SUMMARY
Thermomechanical loading during surface severe plastic deformation in machining is characterized by the generation of high and graded strains, strain rates and temperatures in bulk materials. The present study examined the structural integrity of surfaces generated in cellular solids processed by machining-based processing. Micro-computed tomography is utilized to characterize the surface damage in terms of structural parameters of the strut-pore network. A series of in situ compressive loading experiments was conducted to evaluate the effect of the structural gradation on mechanical response. Direct measurements of incremental strain using digital volume correlation identified the role of the gradation in arresting deformation at low strains.