The energy evolution, fatigue life and failure behaviour of dissimilar Al/steel keyhole-free Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) joints were studied under different fatigue loads. The absorption energy of fatigue fracture, the fracture mechanism and the sensitivity of the fatigue limits to the fatigue load parameters were analysed. It was found that the stress ratio R determines the fatigue limit Ff, while the fatigue limit Ff is not sensitive to the loading frequency. The high-frequency fatigue load will increase the displacement deformation μ and fatigue fracture absorption energy Ea of the spot-welded joint, which are larger under asymmetric fatigue loading than those under symmetrical fatigue loading. At the same time, the symmetrical fatigue load can form the steady-state hysteresis loop, while asymmetric fatigue loading cannot, but asymmetric fatigue loading exhibits the displacement increment of fatigue softening. The fracture failure of spot-welded joints is a multiple crack source and the mixed-mode of ductile and brittle fracture mechanism, which exhibits typical fatigue striations in the fatigue fractures.
Keywords: FSSW; dissimilar metals; fatigue properties; fracture; hysteresis loop.