Comparison of the hole-drilling and X-ray diffraction methods for measuring the residual stresses in shot-peened aluminium alloys

The incremental blind hole-drilling and the X-ray diffraction methods were used to measure the residual stress field introduced by shot peening in aluminium alloy 6082-T5 plates. Two peening treatments were selected to produce different depth extensions and peak values arising from different extents of plastic deformation in the surface layer. The results are discussed considering the various sources of uncertainty; in addition to the measuring technique, the effects of the surface treatment that usually induces a strong plastic deformation in the surface layer resulting in material work hardening and worsening of the surface morphology were considered. The residual stress profiles determined by the two methods showed quite good agreement for the two conditions, as regards the values both of the compressive peak and of the penetration depth. The present results provide mutual confirmation of the effectiveness of the two methods for the study of this class of materials.