Structural integrity assessment of components repaired by WAAM: a finite element framework considering material anisotropy and interface zones

Standard isotropic finite element models fail to capture the highly complex behaviour of parts repaired by wire arc additive manufacturing. This study addresses this problem by presenting a high-fidelity, multi-zonal finite element framework which partitions the substrate and additively manufactured parts of the component into four distinct zones and applying an anisotropic material model. A finite element model of a repaired interfacial coupon under tensile loading is constructed. The model successfully captured complex stress gradients missed by conventional models. The transient zone of the additively manufactured part was identified as the most critical yielding zone. By overcoming the limitations of isotropic assumptions, this framework equips the maintenance, operation, repair, and overhaul sector with a practical, high-fidelity digital tool to virtually qualify printed repair strategies.