The investigation of crack growth in specimens with rectangular cross-sections under out-of-phase bending and torsional loading

The paper presents the fatigue test results of rectangular cross-section specimens made of 10HNAP (S355J2G1W) steel. The specimen height to width ratio was 1.5. The tests under bending with torsion were performed for the following ratios of bending to torsional moments M_aB/M_aT = 0.47, 0.94, 1.87 and the loading frequency 26.5 Hz. Nominal stresses were chosen for the equivalent stress according to the Huber-Mises hypothesis equal to 360 MPa. The tests were performed in the high cycle fatigue regime for the stress ratio R = −1 and phase shift between bending and torsion loading equal to ϕ = 0 and 90°. Crack initiation and propagation phases were observed on the specimen surface using the optical microscope (magnification 20×) with an integrated digital camera. The test results for the fatigue crack growth rate versus the stress intensity factor range for mode I and mode III have been described with the Paris equation.     

Estimation of fatigue crack growth behavior for small-sized C-shaped inside edge-notched tension (CIET) specimen using compliance technique

Being restricted by the relative larger size requirement, traditional and standard fracture specimens are not applicable for the estimation of fatigue crack growth behavior of some very finite-sized components and precious materials. This study develops a small-sized C-shaped inside edge-notched tension (CIET) specimen which has an advantage of specimen minimization and a wide range of adaptability. A systemic compliance technique for estimating fatigue crack growth behavior of CIET specimen has been successfully constructed and experimentally verified. Groups of fatigue crack propagation rate tests of both CIET specimen and CT specimen for 5083-H112 aluminum alloy were carried out. The resulted da/dN ∼ ΔK curves are heavy affected by specimen configuration and load ratio, and the difference between these da/dN ∼ ΔK curves has been successfully removed by introducing the correction of plasticity-induced crack closure effect. Consequently, the feasibility of CIET specimen for estimating fatigue crack propagation behavior for small-sized components and precious materials has been evidently confirmed.     

Crack initiation in VHCF regime on forged titanium alloy under tensile and torsion loading modes

This paper is focused on the VHCF behavior of aeronautical titanium alloy under tensile and torsion fatigue loadings. Tensile tests were carried out with two different stress ratios: R = −1 and R = 0.1. Both surface and subsurface crack initiations were observed. In the case of subsurface crack initiation several fatigue life controlling mechanisms of crack initiation were found under fully-reversed loading conditions: initiation from (1) strong defects; (2) ‘macro-zone’ borders; (3) quasi-smooth facets and (4) smooth facets. Tests with stress ratio R = 0.1, have shown that initiation from the borders of ‘macro-zones’ becomes the dominant crack initiation mechanism in presence of positive mean stress. Like for the tensile results, surface and subsurface crack initiations were observed under ultrasonic torsion in spite of the maximum shear stress location on the specimen surface. But the real reason for the subsurface crack initiation under torsion was not found.     

Investigation of high cycle and Very-High-Cycle Fatigue behaviors for a structural steel with smooth and notched specimens

The high cycle and Very-High-Cycle Fatigue (VHCF) properties of a structural steel with smooth and notched specimens were studied by employing a rotary bending machine with frequency of 52.5 Hz. For smooth specimens, VHCF failure did occur at fatigue cycles of 7.1 × 10⁸ with the related S–N curve of stepwise tendency. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used for the observations of the fracture surfaces. It shows that for smooth specimens the crack origination is surface mode in the failure regime of less than 10⁷ cycles. While at VHCF regime, the material failed from the nonmetallic inclusion lies in the interior of material, leading to the formation of fisheye pattern. The dimensions of crack initiation region were measured and discussed with respect to the number of cycles to failure. The mechanism analysis by means of low temperature fracture technique shows that the nonmetallic inclusion in the interior of specimen tends to debond from surrounding matrix and form a crack. The crack propagates and results to the final failure. The stress intensity factor and fatigue strength were calculated to investigate the crack initiation properties. VHCF study on the notched specimens shows that the obtained S–N curve decreases continuously. SEM analysis reveals that multiple crack origins are dominant on specimen surface and that fatigue crack tends to initiate from the surface of the specimen. Based on the fatigue tests and observations, a model of crack initiation was used to describe the transition of fatigue initiation site from subsurface to surface for smooth and notched specimens. The model reveals the influences of load, grain size, inclusion size and surface notch on the crack initiation transition.     

