calibration the US technique can be deployed on a full-scale ring stiffened cylindrical structures to detect abnormal variation in the residual stress field.