Characterization of Ductile Fracture in 5083 Aluminum using Micro Computed X-Ray Tomography

Micro-computed X-ray tomography (microCT) has emerged in recent years as a viable non-destructive three-dimensional imaging technique in material science. This technology is applied to characterize secondary Mg particles in plane strain 5083-H116 aluminum specimens whose geometries have been manipulated to create varying stress states (stress triaxiality). The movement of voids initiated during ductile fracture is linked to the measured Mg particle distribution. The tomography-measured Mg particles diameters and distributions are used as experimental inputs for a previously developed theoretical model to non-destructively measure strain to failure. The tomography measured strain to failures show excellent correlation to results obtained from experimental tensile testing and finite element analysis of the specimens.