Threshold crack growth behavior of shear and tensile cracks

Crack-face interference-free mode I and mode II crack-growth data was combined with smooth axial (λ = ε_xy/ε_xx = 0) and torsional (λ = ∞) endurance limit data to develop unified crack growth models that incorporate both shear and tensile cracking. The crack growth models incorporated growth from a slip band (including short crack behavior) size crack until the final failure of a long crack, and the ability to switch between crack growth on shear planes to growth on tensile planes. The models successfully predicted smooth specimen crack-face interference-free fatigue lives and gave reasonable estimates of the smooth specimen endurance limits of crack-face interference free tubular tests run at intermediate strain ratios (λ = 3/4, 3/2, and 3). The series of Kitigawa–Takahashi (threshold fatigue) diagrams developed from the models help illustrate the competition between shear and tensile cracking at the fatigue limit under crack-face interference-free crack growth.     

Gigacycle fatigue initiation mechanism in Armco iron

Microstructure irreversibility plays a major role in the gigacycle fatigue crack initiation. Surface Persistent Slip Bands (PSB) formation on Copper and its alloy was well studied by Mughrabi et al. as typical fatigue crack nucleation in the very high cycle fatigue regime. In the present paper, Armco iron sheet specimens (1 mm thickness) were tested under ultrasonic frequency fatigue loading in tension–compression (R = −1). The test on the thin sheets has required a new design of specimen and new attachment of specimen. After gigacycle fatigue testing, the surface appearance was observed by optical and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Below about 88 MPa stress, there is no PSBs even after fatigue cycle up to 5 × 10⁹. With a sufficient stress (above 88 MPa), PSBs in the ferrite grain was observed by optic microscope after 10⁸ cycles loading. Investigation with the SEM shows that the PSB can appear in the body-centered cubic crystal in the gigacycle fatigue regime. Because of the grain boundary, however, the local PSB did not continually progress to the grain beside even after 10⁹ cycles when the stress remained at the low level.     

Environmental effects on fatigue behavior of adhesively-bonded pultruded structural joints

The fatigue response of adhesively-bonded pultruded GFRP double-lap joints has been investigated under different environmental conditions. Tests were performed at ?35 °C, 23 °C and 40 °C. A fourth set of fatigue data was collected from tests on preconditioned specimens in warm (40 °C) water. The tests were performed at 40 °C and at 90% relative humidity. Specimens were instrumented with strain and crack gages to record fatigue data. In addition to the S–N curves, stiffness fluctuations and crack initiation and propagation during fatigue were monitored. The dominant failure mode was a fiber-tear failure that occurred in the mat layers of the GFRP laminates. In the presence of high humidity, the failure shifted to the adhesive/composite interface. Although the testing temperature was lower than the glass transition temperature of the adhesive, its influence on the fatigue life and fracture behavior of the examined joints was apparent and was aggravated by the presence of humidity.     

High-temperature low cycle fatigue behavior of a gray cast iron

The strain controlled low cycle fatigue properties of the studied gray cast iron for engine cylinder blocks were investigated. At the same total strain amplitude, the low cycle fatigue life of the studied material at 523 K was higher than that at 423 K. The fatigue behavior of the studied material was characterized as cyclic softening at any given total strain amplitude (0.12%–0.24%), which was attributed to fatigue crack initiation and propagation. Moreover, this material exhibited asymmetric hysteresis loops due to the presence of the graphite lamellas. Transmission electron microscopy analysis suggested that cyclic softening was also caused by the interactions of dislocations at 423 K, such as cell structure in ferrite, whereas cyclic softening was related to subgrain boundaries and dislocation climbing at 523 K. Micro-analysis of specimen fracture appearance was conducted in order to obtain the fracture characteristics and crack paths for different strain amplitudes. It showed that the higher the temperature, the rougher the crack face of the examined gray cast iron at the same total strain amplitude. Additionally, the microcracks were readily blunted during growth inside the pearlite matrix at 423 K, whereas the microcracks could easily pass through pearlite matrix along with deflection at 523 K. The results of fatigue experiments consistently showed that fatigue damage for the studied material at 423 K was lower than that at 523 K under any given total strain amplitude.     

