Effect of Shock and Vibration Loading on the Fracture Mechanisms of a VT23 Titanium Alloy

The structure nonuniformity a VT23 titanium alloy after shock and vibration loading is established to lead to larger plasticity of the material and changes in fracture mechanisms. Localization of deformation processes influences the sizes and quantitative distribution of tear dimples on the fracture surface. The approach was advanced to detect tear dimples on the fracture surface of the alloy, in particular after shock and vibration loading. The fractographic inspection was used to compute the dimple parameters, among them area, number, equivalent diameter, and visual depth. The above parameters for the conglomerates of detected dimples became the basis for statistical analysis and establishment of additional fracture mechanisms of the alloy at the microlevel. It provides the grounds the grounds for preliminary comparative evaluation of the cond of titanium alloys, modified by shock and vibration loading, using fractographic examination data.