The effects of aging treatment and strain rates on damage evolution in AA 6061 aluminum alloy in compression

Abstract AA 6061 aluminum alloy in T4, T6 and T8 temper were subjected to quasi-static compressive loading at a strain-rate of 3.2 × 10−3 s−1 and dynamic compressive loading at strain-rates between 7.0 × 103 and 8.5 × 103 s−1. The effects of strain rates and temper condition on the deformation behavior of the alloy are discussed. Under the quasi-static loading, deformation was relatively homogeneous and controlled by strain hardening, which is more pronounced in the naturally aged than the artificially aged alloys. Thermal softening played a dominant role under impact loading leading to strain localization along narrow bands called adiabatic shear bands (ASBs). Both deformed bands consisting of aligned second phase particles and transformed bands consisting of fine recrystallized grains were observed. The average size of the recrystallized grains in the transformed bands is about 600 nm and varies slightly depending on the temper condition. The fine grains are suggested to form by dynamic recrystallization. The T4 alloy showed the highest propensity for thermal softening, strain localization and cracking under impact loading while the T8 alloy showed the least tendency. The degree of recrystallization in the transformed band is influenced by temper condition with T8 alloy having the highest fraction of unrecrystallized grains inside the transformed bands. This is related to the temperature rise in the transformed bands that was estimated to be highest in the T4 alloy and lowest in the T8 alloy. The combined effects of high temperature and severe strain inside the transformed bands caused dissolution of second phase particles and induced microstructural changes that resulted in less silicon inside the transformed bands than in the adjacent region.