Experimental analysis of constant-amplitude fatigue properties in 6156 (Al-Mg-Si) sheet aluminum alloy

Fatigue mechanical behavior of wrought aluminum alloy (Al-Mg-Si) 6156 at T4 temper is experimentally investigated. Constant-amplitude fatigue tests, at fixed stress ratio R = 0.1, were carried out, and the respective stress–life diagram was constructed and compared against the competitive 6xxx aluminum alloys, for example, 6082 and 6061. Fatigue endurance limit of AA6156 was found to be approximately 155 ± 5 MPa, that is, almost 30% below yield stress Rp of the material. AA6156 presents almost 50% higher fatigue life in the high-cycle fatigue area and approximately 20% higher fatigue endurance limit, when compared with other 6xxx series aluminum alloys. Significant work hardening was induced due to fatigue and was experimentally validated by the measurements of residual stiffness of fatigue loops as well as of absorbed energy per fatigue loop. Work-hardening exponent was essentially decreased by almost 25% from the first fatigue cycles and up to 10% of fatigue life. Fracture surfaces of specimens loaded at applied stresses close to fatigue endurance limit exhibited signs of coarse voids due to the formed precipitates at the matrix. The fracture mechanism was a mixture of transgranunal and intergranular fracture for the fatigue specimens tested at higher applied fatigue loadings.