Abstract
Buckling may occur during welding process and/or under loading of welded components. Real structures contain imperfection which may allow buckling. However, simulations are mostly done using geometrically perfect models. Therefore, imperfections are necessary to include in geometrically perfect models. In case of a simple geometrically perfect model, shape of resultant displacement is predictable, imperfection can by created in similar shap e. This work presents a novel numerical approach for creation of imperfection in finite element simulation of welding. Large temperature gradient is prescribed for calculation of shrinkage in welded structure to determinate load for linear buckling analysis. Buckling shapes obtained from linear buckling analysis are then used as imperfection shapes. The procedure presented in this work proposes method of calculating the weld-induced buckling in geometrical perfect model.