Bending behavior of AM50 Magnesium alloy under static and dynamic loading

Thanks to their excellent stiffness, high ductility and strength-to-weight ratios, Magnesium alloys are increasing their applications in different fields, from automotive to aerospace and biomedical engineering. Particularly, in automotive industry the Magnesium alloys are used for steering wheel skeletons, which are mainly loaded in bending and torsion. Therefore, investigating on the bending and torsional properties of Magnesium alloys under static and dynamic loading is crucial for practical applications. This paper presents the results of an experimental program on AM50 Magnesium alloy specimens, tested under quasi-static and dynamic loading. Three-point quasi-static and dynamic bending tests were conducted on rectangular specimens. A loading speed of 1 mm/s was assumed in the quasi-static tests. The dynamic tests were carried out by drop weight with three different loading speeds (1, 3 and 5 m/s). The post-elastic behavior of the material was investigated, estimating the load carrying capacity, ductility and energy absorption and by comparing the results obtained under dynamic and static conditions.