Direct Prediction of Residual-Stress-Driven Distortion in ANSYS Mechanical via Initial Stress Fields: Plate, Ring, and Blade Case Studies

Residual stresses strongly influence the structural response of engineering components, producing residual deformations that may affect their final dimensions. Therefore, accurately predicting these deformations is essential during the design and manufacturing stages. This work presents a methodology for predicting residual deformations by introducing residual stress fields into finite element models through the ANSYS INISTATE capability using calculated initial stresses. The methodology was evaluated using an Almen-type plate, a ring, and a compressor blade. Five stress field configurations, including residual stress, initial stress, equivalent biaxial stress, and different through-thickness discretizations, were compared to assess their influence on the structural response. The Initial Stress Equivalent S2 configuration, which represents the initial stress field using an equivalent biaxial stress state, was identified as the most suitable general representation for introducing residual stresses into finite element models. When the thickness of the discretized surface layer matched the actual residual stress depth, the Initial Stress Equivalent S2 configuration could be implemented using a single integration layer without affecting the structural response. The proposed methodology provides a practical approach for implementing residual stress fields in finite element analyses and selecting an appropriate stress field representation according to the component geometry.