This report provides a summary and overview of the fatigue behavior of aluminum alloy weldments. In 1972, a first state-of-the-art report was prepared and a computerized data bank was initiated. This report has emphasized the knowledge gained since the publication of that first summary and indicates the extent of the data added to the bank.

The results reported herein confirm that the external geometry of the welded joint and the joint configuration are the primary factors affecting fatigue strength. Although results show that variables such as loading history and internal joint geometry can affect behavior, the shape of the weld bead is most significant for a given joint type. Furthermore, they show that the more severe the joint geometry, the lower the fatigue strength.

Although the results of this study clearly identify trends in behavior, several key additional research efforts are needed.