Laser shock peening on fatigue behavior of 2024-T3 Al alloy with fastener holes and stopholes

The effect of laser shock peening on the fatigue behavior of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy with a fastener hole, multiple crack stopholes and single-edge notch was investigated. Laser shock peening (LSP) was performed under a 'confined ablation mode' using a Nd:glass laser at a laser power density of 5 GW cm(-2). The fatigue crack initiation life and fatigue crack growth rates of the Al alloy, with different preexisting notch configurations, were characterized and compared with those of the unpeened material. The results clearly show that LSP is an effective surface treatment technique for improving the fatigue performance of Al alloys having various preexisting notch configurations. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.