The present study aims to investigate the extent to which the fatigue behaviour of laser beam-welded AA6056-T6 butt joints with an already existing crack can be improved through the application of laser shock peening. Ultrasonic testing was utilized for in situ (nondestructive) measurement of fatigue crack growth during the fatigue test. This procedure allowed the preparation of welded specimens with surface fatigue cracks with a depth of approximately 1.2 mm. The precracked specimens showed a 20% reduction in the fatigue limit compared with specimens without cracks in the as-welded condition. Through the application of laser shock peening on the surfaces of the precracked specimens, it was possible to recover the fatigue life to the level of the specimens tested in the as-welded condition. The results of this study show that laser shock peening is a very promising technique to recover the fatigue life of welded joints with surface cracks, which can be detected by nondestructive testing.
K E Y W O R D Saluminium alloys, fatigue crack, laser beam welding, laser shock peening, residual stress, ultrasonic crack tip diffraction
The present paper focuses on the metallurgical and microstructural characterization of the laser beam-welded T-joints between commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) and Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The weld regions were comprehensively studied and the mechanisms leading to the final morphology within each weld region were described. The link between microstructural features and local mechanical properties was demonstrated. Owing to different constitution, the responses of the two titanium alloys to thermal cycles imposed by laser welding are completely different. A strong interface with no dilution zone between the two alloys was observed. The cooling rate during the welding process is high enough for diffusionless martensitic transformation in the Ti-6Al-4V part of the fusion zone. In contrast, no evidence of martensite was found in the CP-Ti because of low solute content and, consequently, much higher critical cooling rate. Plausible reason for some controversy found in the literature on the resulting transformation products after laser processing of CP-Ti was given. The present findings might have important industrial implications because careful microstructural characterization revealed the real position of the skin fusion line, which is of great importance for fulfillment of the weld quality criteria.
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