NINTH PROGRESS REPORT EFFECT OF LONG-TIME EXPOSURE ON AM350 SHEET MATERIAL T, M. Cullen J. W. Freeman The University o: Michi gan... *;,.-:.: )i.;'''A, Contract AF 33(616)-8334 Project 1(8-7381) Task 73812 United States Air Force Systems Engineering Group Research and Technology Division Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

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INTRODUC TION This research program was initiated for the purpose of determining the effect of long-time exposure at 550'F on the mechanical properties of AM350 sheet material, The results obtained in the present investigation are to be used in the evaluation of alloys for possible application in the supersonic transport. It is anticipated that the principles developed in this investigation regarding the influence of long-time exposure on the properties of AM350 can be extended to other alloys of a similar type. AM350 sheet material in both the SCT and the CRT conditions is being exposed at 550~F under a stress of 67, 000 psi. This stress was selected as being representative of the most probable design stress for the aircraft. Exposure times of 2000, 5000, 12, 000 and 30, 000 hours at 550~F' have been incorporated into the research program to determine the influence of time of exposure on mechanical properties, All of the exposures except those of 30, 000 hours have been completed and the properties of the exposed specimens measured and reported. In addition to these a limited number of tests have been included in the investigation to evaluate the possibility of using shorter duration higher temperature exposures to predict changes in mechanical properties to be expected during the service life of the SST. The nature of this research program is such that lengthy time periods elapse between reports in which new data can be presented. As a result of testing schedule, no new results have been obtained since the last progress report was submitted, EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM The test materials have been described in full in previous progress reports. The same is true for the experimental procedures followed in this investigation. These sections will not be repeated in the present report. 1

The program will evaluate the effect of exposure at 5500F for times up to 30, 000 hours under a stress of 67, 000 psi on the mechanical properties of AM350 sheet material. This will be accomplished by observing the change in short-time tensile strength of both smooth and edge-notched (Kt = 3) specimens at room temperature and 550~F. The edge-notches are intended to simulate an area of stress concentration in the material. Another objective of the investigation is to measure the ability of the material to withstand very sharp notches (Kt > 20) introduced after exposure. This research was included in the program because it was thought that microstructural changes in the alloy during exposure might severely limit its ability to withstand cracks or sharp notches which might be encountered during the service life of the aircraft, In addition to the 30, 000 hour exposures shorter duration exposures of 2000, 5000 and 12, 000 hours have been included in the program to provide data for study of possible methods of predicting the influence of longtime exposure from short-time tests. These tests have also provided factual interim data without the necessity of waiting 30, 000 hours for an indication of the effect of exposure. These shorter duration exposures included both smooth and edge-notched specimens which were tensile tested at both room temperature and 550'F after completion of the exposure. A very limited study of the influence of stress during exposure is being made by the inclusion of a few specimens which have no applied stress. The specimens were from the alloy in both the SC T and the CRT conditions, Exposure times of 30, 000, 12, 000 and 5000 hours are being used with the subsequent tests conducted at room temperature. Short-time exposures at 600~, 650' and 700~F were included in the research program on the premise that mechanical property changes induced by elevated temperature exposure should obey the Arrhenius rate equation. If this premise is correct then it should be possible to induce property changes equivalent to those occurring in 30, 000 hours at 5500F in much shorter times by using increased exposure temperatures. 2

PRESENT STATUS OF THE PROGRAM The 2000, 5000 and 12, 000 hour exposures of the AM350 sheet material in both the SCT and the CRT conditions have been finished and the tensile tests on the exposed specimens completed. In addition, the accelerated exposures at 600", 650 and 700~F have been completed as well as the subsequent tensile tests of these specimens. The results of these tests are reported in Table 1. The 30, 000 hour exposures have now been in progress for time periods between 24, 000 and 26, 500 hours. The present status of these exposures is shown in Table 2. RESULTS TO DATE The results obtained from the completed tensile tests together with the hardness data are reported in Table 1. In Figure 1 the ultimate tensile strengths at 5500F and at room temperature, together with the elongation of the unnotched specimens, are plotted as a function of exposure time at 550~F. The following trends have been revealed by study of these data: Properties of the Unexposed Alloy (1) The alloy in the SCT condition is slightly weaker than the alloy in the CRT condition at room temperature. At 550~F, however, it is considerably stronger. (2) The notches of intermediate acuity (Kt = 3) raised the net-section strength at 550'F and at room temperature for the alloy in the SCT condition. The alloy in the CRT condition also exhibited an increase in notch strength at 550~F. At room temperature there was very little influence of notches of intermediate acuity on the net-section strength of the CR T mate rial. (3) Sharp edge-notches reduced the net-section strength of the AM350 alloy in the SCT condition by approximately 35, 000 psi, The alloy in the 3

