A Virtual-Physical Mapping Model for Aluminum Alloy Pitting Corrosion

Corrosion critically damages structural strength and affects the structural safety, so there is an urgent need for a method that can accurately model and predict corrosion. Digital twin technology offers new methodologies for corrosion research. This study develops a digital twin-enabled virtual-reality mapping model for simulating aluminum alloy pitting corrosion. The model accounts for the effect of temperature on corrosion and establishes temporal correlations between field conditions and simulations through damage factor (DF) analysis coupled with detailed fatigue rating (DFR) methodology. Experimental validation using 7A04 aluminum specimens confirms the model’s reliability, with maturity analysis demonstrating its applicability in aircraft corrosion research. Through numerical simulation methods, this study simulates the evolutionary law of pitting corrosion development, reflecting the level of structural pitting corrosion damage. This investigation establishes a fundamental theoretical framework for condition monitoring and lifetime prediction of aircraft components affected by pitting corrosion.