Laser shock peening Performance and process simulation

Book excerpt: Laser shock peening (LSP) is a process for inducing compressive residual stresses using shock waves generated by laser pulses. It is a relatively new surface treatment for metallic materials that can greatly improve their resistance to crack initiation and propagation brought on by cyclic loading and fatigue. This book, the first of its kind, consolidates the scattered knowledge about LSP into one comprehensive volume. It describes the mechanisms of LSP and its substantial role in improving fatigue performance in terms of modification of microstructure, surface morphology, hardness, and strength. In particular, it describes numerical simulation techniques and procedures that can be adopted by engineers and research scientists to design, evaluate, and optimize LSP processes in practical applications.