Finite element simulation of laser shock peening

Laser shock peening is a technique similar to shot peening that imparts com pressive residual stresses in materials for improved fatigue resistance. Du ring a laser shock peening event, pressures well above the dynamic yield st rength of the material are imparted on the target in a fraction of a micros econd. The severity of the loading causes local plastic deformation which u ltimately results in the development of the favorable residual stresses. Fi nite element analysis techniques have been applied to predict the residual stress induced from laser shock peening. The analytical development, includ ing the loading history and the elastic-plastic constitutive model, is disc ussed. Analysis results are presented and correlated with experimental data . (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.