Abstract
This study describes a simple model that can predict the evolution of hardness distribution as a function of natural aging time in a heat-treatable 6061-T6 Al alloy plate subjected to friction stir welding (FSW). First, two dimensional thermal distributions were simulated as a function of time in the FSW plate by finite element modeling. Second, the hardness changes during natural aging were measured as a function of aging time for a number of Al specimens that had been previously isothermally heat-treated to different hold temperatures in order to determine the natural aging kinetics. Finally, the simulated temperature profiles and the natural aging kinetics were correlated to predict the hardness profiles in the FSW plate. The predicted hardness variations are consistent with measured hardness profiles in that the location of minimum hardness moves away from the centerline as the aging time and/or heat input increases. The hardness variation was also related to the location of failure in cross-weld tensile samples.
