Computational Model of Mechano-Electrochemical Effect of Aluminum Alloys Corrosion

Abstract

Stress corrosion is a critical issue that leads to high costs in lost equipment and maintenance, affecting the operation and safety of aircraft platforms. Most aerospace structural components use the aluminum alloys 7xxx series, which contain Al, Cu, Zn, and Mg, due to the combined advantage of its high-strength and lightweight. However, such alloys, specifically AA7075-T4 and AA7075-T651, are susceptible to stress corrosion cracking when exposed to both mechanical stresses and corrosive environments. Stress corrosion cracking gives rise to a major technological challenge affecting aerospace systems as it leads to the degradation of mechanical properties. In addition, such corrosion presents an important yet complex modeling challenge due to the synergistic action of sustained tensile stresses and an aggressive environment. In light of this, we develop a finite element multiphysics model to investigate the interplay of mechanical loading and electrochemistry on the stress corrosion of aluminum alloys. The model includes a multiphysics coupling technique through which the kinetics of corrosion can be predicted in the presence of elastic and plastic deformation modes. The presented model provides useful information toward the kinetics of corrosion via tracking localized corrosion and stress distribution. Although the model is general, it has been made considering the characteristics of AA7xxx series, more specifically, taking AA7075.