Numerical Modeling of Structural Steel Elements Fabricated Using Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2024

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) has revolutionized numerous industrial fields by enabling the production of intricate shapes that were previously impractical to manufacture using traditional methods. Recently, AM has been adopted in the construction industry. One of the key challenges in researching additively manufactured (AM’d) parts is accurately modeling and analyzing their thermal and mechanical responses and considering the imperfections resulting from the temperature variation during the printing process. This requires a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between various parameters, such as the printing process, and material properties. Overcoming these challenges is crucial for improving the reliability and performance of AM'd parts. Consequently, this research provides a step-by-step modeling and simulation of AM’d parts using ABAQUS software. Specimens with different test setups and printing directions were used for simulation. Four simulations had been created for specimens using layer-by-layer method to represent the 3D printing process fabricated using wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). Also, finite element modeling was performed to investigate the specimen response under the application of tension and compression loads. This research provided insights into the differences in modeling the mechanical properties relative to the printing directions and where the tensile and compressive capacities were greatly influenced.

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