Thermomechanical behavior and microstructural characteristics of 7055 aluminum alloy during friction stirring welding

Abstract

This study employed a viscoplastic finite element model and re-meshing technique to investigate the thermomechanical response of 7055 aluminum alloy during friction stir welding (FSW). The stirring pin rotates at 800–1200 rpm and moves at 80–120 mm/min (i.e., welding speed) during the FSW process. The temperature field and viscoplastic flow were mathematically modeled based on a computational solid mechanics method and predicted by a three-dimensional coupled thermomechanical numerical simulation. To validate the simulation results, real-time temperature measurements at the welded joint were acquired via thermocouples embedded in the plate prior to the welding process. Additionally, optical microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction techniques were used to examine the metallographic structure and grain orientation of the welds, respectively. The results revealed a temperature difference of 5–10 ℃ between the advancing and retreating sides of the plate. The material on the advancing side was extruded upward in a circular motion and eventually reached the surface. Meanwhile, the material on the retreating side moved half a revolution around the pin and remained at the original depth of the plate. Complete dynamic recrystallization occurred in the weld nugget, resulting in the formation of fine equiaxed grains with random orientation. In the thermomechanically affected zone, the proximity to the weld nugget was associated with an increased proportion of high-angle grain boundaries and recrystallized structures. Simultaneously, the intensity of the deformation texture decreased, while the recrystallized texture showed an initial strengthening followed by a subsequent weakening. This comprehensive investigation contributes to a deeper understanding of the thermomechanical behavior and metallographic characterization of 7055 aluminum alloy during the FSW process.