The effects of welding process parameters on properties of welded joint for enhancing welding structural integrity using simulation and experimental methods

Underwater hyperbaric dry welding, as a superior underwater welding method, is commonly applied in shipwreck salvage and subsea pipeline maintenance. Due to the use of an automatic welding arm for repairing the welding area, the preset and selection of welding process parameters are key to ensuring the formation of the welding seam and deeply affecting the subsequent work. Ensuring the formation and reliable quality of welding seam is a challenge faced in underwater hyperbaric dry welding work. This study adopts a combined approach of experiments and numerical simulations to investigate the influence of welding process parameters on weld quality. In experiments, different welding parameters were set to obtain welds of varying quality, followed by cross-sectional polishing and molten pool measurements. During the numerical simulation phase, the weld parameters obtained from experiments were replicated to verify simulation accuracy. The parameter set was then expanded to derive influence patterns of broader parameter ranges on weld quality, ultimately proposing reasonable welding parameter ranges to achieve parameter optimization. The welding parameter optimization and post-weld processing methods proposed in this study provide supplementary value to the process development of underwater hyperbaric dry welding.