Fatigue crack propagation into the residual stress field along and perpendicular to laser beam butt‐weld in aluminium alloy AA6056

Laser beam butt welds in Al‐alloys are very narrow and are accompanied by steep residual stress gradients. In such a case, how the initial crack orientation and the distance of the notch tip relative to the weld affect fatigue crack propagation has not been investigated. Therefore, this investigation was undertaken with two different crack orientations: along the mid‐weld and perpendicular to the weld. Fatigue crack propagation ‘along the mid‐weld’ was found to be faster in middle crack tension specimens than in compact tension specimens. For the crack orientation ‘perpendicular to the weld’, the relative distance between the notch tip and the weld was varied using compact tension specimens to generate either tensile or compressive residual stresses near the notch tip. When tensile residual stresses were generated near the notch tip, fatigue crack propagation was found to be faster than that in the base material, irrespective of the difference in the initial residual stress level and whether the crack propagated along the mid‐weld or perpendicular to the weld. In contrast, when compressive weld residual stresses were generated near the notch tip, fatigue crack arrest, slow crack propagation, multiple crack branching and out of plane deviation occurred. The results are discussed by considering the superposition principle and possible practical implications are mentioned.     

Role of crack tip mechanics in stress corrosion cracking of high-strength steels

This paper analyzes the effects of crack tip plastic strains and compressive residual stresses, created by fatigue pre-cracking, on environmentally assisted cracking of pearlitic steel subjected to localized anodic dissolution and hydrogen assisted fracture. In both situations, cyclic crack tip plasticity improves the behaviour of the steel. In the respective cases, the effects are supposed to be due to accelerated local anodic dissolution of the cyclic plastic zone (producing chemical crack blunting) or to the delay of hydrogen entry into the metal caused by residual compressive stresses, thus increasing the fracture load in aggressive environment.     

Generation of residual stress and plastic strain in a fracture mechanics specimen to study the formation of creep damage in type 316 stainless steel

Residual stresses are created in type 316H stainless steel fracture mechanics specimens using the process of local out‐of‐plane compression (LOPC). Three sets of LOPC tools are used to create different distributions of residual stress near to the crack tip. Also the tools create different levels of prior plastic strain. Residual stresses are measured using the neutron diffraction method and compared with the stress predictions obtained from finite element (FE) simulations of LOPC. The specimens are then subjected to thermal exposure at 550 °C for several thousand hours. A creep deformation and damage model is introduced into the FE analysis to predict the relaxation of stresses and creation of damage in the specimens. Neutron diffraction experiments are undertaken to measure the relaxed residual stresses and fractographic analysis of thermally exposed samples measured the extent of creep damage. A comparison between measured and simulated results demonstrates that the prior plastic strain has a significant effect on damage accumulation but this is not accounted for in the current creep damage models.     

An estimate of the residual stress distribution in the vicinity of a propagating fatigue crack

Experiments have been performed on a series of 2024-T351 Aluminum alloy uniaxial, tension specimens loaded under $\text{R = 0}$ conditions to grow a low cycle fatigue crack to a predetermined length. One half of the specimens were given a 33% single pulse overload at the conclusion of the test.All specimens were sectioned along the plane of the crack and measurements made of the residual displacements occurring at this location due to the relief of the internal stresses produced during crack propagation and overload. The data was used as the boundary condition in a Displacement Boundary Value Problem solving an Airy Stress Function for the residual stress distribution in the vicinity of the crack.The results indicate a significant degree of tensile stress ahead of the crack tip and compressive stresses both at the crack tip and in the wake of the crack reaching magnitudes as high as 36% of the yield stress. The results are consistent in both the overload and no overload cases however the magnitude and extent of the compressive stress region appears to be increased by the action of the overload. These results are consistent with the concept of crack closure as proposed by Elber.     

