Study of Shear Fracture Behaviours on 6061 Aluminum Alloy

Abstract

The mechanics properties and fracture behaviors of 6061 aluminum alloy were investigated by the tensile shear tests and in-situ tensile shear tests with tensile shear specimen devised. The results indicate that a lot of slip bands parallel to tensile direction are produced on specimens’ surfaces. With shear strain rates increasing, the shear yield stress and shear ultimate stress of 6061 aluminum alloy remain constant basically, but the shear fracture strain decreased obviously. The grain boundaries of 6061 aluminum alloy are the weakest area and microcracks initiate at the grain boundaries parallel to tensile direction under shear stress. With shear stress increasing, the microcracks extend and coalesce. The fracture of specimens is due to coalescence or shearing between the microcracks.