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ISAMSE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 231 (2017) 012097 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/231/1/012097
1234567890

Failure analysis of an aluminum alloy material framework

component induced by casting defects

Bo Li1, Weiye Hu2

1
Shanghai Institute of Special Equipment Inspection and Technical Research, 915
Jinshajiang Road, Shanghai 200062, P.R. China
2
Aerospace Materials Physical & Chemical Analysis Institute, Nanjing Chenguang
Corporation, CASTC, 1 Zhengxue Road, Nanjing 210022, P.R. China
Abstract: Failure analysis on a fractured radome framework component was carried out
through visual observations, metallographic examination using optical microscope, fractog-
raphy inspections using scanning electron microscope and chemical composition analysis. The
failed frame was made of casting Al–Si7–Mg0.4 aluminum alloy. It had suffered a former vi-
bration performance tests. It was indicated that the fractures were attributed to fatigue cracks
which were induced by casting porosities at the outer surfaces of frame. Failure analysis was
carefully conducted for the semi-penetrating crack appearing on the framework. According to
the fractography inspected by scanning electron microscope, it was indicated that numerous
casting porosities at the outer surface of the framework played the role of multiple fracture
sources due to some applied stresses. Optical microstructure observations suggested that the
dendrite-shaped casting porosities largely contributed to the crack-initiation. The groove-
shaped structure at roots of spatial convex-bodies on the edge of casting porosities supplied the
preferred paths of the crack-propagation. Besides, the brittle silicon eutectic particles distrib-
uting along grain boundaries induced the intergranular fracture mode in the region of the over-
load final fracture surface.

1 General instructions
Aircraft structural components were always made of special airspace materials to reduce the unneces-
sary weight. The aircraft radome frameworks are always exposed to the various inspections to guaran-
tee their service life and for an early recognition of inevitable damage by dynamic stresses, especially
the ultimate failure by fatigue fracture. A fractured front aircraft radome framework component was
submitted for the failure analysis. The frame component successfully suffered the thermo-cycling test-
ing experiment and the horizontal vibration-fatigue testing at a vibrating acceleration. The fracture
cracks appeared after an alternating impact-vibration test with a loading time of 1h period at a vibrat-
ing acceleration of 15g. The designed half-sinusoidal cycle period of the impact-vibration testing ap-
plied alternating loadings were synchronously along the X-axis and Y-axis on one horizontal plane.
The framework was made of model cast aluminum alloy ZL205A with the heat treatment condition of
T5. As a kind of high-strength and light-mass airspace structural material, the Al-Cu-based alloy Al-
Si7-Mg0.4, which is one of typical cast aluminum alloys. In the substrate of the alloy, there are also
some impurity elements, such as Si, Mg, etc. In the Al matrix, the casting porosities are the mainly ex-
isted microstructural defects after the casting forming. Moreover, the defects, especially the casting
porosities nearing the external surfaces, largely influence the mechanical performance of fatigue re-
sistance in casting aluminum components, even could dramatically reduce the fatigue damage limit by

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ISAMSE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 231 (2017) 012097 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/231/1/012097
1234567890

40% [1-3]. Therefore, the effects of casting porosities should be paid attentions particularly in the fail-
ure analysis procedures for the submitted failed aircraft framework.

2 Failure analysis

2.1 Visual observations

Fig.1 shows the appearance of the cracked radome front framework and the fracture locations. In
Fig.1a and Fig.lb, the shapes of the front and back surfaces of multiple cracks are shown respectively.
The two sided penetrating cracks are approaching the middle pedestal of lateral ribs of the frame com-
ponent. And in the back shape of the crack, the multiple cracks show the typical branching characteris-
tics, existed in the lateral ribs which are skewed and rough on their edges. The direction and path of
the main crack can be found in the crack surface, as indicated in Fig.1a, after that the protective coat-
ing of the aluminum radome framework component is polished. At the end of the main crack path, the
cracking bifurcation occurs.

Figure 1. Appearance and failed locations of submitted radome framework, on the (a) front and (b)
back surfaces.

2.2 Microstructure examinations

Fig.2 shows the typical defect-free microstructure of the failed casting aluminum framework compo-
nent. The as-cast aluminum matrix grains and the eutectic silicon particles co-exist in the microstruc-
ture. And the distribution of the Si eutectic particles are mainly within the intergranular region and
along the gran-boundaries of the as-cast aluminum matrix grains. The silicon particle distribution
characteristics were uniform on the macro region or in the whole region level, but segregate on the mi-
cro local region.