On the need to decompose fatigue strain signals associated to fatigue life assessment of the AISI 1045 carbon steel

The evaluation of a new statistical-based analysis is discussed in this paper, leading to the fatigue life assessment at three different applied stresses during the cyclic testing procedure. Fatigue tests were performed following the standard ASTM: E466-07. These tests involve a strain gauge being attached to the specimen. For this test, AISI 1045 carbon steel was used as material due to its wide application in automotive and machinery industries. Fatigue tests were performed at three different stress levels of 305 MPa, 325 MPa, and 345 MPa with the testing frequency of 8 Hz, and the strain signals were collected accordingly. The Integrated Kurtosis-based Algorithm for Z-filter (I-kaz) approach, which provides its coefficient and three dimensional graphics, was utilised to define a statistically-based fatigue behaviour pattern. The I-kaz technique was used to extract strain signal patterns at the respective low, medium, and high frequency ranges for each signal at specific applied testing stress level. Results showed that highest strain amplitude occur at the low frequency range, suggesting the capability of I-kaz to identify fatigue damage pattern of metallic materials using statistical representation.     

Application of full-surface view in situ thermography measurements during ultrasonic fatigue of cast steel G42CrMo4

In the present investigation a full-surface view in situ thermography method is adapted to an ultrasonic fatigue testing system. Full-surface view in situ thermography measurements were successfully performed in the high cycle fatigue and in the very high cycle fatigue regime on cast steel G42CrMo4 in the quenched and tempered state. The method enables the monitoring of the entire cylindrical specimen circumference during fatigue testing by infrared temperature field measurements with one thermocamera and two mirrors. Moreover, by correlating fractography and thermography the precise determination of the location of the crack initiation site and the time of final crack growth is possible. The technique is applied to study crack initiation at non-metallic inclusions in the investigated cast steel specimens. Moreover, the effect of a novel carbon-bonded metal melt filter coated with a functionalized spinel (MgAl₂O₄) coating is evaluated by ultrasonic fatigue testing in combination with the full-surface view in situ thermography technique and subsequent scanning electron microscopy.     

Fatigue lifetime and tearing resistance of AA2198 Al–Cu–Li alloy friction stir welds: Effect of defects

The fatigue strength and failure mechanisms of defect-free (“sound”) and flaw bearing friction stir butt-welds of 3.1 mm-thick AA2198-T8 Al–Li–Cu alloy have been investigated via S–N curves at R = 0.1 using cross weld specimens. The fatigue strength of sound welds is only reduced by 10–15% at the aimed lifetime of 10⁵ cycles compared to the base material. Joint Line Remnant (JLR) bearing welds have a similar fatigue strength as sound welds and the JLR is not the crack initiation site. Kissing Bond (KB) bearing welds that have undergone a weld root polishing show a reduction in fatigue strength by 17% compared to sound welds. For specimens loaded at or above yield strength of the weld nugget the crack systematically initiates from the KB during the first cycle, which is interpreted further using fracture mechanics. The strongest reduction, about 28% in fatigue strength, is found for welds with an initial gap between the parent sheets (GAP welds) along with initiation at intergranular surface microcracks. Kahn tear tests show a reduction in tearing resistance for the flaw bearing welds with a similar ranking as for the fatigue strength.     

Characterization of fracture behavior of a Ti alloyed supermartensitic 12%Cr stainless steel using Charpy instrumented impact tests

In this work, the toughness of a Ti-alloyed supermartensitic stainless steel with 12%Cr was evaluated by instrumented Charpy impact tests at − 46 °C. The material was heat treated by quenching and tempering at 500 °C or 650 °C. The temper embrittlement phenomena was detected in the specimen tempered at 500 °C, while the specimens as quenched and quenched and tempered at 650 °C presented a ductile fracture with high impact energy values. The predominance of cleavage fracture instead of intergranular cracks suggests that the temper embrittlement was caused by fine and disperse precipitation observed in the specimen tempered at 500 °C. The dynamic initiation fracture toughness (J_Id) was calculated from the force versus deflection curves using three different methods suggested in the literature to obtain the initiation energy.     

Experimental study on the fatigue failure mechanism of QP-16 type ball-eye under asymmetric load

