Surface analysis of Al‐Mg alloy series for ship after cavitation test

Abstract

Aluminum alloys for ships have high mechanical strength and light, and their specific strength is higher than steel ships, enabling high speed and light weight. To lengthen the life of aluminum alloy ships, many studies are being conducted to improve durability through heat treatment and the addition of various elements, but they are still exposed to the harsh ocean environment. As the possibility of cavitation damage is getting higher because of the high speed of aluminum ships, it is critical to select aluminum alloys for ships that have excellent characteristics in ocean environment. For this purpose, cavitation experiments were conducted for the Al‐Mg alloy of the 5000 series as hull materials that directly contact seawater, and their behaviors were examined and compared. The cavitation experiments revealed that the 5083‐O and the 5083‐H116 alloys showed the largest and the smallest weight loss, respectively. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.