Experimental observation of plastic deformation areas, using an acoustic microscope

Novel techniques are described for the observation of plastic deformation areas by using an acoustic microscope. On a test piece subjected to plastic deformation, an area was found that had an abnormal contrast in the crystal grain and a pointed end at the V notch. Calculation of the propagation velocity of the surface acoustic wave (SAW) showed a difference of several percent between this area and the rest of the test piece. It has been presumed that this difference reflects the local plastic deformation, and that the abnormal contrast area corresponds to the image of the two-dimensionally distributed plastic deformation area of metals.