The ball eye (BE) is a key connecting component between the insulator and transmission tower, whose fatigue characteristics concern the safety of transmission lines. To understand the fatigue mechanism and characteristics of it, the fatigue test was conducted based on the following data: r = 0.25, S = 500 MPa,then plotting of SN and Δε_axis − N, to analyze the fatigue failure of the test specimen from the macro and micro point of views. The research results show that: the life of BE significantly reduces with the increase of the stress amplitude, but the relative reduction in life is not the same; softening and strain amplitude of the specimen change differently before and after the stress amplitude of 300 MPa; when S ≤ 300 MPa, the fracture is more smooth, the fatigue crack propagation is slow; when S > 300 MPa, the rate of fatigue crack growth is faster, and the fatigue crack growth zones are not obvious. The cracks are easily detectable appear at the joint of the BE and insulator cap, and the cracks along the fracture cross section are constantly expanding, showing multiple fatigue sources and fatigue steps. The number of fatigue steps increases as the magnitude of the tensile stress increases. When S = 500 MPa, the yield strength decreases during the lifetime, the decrease rate of the tensile strength and microstructure strength in each stage are different. Axial lengthening and section shrinkage ratio decrease with the development of fatigue, fatigue evolution process is accompanied by phenomenon of crystalline slip, deformation, dislocation, at the same time, dissipation and decomposition of pearlite occur, and carbide precipitates from the matrix, growing and moving to the grain boundaries, the specific phenomenon of grain growth appears.     

Reprint of “Multiaxial fatigue property of Ti–6Al–4V using hollow cylinder specimen under push-pull and cyclic inner pressure loading”

This paper studies a multiaxial fatigue crack mode and a fatigue life of Ti–6Al–4V. Load controlled fatigue tests at room temperature were carried out using a hollow cylinder specimen under multiaxial loading with principal stress ratio λ equal to 0, 0.4, 0.5 and 1.0 and loading ratio R kept constant and equal to 0. λ is defined as λ = σ₂/σ₁, where σ₁ and σ₂ are maximum and intermediate/minimum principal stresses, respectively. Here, the test at λ = 0 is a uniaxial loading test and that at λ = 1.0 an equi-biaxial loading test. A testing machine employed was a newly developed multiaxial fatigue testing machine which can apply push-pull and reversed torsion loading with inner pressure into the hollow cylinder specimen. Based on the obtained results in this study, multiaxial fatigue properties are examined, where the fatigue life evaluation and the crack mode are discussed. The fatigue life is reduced with an increase of λ, due to cyclic ratcheting and crack mode in multiaxial loading. The crack mode is also affected by the surface condition resulting from cut-machining.     

Multiaxial fatigue property of Ti–6Al–4V using hollow cylinder specimen under push-pull and cyclic inner pressure loading

This paper studies a multiaxial fatigue crack mode and a fatigue life of Ti–6Al–4V. Load controlled fatigue tests at room temperature were carried out using a hollow cylinder specimen under multiaxial loading with principal stress ratio λ equal to 0, 0.4, 0.5 and 1.0 and loading ratio R kept constant and equal to 0. λ is defined as λ = σ₂/σ₁, where σ₁ and σ₂ are maximum and intermediate/minimum principal stresses, respectively. Here, the test at λ = 0 is a uniaxial loading test and that at λ = 1.0 an equi-biaxial loading test. A testing machine employed was a newly developed multiaxial fatigue testing machine which can apply push-pull and reversed torsion loading with inner pressure into the hollow cylinder specimen. Based on the obtained results in this study, multiaxial fatigue properties are examined, where the fatigue life evaluation and the crack mode are discussed. The fatigue life is reduced with an increase of λ, due to cyclic ratcheting and crack mode in multiaxial loading. The crack mode is also affected by the surface condition resulting from cut-machining.     

Prediction of notched specimen behaviour at ambient and high temperatures in Ti6246

Life prediction methods are essential in the selection of materials for high performance applications. These design criteria allow safe lives to be predicted for areas of geometrical discontinuity where localized increases in stress lead to the early initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks under cyclic loading. This paper explains two methods for predicting the initiation life of a double edged notch specimen (K_t = 1.9), and applies them to the α + β titanium alloy Ti6246 over a range of temperatures. The Coffin–Manson equation is effective for fully reversed cyclic behaviour. However a Walker strain-based parameter was found to be more appropriate when mean stresses are introduced. The analysis encompasses traditional analytical approaches which are limited in relation to the determination of the stresses and strains at the notch root and a finite element analysis based on ABAQUS^®. The FEA is used to characterize loop generation at the notches and to optimize the stress and strain conditions in the critical root positions.The main focus of the paper, however, is high temperature behaviour where creep and environmental damage impact on fatigue crack development. The limitations of the modelling approach under these conditions are discussed.     