Stress corrosion cracking of Al-Mg-Zn-Cu alloys after precompression

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) experiments have been carried out on double-cantilever-beam (DCB) specimens of 7017-T651 aluminium alloy. The specimens were first subjected to a known compressive load which caused plastic deformation at the notch tip. On unloading, this region developed a residual tensile stress field and on subsequent exposure to moist air at 40° C (95% relative humidity, r.h.), intergranular cracks formed. These cracks grew at a decelerating rate until they stopped. The final crack length increased with the value of the initial compressive preload, provided this was below the value for general yielding of the alloy. Electron fractography has been used to correlate changes in surface morphology with crack growth rate. It was found that ductile tearing of the notch tip may occur during unloading when the compression exceeds — 30kN. The practical importance of these results is outlined.     

Internal fatigue cracks are growing in vacuum

Cylindrical specimens of 2024 and 7075 Al alloy material were heat treated with a cold water quench to obtain high residual tensile stresses at the interior. Fatigue tests showed internal cracks growing in the shear mode. By drilling a hole along the centre line internal cracks were given access to air, which then produced tensile mode cracks. Prestraining of specimens eliminated residual stresses thus producing crack initiation at the outer surface with crack growth in the tensile mode. Cracking in the tensile mode was sensitive to mean stress, whereas cracking in the shear mode was not. The shear mode crack on a micro level appeared to be slip band cracking.     

FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH IN DUCTILE MATERIALS UNDER CYCLIC COMPRESSIVE LOADING

Abstract— Mode I fatigue crack growth has been studied in notched specimens of 7017-T651 aluminium alloy subjected to fully compressive cyclic loads. The specimens were first subjected to a deliberate compressive preload which causes plastic deformation at the notch tip. On unloading, this region developed a residual tensile stress field and on subsequent compressive cyclic loading in laboratory air, a fatigue crack was nucleated at the notch and grew at a diminishing rate until it stopped. The final crack length increased with an increase in the value of the initial compressive preload and with an increase in the negative value of the applied cyclic mean load. To gain a better understanding of crack growth in residual stress fields, the magnitude and extent of residual stress induced from compressive preloads have been analysed. This was achieved when extending the notch by cutting while recording the change in the back face strain. From residual strain models it was found that the fatigue crack growth was confined to a region of tensile cyclic stress within the residual stress field. The effective stress intensity range was investigated at selected mean loads and amplitudes, for correlating purposes, using both the compliance technique and by invoking the crack growth rate behaviour of the alloy. Finally, a brief discussion of the fracture morphology of cracks subjected to cyclic compression is presented.     

Mechanical properties and microstructure of Al/Al laminated structure produced via ultrasonic consolidation process

Mechanical properties of a 2024 aluminium alloy laminated structure produced by the ultrasonic consolidation were investigated. In comparison with the monolithic aluminium alloy, the existence of laminated structure gave different fatigue and fracture mechanisms that associated with the layer interfaces. The Al/Al laminated specimens had the lower tensile strength but much higher fracture toughness than the monolithic Al specimens due to the exit of interface delaminations around the crack tip. The fatigue life of the laminated specimens was comparable to that of the monolithic Al specimens, though the initiation and propagation of the crack in the laminated specimens depended strongly on the microstructure of each material. The interface between layers could arrest the fatigue crack and impede the further propagation.     

Residual stress effect on impact properties of Gr/Al metal matrix composite

The effects of residual stress on the impact properties of the unidirectionally reinforced P 100 Gr/6061 Al metal matrix composites with different thermal histories have been investigated using an instrumented impact test method and scanning electron microscopy. The cantilever impact generally causes tensile failure at the notch and compressive loading on the opposite side of the specimen. The specimens with yield tensile matrix residual stresses have planar fracture surfaces and low impact energy due to the contribution of tensile residual stress. The specimens with small residual stresses have moderate impact energy because debonding between fibre and matrix or fibre/matrix separation also serves as an additional mechanism for energy absorption. The specimens with higher compressive matrix residual stresses have the largest maximum load of all the specimens with the same matrix treatment. The specimen with matrix compressive yield residual stress has the maximum impact energy owing to a stepwise fracture surface. It can be concluded that good impact properties of composite materials can be obtained by choosing a suitable thermal history to modify the deleterious tensile matrix residual stress.     

