Two experimental methods to determining stress–strain behavior of work-hardened surface layers of metallic components

Two experimental methods to characterize the mechanical behavior of work-hardened surface layers of metallic materials, induced by mechanical surface treatments, are described and discussed. The study was conducted using two steels with different mechanical properties, subjected to a similar shot-peening treatment. To characterize the elastic–plastic behavior of the surface layers affected by shot-peening, the X-ray diffraction assisted four-point bending method (XRDABM) and the normalized hardness variation method (NHVM) were applied. The results were compared and discussed taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of both methods. Similar yield strength values of the treated surfaces were found by both proposed methods. Taking into account their measuring characteristics, these can be considered complementary methods.