Grain boundary response of aluminum bicrystal under micro scale laser shock peening

Micro scale laser shock peening (mu LSP) is a process in which compressive residual stresses are induced in a material surface to improve fatigue life and wear resistance under cyclic loading. Since the diameter of the laser spot used during the process is the same order of magnitude as grain size, the effects of anisotropy and heterogeneity have to be explicitly taken into account in any model of the process. In this study experimental and numerical studies have been performed in order to investigate the response of an aluminum bicrystal under laser shock peening. The grain boundary is shocked to investigate heterogeneity, and single crystals are shocked to study the effect of anisotropy in the absence of heterogeneity. The orientations of the crystals in the bicrystal as well as the reference single crystals have been chosen such that an approximate plane strain condition is achieved. A finite element model which accounts for the anisotropy, heterogeneity and inertia has also been developed based on single crystal micromechanics. Simulation results are compared with experimental findings. The potential benefit of mu LSP as a surface treatment for improvement of fatigue life is also discussed. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.