Fatigue crack growth testing at negative stress ratios: discussion on the comparability of testing results

It is an accepted fact in fatigue community that compressive loads contribute to fatigue crack growth. Evidences range from fatigue crack growth under fully compressive loads to effects of compressive underloads to negative stress ratio loading. Because the crack closes under compression and the crack flanks transmit compressive stresses, the loading situation is completely different to those of tensile loading. The present paper addresses the comparability of crack growth testing procedures at negative stress ratios. It reveals that compressive loading at the crack tip differs in different specimens for an equal maximum stress intensity factor K_max and negative stress ratio R. Furthermore, the crack length can significantly influence the loading conditions at the crack tip for tension–compression loading. Depending on the specimen type and crack length, a negative force ratio may lead to a change of algebraic sign of the stresses at the crack tip or not. As a consequence, the comparability of available literature results for R ≤ 0 tests is not ensured. Proposals to improve the comparability of tension–compression crack growth testing will be given.     

Numerical predictions and experimental measurements of residual stresses in fatigue crack growth specimens

Controlling macro residual stress fields in a material while preserving a desired microstructure is often a challenging proposition. Processing techniques which induce or reduce residual stresses often also alter microstructural characteristics of the material through thermo-mechanical processes. A novel mechanical technique able to generate controlled residual stresses was developed. The method is based on a pin compression approach, and was used to produce well-controlled magnitudes and distributions of residual stresses in rectangular coupons and compact tension specimens typically used in fatigue crack growth testing. Residual stresses created through this method were first computationally modeled with finite element analysis, and then experimentally reproduced with various levels of pin compression. The magnitudes and distributions of residual stresses in experimental specimens were independently assessed with fracture mechanics methods and good correspondence was found between residual stresses produced using the pin compression and processing techniques. Fatigue crack growth data generated from specimens with low residual stresses, high residual stresses resulting from processing, and high residual stresses introduced through the new pin compression technique were compared and validated. The developed method is proposed to facilitate the acquisition and analysis of fatigue crack growth data generated in residual stresses, validate residual stress corrective models, and verify fatigue crack growth simulations and life predictions in the presence of residual stresses.     

Fatigue behaviour of friction stir welded AA2024‐T3 alloy: longitudinal and transverse crack growth

The fatigue crack growth properties of friction stir welded joints of 2024‐T3 aluminium alloy have been studied under constant load amplitude (increasing‐ΔK), with special emphasis on the residual stress (inverse weight function) effects on longitudinal and transverse crack growth rate predictions (Glinka's method). In general, welded joints were more resistant to longitudinally growing fatigue cracks than the parent material at threshold ΔK values, when beneficial thermal residual stresses decelerated crack growth rate, while the opposite behaviour was observed next to K_C instability, basically due to monotonic fracture modes intercepting fatigue crack growth in weld microstructures. As a result, fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) predictions were conservative at lower propagation rates and non‐conservative for faster cracks. Regarding transverse cracks, intense compressive residual stresses rendered welded plates more fatigue resistant than neat parent plate. However, once the crack tip entered the more brittle weld region substantial acceleration of FCGR occurred due to operative monotonic tensile modes of fracture, leading to non‐conservative crack growth rate predictions next to K_C instability. At threshold ΔK values non‐conservative predictions values resulted from residual stress relaxation. Improvements on predicted FCGR values were strongly dependent on how the progressive plastic relaxation of the residual stress field was considered.     

