Modeling of shot-peening effects on the surface properties of a (TiB + TiC)/Ti–6Al–4V composite employing artificial neural networks

Titanium matrix composites (TMCs) have wide application prospects in the field of aerospace, automobile and other industries because of their good properties, such as high specific strength, good ductility, and excellent fatigue properties. However, in order to improve their fatigue strength and life, crack initiation and growth at the surface layers must be suppressed using surface treatments. Shot peening (SP) is an effective surface mechanical treatment method widely used in industry which can improve the mechanical properties of a surface. However, artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been used as an efficient approach to predict and optimize the science and engineering problems. In the present study the effects of SP on TMC were modeled by means of ANN and the capability of the ANN in predicting the output parameters is investigated. A back-propagation (BP) error algorithm is developed for the network training. Data of experimental tests on the (TiB + TiC)/Ti-6Al-4V composite are employed in order to train the network. The volume fractions of the reinforcements (TiB + TiC) were 5 % and 8 %. ANN testing is accomplished using different experimental data thaat were not used during the network training. The distance from the surface (depth) and SP intensity are regarded as input parameters and residual stress and hardness of the Ti-6Al-4V before and after the SP and adding reinforcements are gathered as the output parameters of the network. A comparison was made between experimental and predicted data. The predicted results were in good agreement with experimental ones, which indicates that developed neural network can be used for modeling the SP process on TMCs.