Abstract
High level residual stresses acting in non stress-relieved welded joints are usually superimposed by stresses due to an external loading. If a structure is loaded at low temperatures (being under the ductile-cleavage transition temperature of the material under consideration) a brittle failure may occur. However, if the first loading of the structure was applied at a temperature higher than the transition temperature, no brittle failure of the structure occurs even though the further loading was applied at low temperature. Thus, overstressing at higher temperatures shows a beneficial effect on the service properties of welded structures.
Theoretical knowledge as well as results of significant experimental work investigating the influence of high-temperature overstressing on welded joints properties have been summarized in this article.

Key words
high level residual stresses, non stress-relieved welded joints, the influence of high-temperature overstressing on welded joints properties

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