Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the residual stresses present in titanium friction stir welds and if a post-weld thermal stress relief cycle would be effective in minimizing those weld-induced residual stresses. Surface residual stresses in titanium 6Al-4V alloy friction stir welds were measured in butt joint thicknesses ranging from 3 to 12 mm. The residual stress states were also evaluated after the welds were subjected to a post-weld thermal stress relief cycle of 760 °C for 45 min. High (300-400 MPa) tensile residual stresses were observed in the longitudinal direction prior to stress relief and compressive residual stresses were measured in the transverse direction. After stress relief, the residual stresses were decreased by an order of magnitude to negligible levels.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
K. Masubuchi, ASM Handbook, Vol 6, Residual Stresses and Distortion ASM International, Materials Park, 1993, p 1094
R.S. Mishra and Z.Y. Ma, Friction Stir Welding and Processing, Mater. Sci. Eng., 2005, 50, p 1–78
P.J. Withers and H.K.D.H. Bhadeshia, Overview—Residual Stress Part 2—Nature and Origins, Mater. Sci. Technol., 2001, 17(4), p 366–375
M.E. Fitzpatrick, Determination of Residual Stresses by X-ray Diffraction Issue 2, National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, 2005
M.N. James, D.J. Hughes, D.G. Hattingh, G.R. Bradley, G. Mills, and P.J. Webster, Synchrotron Diffraction Measurement of Residual Stresses in Friction Stir Welded 5383‐H321 Aluminium Butt Joints and Their Modification by Fatigue Cycling, Fatigue Fract. Eng. Mater. Struct., 2004, 27(3), p 187–202
M.B. Prime, T.J. Lienert, and W.L. Stellwag, Residual Stress Measurement in Friction Stir Welded Ti-6Al-4V, Fabtech International and AWS Welding Show 2005, November 13–16, Chicago, 2005
M.B. Prime, T. Gnäupel-Herold, J.A. Baumann, R.J. Lederich, D.M. Bowden, and R.J. Sebring, Residual Stress Measurements in a Thick, Dissimilar Aluminum Alloy Friction Stir Weld, Acta Mater., 2006, 54(15), p 4013–4021
H.T. Luckhoo, T.-S. Jung, and A.M. Korsunsky, Inverse Eigenstrain Analysis of Residual Stresses in Friction Stir Welds, Procedia Eng., 2009, 1, p 213–216
T.-S. Jung and A.M. Korsunsky, Evaluation of Residual Stresses and Strains Using the Eigenstrain Reconstruction Method, Int. J. Solids Struct., 2010, 47, p 1678–1686
N. Kumar, R.S. Mishra, and J.A. Baumann, Residual Stresses in Friction Stir Welding, Butterwoorth-Heinemann Publication, Waltham, 2014, p 7–14
D.G. Sanders, P. Edwards, A.M. Cantrell, K. Gangwar, and M. Ramulu, Friction Stir-Welded Titanium Alloy Ti-6Al-4V: Microstructure, Mechanical and Fracture Properties, JOM, 2015, doi:10.1007/s11837-015-1376
R. John, K.V. Jata, and K. Sadananda, Residual Stress Effects on Near-Threshold Fatigue Crack Growth in Friction Stir Welds in Aerospace Alloys, Int. J. Fatigue, 2003, 25, p 939–948
S. Pasta and A.P. Reyonds, Residual Stress Effects on Fatigue Crack Growth in Ti-6Al-4V Friction Stir Weld, Fatigue Fract. Eng. Mater. Struct., 2008, 31, p 569–580
S. Pasta and A.P. Reynolds, Evaluation of Residual Stresses During Fatigue Test in an FSW Joint, Strain, 2008, 44, p 147–152
A.L. Pilchak, M.C. Juhas, and J.C. Williams, Microstructural Changes Due to Friction Stir Processing of Investment-cast Ti-6Al-4V, Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2007, 38A, p 401–408
T.J. Lienert, Friction Stir Welding and Processing, ASM International publ, Materials Park, 2007, p 123–154
D.G. Sanders, M. Ramulu, E.J. Klock-McCook, P.D. Edwards, A.P. Reynolds, and T. Trapp, Characterization of Superplastically Formed Friction Stir Weld in Titanium 6AL-4V: Preliminary Results, J. Mater. Eng. Perform., 2008, 17(2), p 187–192
R.S. Mishra, P.S. De, and N. Kumar, Friction Stir Welding and Processing, Springer Publication, New York, 2014
A. Steuwer, D.G. Hattingh, M.N. James, U. Singh, and T. Buslaps, Residual Stresses, Microstructure and Tensile Properties in Ti-6Al-4V Friction Stir Welds, Sci. Technol. Weld. Join., 2012, 17(7), p 525–533
P.D. Edwards, Friction Stir Welding of Ti-6Al-4V Sheet and Plate for Aerospace Structures, PhD Dissertation, University of Washington: Washington, 2010
G. Welsch, R. Boyer, and E.W. Collings, Ed., Materials Properties Handbook: Titanium Alloys, ASM International, Materials Park, 1994, p 631
P. Edwards and M. Ramulu, Identification of Process Parameters for Friction Stir Welding Ti-6Al-4V, J. Eng. Mater. Technol., 2010, 132, p 031006-1
P. Edwards, M. Ramulu, M. Petersen, and R. Boyer, Mechanical Performance of Heat Treated Ti-6Al-4V Friction Stir Welds, Key Eng. Mater., 2010, 436, p 213–221
P. Edwards and M. Ramulu, Peak temperatures during friction stir welding ofTi-6Al-4V, Sci. Technol. Weld. Join., 2010, 15(6), p 468–472
V. Richter-Trummer, E. Suzano, M. Beltrão, A. Roos, J.F. dos Santos, and P.M.S.T. de Castro, Influence of the FSW Clamping Force on the Final Distortion and Residual Stress Field, Mater. Sci. Eng. A Struct., 2012, 538, p 81–88
M. Peel et al., Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Residual Stresses as a Function of Welding Speed in Aluminium AA5083 Friction Stir Welds, Acta Mater., 2003, 51(16), p 4791–4801
T.S. Balasubramanian, V. Balasubramanian, and M.A. Muthu Manickam, Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior of Gas Tungsten Arc, Electron Beam and Laser Beam Welded Ti-6Al-4V Alloy, Mater. Des., 2011, 32, p 4509–4520
Acknowledgment
The authors of this paper would like to thank The Boeing Company for the support and Dr. D. Sanders for his encouragement throughout this research project. Our sincere thanks are also extended to J. Bernath, of The Edison Welding Institute for providing the welded specimens and assistance with process development.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Edwards, P., Ramulu, M. Surface Residual Stresses in Ti-6Al-4V Friction Stir Welds: Pre- and Post-Thermal Stress Relief. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 24, 3263–3270 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-015-1610-2
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-015-1610-2