CRT condition had approximately the same net-section strength as the unnotched material at both room temperature and at 550~F. Properties of the Alloy as Influenced by Exposure (1) In both the CRT and the SCT conditions the strength properties of the material have probably not been significantly changed as the result of stressed or unstressed exposure at 550'F for times up to 12, 000 hours. A slight increase in strength was noted after exposure for 12, 000 hours. This increase corresponded to approximately two percent of the original strength of the alloy. (2) There does not appear to be any appreciable change in the elongation of the unnotched specimens of the alloy in either the SCT or the CRT condition as the result of exposure for times of up to 12, 000 hours, although, as was the case with the tensile strength of the material, a very slight increase in elongation was noted after 12, 000 hours of exposure. (3) The accelerated equivalent time exposures carried out at 6000, 6500 and 700'F caused nd appreciable changes in the strength properties or in the ductility of the AM350 sheet material in either the SCT or the CRT condition. (4) The yield strength and hardness data reported in Table 1 show that little change occurred in either property as the result of exposure at 550 F. Earlier in the investigation it was thought that unstressed exposure at 550'F of the SCT material may have caused a drop in subsequent room temperature yield strength. This drop, however, was not evident after 12, 000 hours of exposure, This indicates that the observed decrease in yield strength after 5000 hours of exposure was due to either material variability or to difficulties encountered during the testing of that specimen, Creep measurements taken during the first 25, 000 hours of exposure indicate that little strain has occurred, These measurements indicate that most of the specimens have contracted very slightly, The amounts of contraction range up to 0. 03 percent. It is highly probable that no significant amount of creep has taken place in the alloy in either the SCT or the CRT condition, 4

TABLE I RESULTS OF TENSILE TESTS FORAM~50SHEET Exposure Conditions Test Subsequent Tests on Unnotched Specimens Notched (Kt=3) asharp Edge Notches Temp. Stress Time Temp. P.L. Offset Yield Strengths (ksi) Tensile E10ngation(~)~ Tensile Strength Rockwell "45N" Hardness Tensile (~F) (ksi) (hrs.) (~E) (ksi) 0.02% 0. [% 0.2% Strength (ksi) Per 2" Per 0, 5" (ksi) Before Exp. After Ex~ Strength (ksi) CRT Condition None Room 93 122 168 185.5 218.5 28 -- 225.5 51 -- 214 None Room 100 126 165 191 217 16.5..... 51.5 -- 215. 1 None Room [10 137 171.5 182 224.2 23.5............ 550 178 212.5 21 34.......... 40 2000 Room 89 107 155 550 b(178) 221,8 2 2 220 52 51.5 ZlZ 67 2000 Room.......... 550 90 2000 Room 119 142.5 154.5 186 221,4 16.5............ 550 150 2000 Room 145 174 198 208 221.7 19.5............ 550 0 5000 Room 120 140,5 170 178.5 219 20............ 550 67 5000 Room 150 174 182 [85.5 222.2 19 -- 223.8 53.5 51.5 213 550 0 12000 Room 136 156 183 193 230 24.7..... 49 49.8 --- 550 67 12000 Room 91 120 165 187 227 22.7 -- 230.5 49..... 600 67 2000 Room 114 139 168 181 217.8 17 28.......... 700 67 200 Room 70 111 158 183 215,8....... 52.5 52 211.4 700 67 200 Room...................... 52 5l 209.8 None 550 95 120 144 153 169 4 -- 185 50.5 -- 172.1 None 550 96 115 143 153 168.8 4.5..... 50.5 -- 166.8 550 0 2000 550 89 112.5 135.5 147.5 171.2 4 10.......... 550 67 2000 550 85 105 132 141 163.5 2 6 178.2 52 -- 160 550 67 5000 550 110 126 144 151 168.6 2 -- 181.8 53.5 51.5 170.5 550 0 12000 550 95 109 139 150 173 4.3..... 49 50.3 --- 550 67 12000 550 95 108 137 151 171,5 4.3 -- 183 49 50,7 --- 600 67 2000 550 92 113 141 153 172 5 -- 175.7....... 650 67 200 550 85 101 139 154 170.8 4 8.......... 700 67 20 550 80 97 130 145 170.7 4 6.......... 700 67 200 550 95 104 140 152.5 188 4.5..... 52 51 c(>151) 700 67 200 550 103 117 139 150.5 171.2 4 8 --- 52.5 52 172 SCT Condition None Room 113 143 170 185,3 214.9 17 32 241.5.... 216 None Room ll9 139 165 " 178 213.1 12 26....... 208.3 None Room 105 129 162 176 214 16.5 32.......... 550 67 2000 Room................... 238.8 54 52.5 196.5 550 67 2236 Room 123 146.8 170 179 212 18 -- 237.5....... 550 0 5000 Room 90 103 136 159 214.5 14............ 550 67 5000 Room 120 137 163 176 216 13.5 -- 238.5 53.5 53.5 209,4 550 0 12000 Room 117 158 177 189 223 20.0..... 53.5 50,8 --- 550 67 12000 Room 116 130 159 176.5 224 17.7 -- 247 54.0..... 700 67 200 Room...................... 53.5 52 208.8 None 550 70 89 119 135 193.6 5 12 210.... 159.3 None 550 80 98 126.9 141 194.4 6.5 12....... 159 550 67 2000 550 95 113.5 138 150 195.9 8.5 16 --- 54.5 55 159.2 550 0 2236 550 70 92.3 125.5 142 199.5 7.5............ 550 67 2236 550 80 t06 132 147.5 199 7.5 -- 206.1....... 550 67 5000 550 110 114 134 145 193.5 4.5 -- 208 53 52 161.5 550 0 12000 550 100 119 14l 154 198.9 6.7..... 53.5 51.8 --- 550 67 12000 550 115 125 137 151 198,8 7.3 -- 213.5 53.5 52.6 --- 600 67 2000 550 81 101 132 145.5 198.5 5.5............ 650 67 200 550 75 95 122 140 195.8 6 12.......... 700 67 20 550 87 101 131 146 200.3 5.5..... 53.5 51 163 700 67 200 550 96 118 141 151.5 201,2 6............ a) Exposed unnotched. Sharpedge notches added before tensile test b) By "drop of needle"; extensometer erratic c) Specimen shoulder tore; no fracture at the notch

