PROCESS MODELING APPLIED TO 6082-T6 ALUMINUM WELDMENTS .1. REACTION-KINETICS

The first part of this investigation deals with the development of an overall process model for the microstructural stability of 6082-T6 aluminium alloys at elevated temperatures. The model is composed of elements derived from thermodynamics, kinetic theory and simple dislocation mechanics, and allows predictions of the hardness distribution after reheating and subsequent natural ageing of the base metal for a wide range of operational conditions (including multi-step isothermal heat treatments and continuous thermal cycles). Applications of the model to prediction of strength losses in the heat affected zone (HAZ) of fusion welds are described in an accompanying paper (Part II).