Computational Investigation into The Influence of Heat Treatment processes on The Mechanical Behavior of 6061Aluminum Alloy

Abstract

This study emphasises the advantages of simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and significant enhancement of material properties. It investigates the influence of heat treatment on the structural behaviour of an aluminium alloy through numerical simulation, focusing on its impact on performance assessment in future operational conditions. A comparative analysis was conducted between thermally treated and untreated aluminium alloy samples, evaluating key mechanical properties including stress resistance, strain, elongation, and fatigue life. The finite element model was developed, meshed, and analysed using Ansys Workbench 2020 R1. Compared to the overall experimental results reported in previous studies, the simulation outcomes demonstrated that heat treatment led to an improvement of roughly 21% in stress capacity and at least 75% in fatigue performance.