IMPROVING THE FATIGUE PERFORMANCE OF WELDED ALUMINUM ALLOYS

An investigation was recently conducted at the David Taylor Naval Ship R&D Center (DTNSRDC), Bethesda, Md., to develop methods for improving the fatigue performance of welded 5086 alloy aluminum. Of the methods investigated, postweld brush shot peening offered the best improvement. A previous study had shown that the high-cycle fatigue performance of 5086 aluminum alloys, used for high-performance ship construction, was seriously degraded by welding. But, the recent DTNSRDC study showed that the strength of 5086 butt and fillet weldments could be significantly improved with peening intensities of 0.0035 to 0.0080 inch. Specifically, the fatigue strength of 5086 butt welds was improved to the level of unwelded base metal, and the strength of the fillet welds was increased from 5,500 to 10,000 psi at 10 to the (7) power cycles.

• Corporate Authors:

  Columbia Research Corporation

  2531 Jefferson Davis Highway
  Arlington, VA  United States  22202
• Publication Date: 1980-3

Media Info

• Pagination: n.p.
• Serial:
  • Navy Technology Transfer Fact Sheet
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: National Technical Information Service

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aluminum; Aluminum alloys; Butt welds; Fatigue strength; Fillet welds; Strength of materials; Weld strength; Welding; Welds
• Uncontrolled Terms: Aluminum welding
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00311354
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 26 1980 12:00AM