The National Shipbuilding Research Program, 1991 Ship Production Symposium Proceedings: Paper No. IVB-4. Shipyard Aluminum/Steel Welded Transition Joints
Abstract
Aluminum to steel explosion welded transition joints are used in shipbuilding to attach aluminum superstructures to steel hulls. This paper summarizes long term studies to determine causes of separations and describes actions to prevent separations. The aluminum/steel transition joints are manufactured by the explosion welding process and tested in accordance with MIL-J-24445. Traditional transition joints consist of alloyed aluminum bonded (by the explosion weld) to mild steel with an interlayer of low alloy aluminum. In 1989, production began using an improved transition joint product with the addition of a titanium interlayer between the steel and the low alloy aluminum. Laboratory testing showed the improved product had greater strength and temperature resistance. However, when this product was put into production, disbonding occurred at an alarming rate. As a result, it was discovered that bond notch toughness is a critical property even though it was not required to be measured by MIL-J- 24445. To improve the notch toughness while preserving earlier beneficial improvements, a ductile copper nickel (CUNI) interlayer was added between the steel and the titanium. This paper describes the study results and the development of the latest generation of aluminum steel structural transition.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA457134
Entities
People
- Edward Gaines
- John Banker