Effect of supercritical water applied to reactor on microstructure and flexural strength of ZrB2–SiC–Graphite ceramic

The ZrB₂–SiC–Graphite ceramic was immerged in the supercritical water for different times. The microcracks appeared on the surface of the specimen and the composition of the microcracks was confirmed by EDS analysis to be ZrO₂. The obvious corrosion of SiC and graphite flake on the surface of the specimen was not observed, which was attributed to the dissolution of the oxides of silicon and carbon (graphite) into the supercritical water. The corrosion of the specimen was accelerated as the pressure and temperature of the water increased. XPS analysis was carried out on the specimen corroded in water of 40 ± 1 MPa and 500 ± 10 °C for 75 min, and the significant peak of B 1s was also measured, indicating the presence of the ZrB₂ phase on the surface of the specimen. For the specimen immerged in all conditions, the Vickers’ hardness did not reduce, the fracture toughness was improved and the minimal strength of the immerged specimen was still higher than 90% of the original strength of 480 MPa, which indicated that the ZrB₂–SiC–Graphite ceramic has excellent resistance to corrosion of the supercritical water applied to reactor.     

Effect of welding parameters on mechanical and microstructural properties of dissimilar AA6082–AA2024 joints produced by friction stir welding

The effect of processing parameters on the mechanical and microstructural properties of dissimilar AA6082–AA2024 joints produced by friction stir welding was analysed in this study. Different samples were produced by varying the advancing speeds of the tool as 80 and 115 mm/min and by varying the alloy positioned on the advancing side of the tool. In all the experiments the rotating speed is fixed at 1600 RPM. All the welds were produced perpendicularly to the rolling direction for both the alloys. Microhardness (HV) and tensile tests performed at room temperature were used to evaluate the mechanical properties of the joints. The mechanical tests were performed on the joints previously subjected to annealing at 250 °C for 1 h. For the fatigue tests, a resonant electromechanical testing machine was employed under constant loading control up to 250 Hz sine wave loading. The fatigue tests were conducted in the axial total stress–amplitude control mode, with R = σ_min/σ_max = 0.1. In order to analyse the microstructural evolution of the material, the welds’ cross-sections were observed optically and SEM observations were made of the fracture surfaces.     

Fatigue of 2024-T351 aluminium alloy at different load ratios up to 1010 cycles

Fatigue properties of 2024-T351 aluminium alloy are investigated in the high cycle fatigue (HCF) and very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) regime. Endurance tests are performed with ultrasonic equipment at 20 kHz cycling frequency at load ratios of R = −1, R = 0.1 and R = 0.5 up to 10¹⁰ cycles. Additional servo-hydraulic tests between 8 and 10 Hz at R = 0.1 show no frequency influence on fatigue lifetimes. Linear lines in double logarithmic S–N plots are used to approximate data. Slope exponents of approximation lines increase with increasing numbers of cycles for all load ratios. Failures above 5 × 10⁹ cycles (R = −1 and R = 0.1) or 10¹⁰ cycles (R = 0.5) occur, and no fatigue limit is found. Fatigue cracks leading to failures above 10⁹ cycles are initiated at the surface or slightly below at broken constituent particles or at agglomerations of fractured particles, which are probably Al₇Cu₂(Fe, Mn). Specimens stressed with more than 10¹⁰ cycles at R = −1 without failure show several cracks starting at constituent particles. Maximum crack lengths are 30 μm, which is considerably below grain size.     

Very high cycle fatigue of nitrided 18Ni maraging steel sheet

Thin sheets of nitrided 18Ni maraging steel are tested under cyclic tension (load ratio R = 0.1) in the very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) regime. The ultrasonic fatigue testing method with a cycling frequency of about 20 kHz has been further developed for these experiments. Sheet specimens with 0.35 mm thickness are mounted on a carrier specimen, they are pre-stressed and are forced to vibrate jointly. Between 10⁷ and 10⁹ cycles, fatigue cracks are initiated exclusively at internal TiN inclusions. The areas of the crack initiating inclusions projected perpendicular to the applied tensile stress are evaluated. The square root of inclusion areas, (area_INC)^1/2 lies between 2.5 μm and 5.3 μm. Considering inclusions as cracks, their stress intensity range is between ΔK_INC = 1.3 MPa m^1/2 and 2.4 MPa m^1/2. The sizes of crack initiating inclusions influence fatigue lifetimes. This is considered in a crack propagation model and by presenting lifetimes versus the stress amplitudes multiplied by (area_INC)^1/12. A mean lifetime of 10⁹ cycles is found at a stress amplitude of 22% of the tensile strength, which is comparable to other high strength steels tested under cyclic tension.