The effects of laser peening on high-cycle fatigue in 7085-T7651 aluminum alloy

Abstract This study reports on the high-cycle fatigue performance of 7085-T7651 aluminum treated with combinations of laser peening and anodization. Stress-life fatigue data were generated in a high humidity environment using smooth (Kt = 1) specimens tested at a stress ratio R = 0.1 and a range of maximum stress. Tests were performed in the as-machined (untreated), anodized, laser peened, and laser peened then anodized conditions. The results show that laser-peened specimens exhibited significantly improved fatigue performance, with non-anodized specimens having a factor of 5–14 improvement in fatigue life (depending on stress level) and anodized specimens having a factor of 8–9 improvement in fatigue life. Without laser peening, anodized specimens had reduced fatigue life at all stress levels. With laser peening, anodized and non-anodized specimens had similar lives at high stress (life