Residual stress analysis in wire arc cladding: Influence of cladding material, interpass temperature and thickness parameters

To enhance the surface properties of structures, this study investigates the residual stress distribution in cladding SUS316L and 16Cr8Ni-LTT materials on high-strength steel KA36, focusing on the influence of interpass temperature, substrate thickness, and cladding thickness. Residual stresses were measured using the contour method and numerically analyzed through a thermo-elasto-plastic finite element (FE) model, validated against experimental data and successfully reproducing the evolution and distribution of residual stresses. Results indicated that the residual stress distribution generated by cladding SUS316L was fundamentally governed by substrate stiffness. Thin substrates bent upward, leading to a characteristic pattern of compressive stress in middle passes and tensile stress in final passes, while thick substrates suppressed bending, causing tensile stress in newly deposited layers and compressive stress in the substrate. For 16Cr8Ni-LTT cladding with martensitic phase transformation, compressive stress was generated in the clad layer, resulting in an asymmetric tensile-compressive distribution on thin substrates, while thick substrates constrained deformation, yielding a clad layer dominated by compressive stress. Higher interpass temperature effectively enhanced interfacial compressive stress in thick SUS316L substrates and mitigated high-stress zone concentration in thick LTT substrates. Increasing substrate thickness significantly increases stresses in both the cladding layer and substrate by enhancing structural stiffness, whereas increasing cladding thickness primarily altered stress state within the clad layer with minimal impact on the substrate. These findings clarify residual stress distribution characteristics under different interpass temperatures and thickness parameters, providing useful guidance for parameter selection and residual stress control in cladding.