Comparative analysis of shear load on single side and double side friction stir welded AA2014 joints

Due to its ability to fuse similar and dissimilar metals without melting and produce high-quality welds, friction stir welding (FSW) has become widely used in industry. This study presents a comparative analysis of the shear load performance of single-sided and double-sided FSW lap joints in AA2014 aluminium alloy. Friction stir lap welding, considered a potential alternative to conventional riveted joints, was carried out using reduced pin lengths to achieve partial thickness penetration and tapered weld geometry. Welding was performed on both sides of the joint under optimized process parameters to evaluate the influence of single- and double-sided FSW on shear strength. Experimental results showed that double-sided welded joints had a superior load-carrying capacity (52.8 kN) compared to single-sided joints (42.2 kN). The enhancement in shear performance is attributed to the refined and recrystallized grain structure formed on both sides of the weld zone. The findings highlight the effectiveness of double-sided FSW in improving the mechanical performance of AA2014 lap joints, making it a promising approach for aerospace and structural applications.