TABLE 2 STATUS OF 30, 000 HOUR EXPOSURE TESTS AT 5500F Specimen Specimen Alloy Accumulated Es timated Stress Code Type(a) Condition(b) Time to Date (Hours) Completion (psi) E-6 W SCT 25992 7/17165 67,000 E-7 W SCT 25992 7/17/65 67,000 E-4 U SCT 25728 7/28/65 67,000 C-6 U SCT 25728 7/28/65 None E-1 U SCT 26088 7/13/65 67,000 0-3 U SCT 26088 7/13/65 None C-i U SCT 24072 10/ 4/65 67,000 E-2 U SCT 24072 IO/ 4/65 67,000 D-4 U SCT 24072 IO/ 4/65 None 37 W CRT 25896 7/21/65 67,000 55 U CRT 25992 7/17/65 None 36 U CRT 25728 7/28/65 67,000 56 U CRT 25896 7/21/65 None 32 U CRT 26496 6/26/65 67,000 52 U CRT 26496 6/26/65 67,000 53 U CRT 26496 6/26/65 None 41 U CRT 26088 7/13/65 67,000 E-4 N SCT 25896 7/28/65 67,000 E-1 N SCT 26088 7/13/65 67,000 C-i N SCT 24072 10/ 4/65 67,000 E-2 N SCT 24072 IO/ 4/65 67,000 36 N CRT 25896 7/28/65 67,000 32 N CRT 26496 6/26/65 67,000 52 N CRT 26496 6/26/65 67,000 41 N CRT 26088 7/13/65 67,000 a) U = Unnotched, 0. 350-inch gage width; N = Notched; Kt = 3; W = Wide unnotched during exposure, sharp edge notches for tensile tests. b) CRT = Cold rolled 20 percent plus three hours at 8500F. SCT = Annealed at 1950'F, conditioned for 10 minutes at 1710'F, A. C., held three hours at -100F and tempered three hours at 850'F.

SCT Condition CRT Condition 240 Acelerated, 240 Accelerated, EquivalentTime Exposures Equivalent Time Exposures 220 - -{ 220 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -A.~ A_ -e _ - -cI I I I I 0)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 180 -180AA 0 160C - 1-L I 160 0 2,000 5,000 12,000 30,000 2,000 5,00 12,000 30,000 30 - 3 0~ 0 -/t Extposure at 550 F Accelerated Exposure V~~~~~ ~ Test Temperature Test Temperature.E 20 -- -.E2C __o C 200 Specimen Type 550 F Room 550 F Rm 0- Ir- I 0I II I I o (Y Unnotched 0 0 a 2 Notched, Kt 3 II [1 10 _ _10 C ______~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - ~)~~~ ~ ~~~~~ ~~~~ 10 __ - — ~Sharp Edge Notches A A - 20 50 1,00-3,0 0,0 00 20 300 Room Temperature. Predied Strengths and Ductilities Based on the Results of Accelerated Tests Conducted at 600, 6500, and 7000 F Are Plotted at an Equivalent Exposure Time of 30,000,0ours. Duration of Creep Exposure, Hours Duration of Creep Exposure, Hours Figure I Effect of Exposure at 550~ on Tensile Strength and Ductility of Vacuum-Melted AM350 Sheet at 550~ F and at Room Temperature. Predicted Strengths and Ductilities Based on the Results of Accelerated Tests Conducted at 6000, 6500, and 7000 F Are Plotted at an Equivalent Exposure Time of 30,000 Hours.

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