Simulation of SA387 plates butt welded by using SIMUFACT

This study presents a coupled thermo-mechanical finite element simulation of single-pass arc welding on SA387 Gr.11 ferritic steel plates (100 × 150 × 6 mm), performed using Simufact Welding with the Goldak double-ellipsoidal heat source model. The model incorporates temperature-dependent material properties, appropriate boundary conditions (fixed edge supports and convective cooling), and actual process parameters of current (140 A), voltage (15 V), travel speed (5 mm/s), and thermal efficiency (80%), resulting in a calculated net heat input of 3360 J/cm. The simulation predicted a peak arc-front temperature of 1733.78 °C, while the majority of the thermal field remained within 1500 °C, consistent with localized fusion. The heat-affected zone spanned 800–1400 °C. Maximum outputs included von Mises stress of 501.96 MPa, elastic strain of 0.0706, and displacement of 1.397 mm, predominantly near the weld bead. These results highlight the model's ability to resolve transient thermal gradients and localized deformation, supporting predictive control of weld quality, residual stress evolution due to thermal expansion and contraction, strain localization, and weld-induced distortion in ferritic steel components.