Figure 2. The defect-free microstructure of the failed casting aluminum framework component.
Fig.3 shows the defect regional microstructure examination results of the failed casting aluminum
framework component. In the optical microscopic images of the longer and narrower porosity-shapes,

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ISAMSE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 231 (2017) 012097 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/231/1/012097
1234567890

which formed circuitously and sinuously along the grain boundaries, are ubiquitous in the aluminum
as-cast matrix. The intergranular, spatial and dendrite-shaped structures of casting porosities are obvi-
ous. Not only minor convex or dendrite-shaped bodies but also clustered tiny holes distribute in the vi-
cinity of cast porosities. Moreover, among the triangular boundaries, the irregular pore defects were
formed. The as-casting porosities or the shrinkage defects existed far from the crack path, near the
crack path, and on the crack propagation path. And numerous eutectic Si particles distributed along the
cracking propagation path. According to the main crack and its branch cracks, the crack propagation
path was evidently characterized by the intergranular fracture.

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ISAMSE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 231 (2017) 012097 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/231/1/012097
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Figure 3. Microstructure examination results: (a) the casting shrinkage defects far from the crack
path, (b) near the crack path, and (c) on the crack propagation path, with (d) the local amplification;
(e) the silicon particle distribution characteristics along the crack propagation path.

2.3 Fractography inspections

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used for fractography examinations. The macro morphology
of the horizontal fracture surface is given in Fig.4, which presents the seriously rough topography with
different sized casting porosities, cleavage ridges, radiating patterns and slight fatigue striations.

4
ISAMSE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 231 (2017) 012097 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/231/1/012097
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Figure 4. Fractography inspection results at the outer surface with the cracking initiation: (a) the
macro fractography with the outer defect marked as the white-arrows, (b) as-cast defects near the outer
front-surface and (c) back surface, with (d) the local amplification, with the cracking path along the
casting porosity defect.
The casting porosities were found at both outer surface and middle part of the fractgraphy. The
central porosity defect shows a longer and narrower spatial dendrite-shaped space. The numerous cast-
ing porosities can be observed close to the outer surface of the framework. It was observed in Fig.4 of
the crack-initiating location at the casting porosity close to the outer surface at the fracture position.
Fig.5 is a magnified image of as-cast porosities in the middle region of the fractured framework along
the crack-propagation paths formed at groove-shaped roots or dendrite structures, which were on the
edges of the spatial spaces of casting porosities.

5
ISAMSE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 231 (2017) 012097 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/231/1/012097
1234567890

Figure 5. Fractography inspection results at the middle region with the cracking propagation
path:(a) the macro fractography with numerous as-cast porosities, (b) the local fractography of the as-
cast porosities, and (c) the as-cast porosities along the crack propagation path, with (d) the local ampli-
fication.
Fig.6 gives the appearance of the interior porosity defect and the intergranular fractured micro
holes and/or micro cracks on the final-fracture surface. In addition, the numerous brittle Si eutectic
particals were found at the location paralleling intergranular cracking or fractured path. The brittle Si
eutectic particals mainly distributed at the aluminum matrix grain boundary location.

6
ISAMSE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 231 (2017) 012097 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/231/1/012097
1234567890

Figure 6. Fractography inspection results (a, b) at intergranular cracking or fractured path with
grain-boundary micro cracks, and (b) brittle Si eutectic particals distributed at the aluminum matrix
grain boundary location.
The dendrite-shaped cast porosity defects mainly distributed along the grain boundaries. Around
them, lots of tiny pores also densely distributed. The brittle Si eutectic particles also distributed mainly
within the intergranular region and along gran-boundaries of the cast aluminum matrix grains. Fig.7
explains the relationship among the cracking path, the casting porosities and the brittle silicon particles
under the condition of the applied stresses. It suggested that the propagating of the cracking firstly
started at the location of groove-shaped roots, rather than the top or the mid-slope of spherical convex-
bodies. It was concluded that the separation of adjacent convex-bodies was accompanying with the
rapture at the site of convex-bodies surrounding the casting porosities spaces.

Figure 7. The mechanism diagram of the relationship among the cracking path, the casting porosi-
ties and the brittle silicon particles under the condition of the applied stresses.

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ISAMSE 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 231 (2017) 012097 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/231/1/012097
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3 Summary
According to the fractographic features, damaged cracking induced by as-casting porosity defects and
final overload fracture were both the direct causes for failure of the submitted frame component after
vibration tests. The cracking initiated at the casting porosities being exposed on the outer surfaces
and/or near the free surfaces. The crack-propagation paths were found mainly at the locations of po-
rosities. It was believed that the preferential crack initiations leading to rupture did not occurred at the
middle and inner porosities, rather than in the vicinity of the casting porosities at component surfaces.

Acknowledgements
The research was sponsored by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.51505293), China
Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project (No.2016T90377) and Research Project funded by
Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Quality Supervision of China (No.2015-038).

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