Heat Exchanger Weld Design

Material properties of structural components often degrade over time as a result of cyclic loading, fluctuations in temperature, or corrosive environments. This degradation of material integrity may manifest itself as discrete flaws in the structure or through localized loss in the section thickness of a critical support member. Once structural damage has been discovered it is important to be able to accurately evaluate its impact on the continued safe performance of the structural components. Because structural damage is often related to fatigue, which can result in the initiation and growth of cracks, it is critical for engineers to evaluate the impact of fatigue loading on structural performance.