Study on distribution of initial residual stress in 7075T651 aluminium alloy plate

A modified layer-removal method was proposed to measure the profile of residual stress within the material by analyzing the characteristics of a traditional layer-removal method. The proposed approach estimated residual stress fields by the combination of measuring strains on the bottom of specimen and the coefficients of strain release using the finite element method (FEM) simulation. The initial residual stress was then deduced by revising the measured stress based on the elasticity theory. Furthermore, the residual stress in a 7075T651 aluminium alloy plate was measured using the proposed method, and the results were then analyzed and compared with the data obtained by the traditional methods. The analyses indicate that the modified layer-removal method is effective and practical for measuring the residual stress distribution in pre-stretched aluminium alloy plates.