Effect of Stress Relief Time and Temperature on the Mechanical Properties and Sensitization of 5xxx Aluminum Alloys

During fabrication distortion caused by weld induced stresses is a major barrier to the use of aluminum for large structures. Currently, restraint is the main method used to try and mitigate weld distortion. However, due to access issues or joint geometry it is not always possible to adequately restrain the members. The addition of post-weld methods of stress relief is therefore a desirable alternative to restraint alone.

To determine the effects of stress relief time and temperature on potential degradation of 5xxx aluminum alloys, tensile testing, microstructural analysis and sensitization tests per ASTM G67 was performed.