For the precise assessment of the effect of welding residual stresses on structural strength and fatigue crack growth behavior, new FE analysis algorithms for the estimation of residual stress relaxation due to external load and redistribution due to fatigue crack propagation were proposed in this paper. Initial welding residual stress field was obtained by thermal elasto-plastic analysis considering temperature dependent material properties, and the amount of residual stress relaxation and redistribution were assessed by subsequent elasto-plastic analysis In the analysis of fatigue crack propagation, the applied SIF(Stress Intensity Factor) range was evaluated by $frac{1}{4}$-point displacement extrapolation method, and the effect of welding residual stresses on crack propagation was considered by introducing the effective SIF concept. The test results of crack propagations were compared with the predicted data obtained by the analysis.