Abstract
The cyclic deformation and fracture characteristics of aluminum alloy 6061 are presented and discussed. The specimens were cyclically deformed using fully reversed tension-compression loading under total strain-amplitude control, over a range of temperatures. The alloy showed evidence of softening to failure at all test temperatures. The degree of softening during fully reversed deformation increased with test temperature. The presence of shearable matrix precipitates results in a microstructure that offers a local decrease in resistance to dislocation movement, causing a progressive loss of strengthening contributions to the matrix. At elevated temperatures, localized oxidation and embrittlement at the grain boundaries are exacerbated by the applied cyclic stress and play an important role in accelerating crack initiation and subsequent crack propagation. The fracture behavior of the alloy is discussed in light of competing influences of intrinsic microstructural effects, deformation characteristics arising from a combination of mechanical and microstructural contributions, cyclic plastic strain amplitude and concomitant response stress, and the test temperature.
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