Size effect of concrete members applied with flexural compressive stresses

In this study, two types of special experiments are carried out to understand flexural compressive strength size effect of concrete members. The first type is an ordinary cylindrical specimen (CS) with a fully penetrated and vertically standing plate type notch at the mid-height of the specimen, which is loaded in compression at the top surface (e.g., in the parallel direction to the notch length). The second type is a general double cantilever beam (DCB), which is compression loaded in axial direction (e.g., in the parallel direction of the notch). For CS, an adequate notch length is taken from the experimental results obtained from the compressive strength experiment of various initial notch lengths. The trial tests to select the effective initial notch length show that CS with an initial notch length approximately greater than four times the maximum aggregate size fails without an additional increased load and in stable manner under Mode I failure mechanism. Therefore, the initial notch length to the maximum aggregate size ratio of 4.0 is used for all size specimens. For DCB, the eccentricity of loading points with respect to the axial axis of each cantilever and the initial notch length are varied. In both specimens, the compressive loads apply flexural compressive stresses on the crack tip region of the specimens. These two types of specimens fail by Mode I crack opening mechanism. By testing 3 geometrically proportional size specimens for CS and DCB, the experimental datum for flexural compression size effect of concrete are obtained. Using the obtained flexural compressive strength size effect datum, regression analyses are performed using Levenberg-Marquardt's least square method (LSM) to suggest new parameters for the modified size effect law (MSEL). The analysis results show that size effect is apparent for flexural compressive strength of specimens with an initial notch. For CS, the effect of initial notch length on flexural compressive strength size effect is apparent. For DCB, flexural compressive size effect is dependent on the eccentricity of loading points with respect to the axial axis of the cantilever beam. In other words, if DCB specimen is applied with greater tensile stress at the crack tip, the size effect of concrete becomes more distinct. The results show that the flexural compressive strength size effect of initial notch length variation of DCB exists but directly dependent on the loading location. This is due to the fact that the sizes of fracture process zone (FPZ) of all DCB specimens are similar regardless of the differences in the specimen slenderness ratio, but the flexural compressive and tensile stress combinations resulting in stress concentration at the crack tip region has direct effect on size effect of concrete members.     

Effects of different indentation methods on fatigue life extension of cracked specimens

In this paper, 3 different indentation methods have been investigated for crack arresting and fatigue life enhancement of cracked components. The influence of residual stresses induced by indentation on fatigue crack growth (FCG) rate was explored by experiments and numerical simulations. Fatigue tests were conducted on a group of specimens which were indented on the crack tip by various indentation load magnitudes. For another group of specimens, the double indentation and triple indentation methods were applied on the cracked specimens with the aim of obtaining proper residual stress fields that contribute to higher crack growth retardations. Both the numerical and experimental results revealed that the higher indentation loads led to larger domain of compressive residual stress around the crack tip and consequently to higher fatigue life extension. In addition, the triple indentation method resulted in more FCG retardation compared with single and double indentation methods. Furthermore, for the specimens repaired by double and triple indentation methods, indenting ahead of the crack tip led to retardation in more crack growth compared with the other horizontal positions of indentation.     

Residual stresses at a blunted crack tip

The tip of a blunted crack is regarded as a stress concentrator of a special kind. The investigations are performed on compact specimens made of 10MnMoNi5-5 high-ductility bainitic steel with a computerized X-ray diffractometer. The distribution of compressive residual stresses near the crack tip is established after its blunting under the conditions of plastic deformation. It is shown that these stresses should be taken into account in analyzing the local fracture of the material. Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Institute of Materials Engineering and Materials Testing, Germany. Published in Fizyko-Khimichna Mekhanika Materialiv, Vol. 34, No. 5, pp. 49–52, September–October, 1998.     

Fracture toughness of selectively reinforced Al2124 alloy: precrack tip in the aluminium alloy side

Abstract

The fracture toughness of Al2124/Al2124+SiC bimaterials is affected by thermal residual stresses, elastic/plastic mismatch, precrack tip position, and failure mechanism. When the precrack tip is in the Al2124 side, final catastrophic failure occurs when ductile fracture of the Al2124 layer between the precrack tip and the composite side takes place, followed by fracture of the composite layer. For a precrack tip 2·0 mm from the interface, K _Q(5%) values are lower than the 'Al2124 only' value due to the near crack tip tensile residual stresses and higher stress triaxiality within the Al alloy ligament. At 0·5 mm from the interface, K _Q(5%) values increase and are usually as high as the 'Al2124 only' value due to the stronger shielding of the elastic/plastic mismatch. If the precrack tip is 2·0 mm from the interface, K _crit values of the bimaterial are higher than the 'Al2124 only' value and this is deduced to be due to the elastic/plastic mismatch shielding. At 0·5 mm from the interface, K _crit values are reduced because both the near tip tensile residual stress is higher and stress triaxiality levels of the ductile ligament are higher, although the elastic/plastic mismatch shielding is also higher at this position.     

