Understanding and Modelling the Mechanical and Corrosion Properties of 6056 for Aerospace Applications

Alloys of the Al-Mg-Si-Cu series like AA6056 are good candidates for welded fuselage panels. The first part of the paper recalls the main metallurgical influences on final properties (mechanical strength, damage tolerance, and intergranular corrosion resistance). Starting from these principles, the properties of AA6056 type alloys were rationalized using metallurgical modelling. Clear relationships between measured properties and metallurgical calculations are found. An illustration of such an approach is given, leading to an optimized version of AA6056. (Author)