Micro-slotting technique for reliable measurement of sub-surface residual stress in Ti-6Al-4V

Abstract

Micro-slotting, a relaxation residual stress measurement technique, has recently been shown to be an effective method for measuring local residual stresses in a variety of materials. The micro-slotting method relies on a scanning electron microscope–focused ion beam system for milling and imaging, digital image correlation software to track displacements due to residual stress relaxation after milling, and finite element analysis for displacement–stress correlation and calculation of the original stress state in the imaged region. The high spatial resolution of the micro-slotting method makes it a promising technique for obtaining near-surface residual stress data in Ti-6Al-4V components for input into fatigue life models and crack growth simulations. However, use of the micro-slotting method on this alloy has yet to be evaluated against more established measurement techniques. In this study, spatially resolved sub-surface residual stress measurements were obtained on shot peened and low-stress surface-machined Ti-6Al-4V planar coupons using the micro-slotting method and were compared to measurements obtained using the conventional X-ray diffraction depth profiling technique. The sub-surface measurements were in good agreement for the shot peened sample. Observed differences in the measured near-surface residual stresses on the surface-machined sample were attributed to the larger measurement volume of the X-ray diffraction method, suggesting that the micron-sized measurement volume of the micro-slotting method may be more suitable for capturing shallow stress profiles and steep stress gradients. Prior to performing the micro-slotting measurements, finite element modeled displacements were used to verify the measurement procedure and to address uncertainties in the milled slot geometries. The results of this study demonstrated the validity of the micro-slotting procedure and established the technique as a reliable method for measuring sub-surface residual stresses in Ti-6Al-4V.