Investigation of dynamic fracture behavior of additively manufactured Al-10Si-Mg using high-speed synchrotron X-ray imaging

The dynamic tensile properties of additively manufactured (AM) and cast Al-10Si-Mg alloy were investigated using high-speed synchrotron X-ray imaging coupled with a modified Kolsky bar apparatus. A controlled tensile loading (strain rate ≈ 750 s⁻¹) was applied using the Kolsky bar apparatus and the deformation and fracture behavior were recorded using the high-speed X-ray imaging setup. The synchrotron X-ray computed tomography (CT) and high-speed imaging results worked together to identify the location of the critical flaw and to capture the dynamics of crack propagation. In all experiments, the critical flaw was located on the surface of each specimen. The AM specimens showed significantly higher crack propagation speed, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, strain hardening coefficient, and yet lower ductility compared to the cast specimens under dynamic tension. Although the strength values were higher for the AM specimens, the critical mode I stress intensity factors were comparable for both specimens. The microstructures of the samples were characterized by CT and scanning electron microcopy. The correlation between the dynamic fracture behavior of the samples and the microstructure of the samples is analyzed and discussed.