Influence of laser peening on fatigue crack initiation of notched aluminum plates

Notches such as slots are typical geometric features on mechanical components that promote fatigue crack initiation. Unlike for components with open hole type notches, there are no conventional treatments to enhance fatigue behavior of components with slots. In this work we evaluate the viability of applying laser shock peening (LSP) to extend the fatigue life of 6061-T6 aluminum components with slots. The feasibility of using LSP is evaluated not only on damage free notched specimens, but also on samples with previous fatigue damage. For the LSP treatment a convergent lens was used to deliver 0.85 J and 6 ns laser pulses 1.5 mm in diameter by a Q-switch Nd: YAG laser, operating at 10 Hz with 1064 nm of wavelength. Residual stress distribution was assessed by the hole drilling method. A fatigue analysis of the notched specimens was conducted using the commercial code Fh-Safe and different multiaxial fatigue criteria to predict fatigue lives of samples with and without LSP. The residual stress field produced by the LSP process was estimated by a finite element simulation of the process. A good comparison of the predicted and experimental fatigue lives was observed. The beneficial effect of LSP in extending fatigue life of notched components with and without previous damage is demonstrated.