Endurance Life of Aging Aircraft Components Predicted by Conductivity Changes in Aluminium 2024

Author:  Jack A. Soules, Surface Stress Technology Inc., Cl
Source:  Conf Proc: ICSP-8 Sept. 16-20, 2002 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Doc ID:  2002025
Year of Publication:  2002
Abstract:  
In previous papers 1,2 at the 6th and 7th International Conferences on Shot Peening, and in the technical literature 3, we have described in detail our method of using eddy currents to compare precisely the electrical conductivity in a shot-peened metal surface to that of a similar, unpeened, surface. Encouraged by these results we began a research program to see if the surface conductivity of an ordinary aluminum plate was affected by the fatigue effects of repeated heavy loading. Since fatigue produces work hardening and other metallurgical effects we expected these effects to be observable in the conductivity. Further, in a bent specimen the stress is largest right at the surface where our technique is most sensitive.