Distortion and residual stresses in structures reinforced with titanium straps for improved damage tolerance

Distortion and residual stresses induced during the manufacturing process of bonded crack retarders have been investigated. Titanium alloy straps were adhesively bonded to an aluminium alloy SENT specimen to promote fatigue crack growth retardation. The effect of three different strap dimensions was investigated. The spring-back of a component when released from the autoclave and the residual stresses are important factors to take into account when designing a selective reinforcement, as this may alter the local aerodynamic characteristics and reduce the crack bridging effect of the strap. The principal problem with residual stresses is that the tensile nature of the residual stresses in the primary aluminium structure has a negative impact on the crack initiation and crack propagation behaviour in the aluminium. The residual stresses were measured with neutron diffraction and the distortion of the specimens was measured with a contour measurement machine. The bonding process was simulated with a three-dimensional FE model. The residual stresses were found to be tensile close to the strap and slightly compressive on the un-bonded side. Both the distortion and the residual stresses increased with the thickness and the width of the strap. Very good agreement between the measured stresses and the measured distortion and the FE simulation was found.     

Effects of surface deformation and crack closure on fatigue crack propagation after overloading and underloading

In the case of a negative baseline stress ratio, the fatigue crack growth rate can actually accelerate after a tensile overload. This crack propagation behavior is related to the local bulging of the specimen in the thickness direction during compression and the resultant tensile residual stress distribution at the crack tip. In the present investigation, the effects of a single tensile overload as well as the effects of a tensile overload followed immediately by a compressive underload on subsequent fatigue crack growth were investigated. The extent of crack opening displacement influences the magnitude of residual stress as well as the crack-tip opening level, and consequently, the subsequent rate of fatigue crack propagation.     

A new mode I fracture test for composites with translaminar reinforcements

A new test method is presented for Mode I delamination fracture toughness testing of laminated composites containing a high density of stitches or translaminar reinforcements. The test set up, which is similar to the standard Double Cantilever Beam test, induces an axial tension in the specimen in addition to the transverse forces responsible for propagation of delamination. The tensile stresses reduce the compressive stresses in the vicinity of the crack tip caused by the large bending moments required for crack propagation. The nonlinear differential equations of equilibrium of the new specimen are solved using an iterative procedure to obtain the strain energy release rate as a function of load and crack length. Experiments were conducted using carbon/epoxy specimens containing 6.2 stitches per square centimeter (40 stitches per square inch). Results include Mode I fracture toughness, crack tip bending moment, transverse deflection and slope as a function of crack length. It is found that the apparent fracture toughness of the specimens tested remains constant as the stitches break and crack propagates, and is about sixty times that of unstitched specimens.     

基于两种破裂判据的裂隙岩体单轴压缩起裂分析

该文引入Rankine最大拉应力准则和Mohr-coulomb剪切破坏准则分别作为岩石基质的拉伸和压剪破裂判据,分析了单轴压缩下裂隙岩体的起裂机制。根据含单个椭圆裂隙的无限域岩体在单轴压缩下的应力理论解,编制了Matlab程序,计算分析了不同短轴与长轴比k和倾角α(加载轴与裂隙长轴间的夹角)下的岩石基质应力集中系数、两种不同起裂机制的破裂函数值、开裂位置和开裂临界荷载。对多裂隙岩体,采用ABAQUS有限元软件进行了应力计算和起裂机制分析。计算结果表明:1)与单裂隙岩体相比,多裂隙岩体的岩石基质应力集中系数略大、起裂临界荷载略小,但起裂位置相同;2)随着裂隙倾角α的增大,岩石基质的主拉应力集中区由裂隙端部附近很小的区域逐渐变为裂隙中部的大面积区域,而主压应力集中区则反之;3)存在临界裂隙倾角α0,其值在45°附近。当裂隙倾角0<α≤α0时,在裂隙端部同时有拉应力和压剪应力集中,拉破裂临界荷载小于压剪破裂临界荷载,但随着裂隙轴比的增大二者逐渐相等,表明岩体受拉破裂和压剪破裂共同影响越来越明显;当α0<α≤90°时,尽管拉破裂临界荷载大于压剪破裂临界荷载,但首先发生在裂隙端部的压剪破裂区范围很小,而随后将在裂隙中部或端部发生大量的拉伸破裂。上述分析结果与实验现象较为吻合。