Investigation into the cyclic behavior of AA2017 tubular joints fabricated by solid-state welding process
摘要
In this study, AA2017 tubular joints were assembled using a solid-state welding process and evaluated for their mechanical and fatigue properties. Tensile tests revealed that Rotary Friction Welding Tubular (RFWT) joints exhibit a fully linear elastic stress–strain response, without any plastic deformation, resulting in brittle behavior with a weld efficiency of 52.1% and an Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) of 169.9 MPa, compared to the elastoplastic response of the Tubular Base Metal (TBM) with a UTS of 326.3 MPa. Vickers hardness measurements showed a nearly symmetrical profile peaking at the weld interface at 126 HV, indicating pronounced structural hardening in the Dynamic Recrystallized Zone (DRZ), while lower values were recorded in the Thermo-Mechanically Affected Zone (TMAZ) at 118 HV and the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) at 105 HV. Under cyclic loading at 144 MPa, the RFWT joints exhibited a fatigue life of approximately 2500 cycles, markedly shorter than the TBM’s 100,000 cycles, mainly due to temperature-induced heterogeneity caused by the 516 °C thermal rise during welding. Fractographic analysis revealed mixed fracture morphologies, with ductile dimples near the inner surface and brittle cleavage facets at the periphery, indicating a fracture mode influenced by both local zone morphology and the nature of the applied cyclic loading.