Elastic properties modification in aluminum alloy induced by laser-shock processing

The elastic properties of aluminum alloy 2024-T62 shocked by laser are investigated using a laser ultrasonics method. The results show that the elastic properties modification is distributed within the specimen. The distribution can be fitted by polynomial regression. The elastic constants C-11 and Poisson's ratio nu increase within the shocked area. The relative changes of C-11 and nu can be as high as 40.6 and 24.8%, respectively. The elastic constants C-44 and Young's modulus E can decrease by up to 29 and 25.4%, respectively. The Lame coefficient lambda increases near the center, but decreases at the edge, of the laser-shocked area. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.