Industrial experiences of FE-based fatigue life predictions of welded automotive structures

Mechanical finite element analyses of welded structures are performed on a daily basis in the automotive industry. One objective is to estimate the fatigue strength, which for thin sheet structures is given mainly by the strength of the joints. This article gives some insight into the dimensioning process, with special focus on fatigue analysis of spot welds and seam welds in thin-walled car body structures made of steel. Experiences from daily use at Volvo Car Corporation, limitations of methods, future and on-going work are discussed.