Micro and macro mechanical characterization of friction stir welded Ti–6Al–4V lap joints through experiments and numerical simulation

Lap joints of Ti–6Al–4V were produced and the effect of the main process parameters was studied through macro and micro investigations highlighting mechanical resistance, microhardness profiles, grain size and phase distributions. A dedicated numerical model was used to link the input process parameters to temperature and strain distributions and to the final microstructure in the welded joint. It is found that the strain produced in the stir zone by proper combination of process parameters plays a fundamental role in the final microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints.