The Cracking of Al-Mg Alloys Welded by MIG and FSW under Slow Strain Rating

Al-Mg alloys used in the shipbuilding industry were tested. The most commonly used alloy AW 5083 and alloy AW 5059 with higher strength properties were selected. Both native materials and their joints welded by the traditional MIG arc welding method and the friction stir welding (FSW) method were te...

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Main Authors: Krzysztof Dudzik, Mirosław Czechowski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-03-01
Series:Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/7/2643
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author Krzysztof Dudzik
Mirosław Czechowski
author_facet Krzysztof Dudzik
Mirosław Czechowski
author_sort Krzysztof Dudzik
collection DOAJ
description Al-Mg alloys used in the shipbuilding industry were tested. The most commonly used alloy AW 5083 and alloy AW 5059 with higher strength properties were selected. Both native materials and their joints welded by the traditional MIG arc welding method and the friction stir welding (FSW) method were tested. Both methods are approved by classification societies which allow them to be used in construction by the shipbuilding industry. The research was carried out in two stages. The first study was an “in-situ tensile test in SEM”. The surfaces of the deformed specimens’ changes were observed in the vacuum chamber of a Philips XL30 scanning electron microscope. During the tests, the force and elongation of the specimen were recorded. In addition, a chemical analysis of selected precipitates was performed by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) using the EDAX adapter. Slip lines were observed on the surface of the tested specimens, which are arranged in bands in the native material and in a disordered manner in the joints welded by MIG and FSW methods. Cracking starts mainly through decohesion at the matrix-precipitate interfaces. In the second stage of the research, slow strain rate testing (SSRT) was carried out in accordance with ISO 7539-7:2005. The tests were carried out on a specially designed test stand, where the FT-5307 strain gauge force sensor with a measuring range of 0–16 kN was used to measure the force value. The PSz 20 transducer with a measuring range of 0–20 mm was also used. The test consisted of subjecting the specimen to increasing deformation with the strain rate έ = 1.6 × 10<sup>−6</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> until destruction. The fracture surfaces of the SSRT specimens were subjected to fractographic analysis using a Philips XL-30 scanning electron microscope. The results of fractographic studies after the SSRT test of the native materials and their joints welded by the MIG and FSW methods indicate that the trans-crystalline cracking mechanism is dominant, characterized by ductile fracture, and cracks are initiated at the interfaces of the precipitates with the matrix. The research results show that the plastic deformation increases and micro-cracks develop and merge into a main crack, which, after reaching the critical dimension, rapidly develops, causing the destruction of the material. The fracture micrographs of the specimens of base metals and their joints welded by FSW and MIG after the SSRT test allow us to conclude that the cracking mechanism was trans-crystalline ductile.
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spelling doaj.art-d8fb68b2ef9e408a9f30e5b6ec9f2c112023-11-17T17:02:59ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442023-03-01167264310.3390/ma16072643The Cracking of Al-Mg Alloys Welded by MIG and FSW under Slow Strain RatingKrzysztof Dudzik0Mirosław Czechowski1Faculty of Marine Engineering, Gdynia Maritime University, 81-256 Gdynia, PolandFaculty of Marine Engineering, Gdynia Maritime University, 81-256 Gdynia, PolandAl-Mg alloys used in the shipbuilding industry were tested. The most commonly used alloy AW 5083 and alloy AW 5059 with higher strength properties were selected. Both native materials and their joints welded by the traditional MIG arc welding method and the friction stir welding (FSW) method were tested. Both methods are approved by classification societies which allow them to be used in construction by the shipbuilding industry. The research was carried out in two stages. The first study was an “in-situ tensile test in SEM”. The surfaces of the deformed specimens’ changes were observed in the vacuum chamber of a Philips XL30 scanning electron microscope. During the tests, the force and elongation of the specimen were recorded. In addition, a chemical analysis of selected precipitates was performed by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) using the EDAX adapter. Slip lines were observed on the surface of the tested specimens, which are arranged in bands in the native material and in a disordered manner in the joints welded by MIG and FSW methods. Cracking starts mainly through decohesion at the matrix-precipitate interfaces. In the second stage of the research, slow strain rate testing (SSRT) was carried out in accordance with ISO 7539-7:2005. The tests were carried out on a specially designed test stand, where the FT-5307 strain gauge force sensor with a measuring range of 0–16 kN was used to measure the force value. The PSz 20 transducer with a measuring range of 0–20 mm was also used. The test consisted of subjecting the specimen to increasing deformation with the strain rate έ = 1.6 × 10<sup>−6</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> until destruction. The fracture surfaces of the SSRT specimens were subjected to fractographic analysis using a Philips XL-30 scanning electron microscope. The results of fractographic studies after the SSRT test of the native materials and their joints welded by the MIG and FSW methods indicate that the trans-crystalline cracking mechanism is dominant, characterized by ductile fracture, and cracks are initiated at the interfaces of the precipitates with the matrix. The research results show that the plastic deformation increases and micro-cracks develop and merge into a main crack, which, after reaching the critical dimension, rapidly develops, causing the destruction of the material. The fracture micrographs of the specimens of base metals and their joints welded by FSW and MIG after the SSRT test allow us to conclude that the cracking mechanism was trans-crystalline ductile.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/7/2643aluminum alloysweldingMIGfriction stir weldingSSRTfractography analysis
spellingShingle Krzysztof Dudzik
Mirosław Czechowski
The Cracking of Al-Mg Alloys Welded by MIG and FSW under Slow Strain Rating
Materials
aluminum alloys
welding
MIG
friction stir welding
SSRT
fractography analysis
title The Cracking of Al-Mg Alloys Welded by MIG and FSW under Slow Strain Rating
title_full The Cracking of Al-Mg Alloys Welded by MIG and FSW under Slow Strain Rating
title_fullStr The Cracking of Al-Mg Alloys Welded by MIG and FSW under Slow Strain Rating
title_full_unstemmed The Cracking of Al-Mg Alloys Welded by MIG and FSW under Slow Strain Rating
title_short The Cracking of Al-Mg Alloys Welded by MIG and FSW under Slow Strain Rating
title_sort cracking of al mg alloys welded by mig and fsw under slow strain rating
topic aluminum alloys
welding
MIG
friction stir welding
SSRT
fractography analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/7/2643
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