An analytical model for intergranular liquid feeding and its effect on solidification cracking

It was shown that, without computational fluid dynamics, intergranular liquid feeding in the mushy zone during welding of an alloy can still be calculated using an analytical model. The intergranular channel was approximated as a round pipe whose radius varies with the fraction of solid f(S), which in turn varies with temperature T. The model was applied to 2014 Al (similar to Al-4.4Cu) and 5086 Al (similar to Al-4.0Mg) to compare their susceptibility to solidification cracking. Based on the extent of the liquid pressure drop caused by intergranular liquid flow, the contribution to the crack susceptibility by transverse tension was compared to that by solidification shrinkage.