Residual Stress in Metallic: Multi-scale Formation Mechanisms, Performance Influences, and Active Control Strategies

Residual stresses in metallic components, arising from uneven thermal, mechanical, and phase-transformation interactions during manufacturing (e.g., welding, additive manufacturing), critically influence performance. Tensile stresses reduce fatigue life and corrosion resistance, while compressive stresses inhibit crack growth. Key challenges include multi-scale mechanism gaps, process-parameter sensitivity, and characterization limitations for complex geometries. This review synthesizes formation mechanisms, impacts (fatigue, SCC, dimensional stability, wear), measurement techniques (XRD, neutron diffraction, DIC), and control strategies (peening, heat treatment). Future research should prioritize intelligent multi-scale prediction, energy-efficient in-situ modulation, and sustainable design frameworks to shift from passive mitigation to proactive residual stress engineering for high-performance lightweight alloys.