Influence of Liquid metal embrittlement on load-bearing capacity of resistance spot welds under crash loads: A study based on S-Rail components

Liquid Metal Embrittlement (LME) cracking is a well-documented issue encountered during resistance spot welding (RSW) of zinc-coated advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) in automotive manufacturing. Given that existing research has predominantly focused on laboratory scale samples and lacks investigation into the load-bearing capacity of joints under crash conditions, this study aims to fill these gaps by analyzing third-generation zinc-coated AHSS. S Rail components were produced through stamping to replicate real-world manufacturing conditions and geometries of automotive parts. To account for the disturbances typically encountered in production, samples with LME cracks were intentionally fabricated. Subsequently, a modified three-point bending test, assisted by numerical simulations, was developed to effectively apply loads to the weld spots of the S-Rail components. Results from crash tests demonstrated that observed light crack severity does not significantly compromise the joint’s load bearing capacity or lead to earlier joint failure.