Shear loading reveals sixfold damage growth around stiff particles in aluminum alloy

The resistance of materials to mechanical loads is a decisive factor in component safety, such as in aircraft. Working as part of an international team, researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have found a previously unknown damage mechanism in metals: Contamination in the form of stiff particles can cause the volume of voids to increase up to sixfold when exposed to deformation by shear loading. The resistance of materials to mechanical loads is a decisive factor in component safety, such as in aircraft. Working as part of an international team, researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have found a previously unknown dama... [3423 chars]