Combined finite element method and dislocation density method solution to residual stress induced by water cavitation peening

Water cavitation peening is a technique similar to shot peening that induces compressive residual stresses in materials for improved fatigue resistance. Generally, residual stress is of two types: macro-residual stress and micro-residual stress. In this paper, a novel combined finite element method and dislocation density method (FEM/DDM), proposed for predicting macro and micro-residual stresses induced on the material subsurface treated with water cavitation peening, is presented. A bilinear elastic–plastic finite element method was conducted to predict macro-residual stresses and a dislocation density method was conducted to predict micro-residual stresses. These approaches made possible the prediction of the magnitude and depth of residual stress fields in pure titanium. The effect of applied impact pressures on the residual stresses was also presented. The results of the FEM/DDM modeling were in good agreement with those of the experimental measurements.