The repeated cracking of stainless steel runner blade was a serious problem in francis turbine.The general finite element method code ANSYS was employed to simulate and analyse welding residual stress in runner blade manufacturing processes and stress distribution in nominal operating conditions.Simulation results showed that weld area near the water’s edge was in the peak stress region.The combined effect of residual stress and work stress was the root causes of fatigue cracks.The calculation results provided a basis for design

welding residual stress test at manufacturing phase and wheel stress test at operation phase.