Eigenstrain simulation of residual stresses induced by laser shock processing in a Ti6Al4V hip replacement

• Eigenstrain method allows to simulate laser shock processing over large areas in 3D-curved specimens.
• Laser shock processing induces compressive residual stresses in Ti6Al4V hip replacements.
• Compressed zone generated by laser shock processing achieves a depth of 1.64 mm.

Laser shock processing (LSP) is an established technology for the induction of compressive residual stresses in metallic materials. These compressive residual stresses increase the fatigue life of components in high reliability applications when failure is caused by surface-initiated cracks. In this paper, a numerical model is presented along with practical results at laboratory scale on the application of LSP to characteristic biomedical Ti6Al4V alloy, showing for the first time the compressive residual stresses induced in a hip replacement by the LSP treatment.

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