Finite-element study of residual stress distribution in Ti-6Al-4V alloy treated by laser shock peening with varying parameters

Laser shock peening (LSP) is used to enhance surface quality of the metallic structures by the generation of compressive residual stresses on it. This work studies the effect of the main LSP parameters on residual stress fields by the finite-element method. The specimen under investigation is a square plate with a thickness of 3 mm made of Ti-6Al-4V. The performed analysis enhances understanding of LSP application to structures manufactured from this material and this information can be useful for a choice of optimal peening parameters. The effect of the spot size and shape, the pulse energy, the number of peen layers, overlapping of spots and temporal variation of the mechanical pressure induced by plasma is considered and analyzed. A 3D finite-element model based on the Johnson-Cook constitutive relation is developed and verified by the results of residual stress measurements performed for the LSP-treated samples under different conditions. From the obtained results the following main conclusions can be drawn: pulse energy provides the more significant effect although the resulting residual stresses profile tends to some saturation curve; temporal pressure pulse shape and its total duration also substantially alter the residual stress field; the least significant parameter is the spot shape.