Determination of Subcritical Crack Growth Parameters by In Situ Observation of Indentation Cracks

A technique to determine stress intensity factor—crack velocity (K— v ) relationships for subcritical crack growth from in situ observation of indentation cracks is described. To minimize the effect of residual contact stresses and lateral crack interaction, measurements were made only on cracks that had undergone significant subcritical crack growth. Crack shapes were determined fractographically from crack-arrest markings, produced by temporary unloading during the crack extension process. The subcritical crack growth parameters obtained by this technique were in excellent agreement with those determined from dynamic fatigue and previous studies.     

Estimation of endurance of structural ceramics by dynamic fatigue testing

Results of investigations on determining the level of the control load in certification of ceramic articles at specified operating loads are presented. The parameters of subcritical crack growth, required for the calculation, have been determined using the results of dynamic fatigue testing. It is demonstrated that the parameters of subcritical crack growth determined by dynamic fatigue testing are adequate for use in calculating control loads in cases of operating loads with a high subcritical stress intensity at structural defects (K _I <K _Ic). For long-term conditions of operating loads, the estimates of the endurance made by the present method will be lower than the actual values. The effectiveness of control tests under the specified conditions of the operating load has been demonstrated in an experiment with two batches of specimens of compacted chemically bound silicon nitride (OTM 907). The results of dynamic fatigue testing of silicon nitride are also given.Translated from Ogneupory, No. 5, pp. 14 – 18, May, 1994.     

Subcritical Crack-Growth Behavior of Borosilicate Glass under Cyclic Loads: Evidence of a Mechanical Fatigue Effect

Amorphous glasses are generally considered immune to mechanical fatigue effects associated with cyclic loading. In this study surprising new evidence is presented for a mechanical fatigue effect in borosilicate glass, in both moist air and dry nitrogen environments. The fatigue effect occurs at near threshold subcritical crack-growth rates (da/dt 3× 10^-8 m/s) as the crack extension per cycle approaches the dimensions of the borosilicate glass network. While subcritical crack growth under cyclic loads at higher load levels is entirely consistent with environmentally assisted crack growth, lower growth rates actually exceed those measured under monotonic loads. This suggests a mechanical fatigue effect which accelerates subcritical crack-growth rates. Likely mechanisms for the mechanical fatigue effect are presented.     

Micromechanisms of Creep–Fatigue Crack Growth in a Silicide-Matrix Composite with SiC Particles

An experimental study has been conducted to examine the cyclic fatigue crack growth characteristics in 1200^oC air of a MoSi₂-50 mol% Wsi₂ alloy the unreinforced condition and with 30 vol% SiC particles. For comparison purposes, crack growth experiments under sustained loads were also carried out in the silicide-matrix composite. Particular attention is devoted to developing an understanding of the micromechanisms of subcritical crack-tip damage. The results indicate that enhanced viscous flow of glass films along interfaces and grain boundaries imparts pronounced levels of subcritical crack growth in the composite material; the composite exhibits a higher fatigue fracture threshold and a more extended range of stable fracture than the unreinforced alloy. The effects of glass phase in influencing fatigue crack growth in the silicide-based material are compared to the influence of in situ -formed and preexisting glass films on high-temperature cyclic fatigue crack growth in ceramics and ceramic composites. The paper concludes with a comparison of present results with the high-temperature damage tolerance of a variety of intermetallic alloys and ceramic materials.     

Humidity Dependence of the Fatigue of High-Strength Fused Silica Optical Fibers

Strength and dynamic fatigue behavior of silica fibers has been measured as a function of ambient humidity. Bare and polymer-coated fibers were compared to determine the influence of the coating. The results verify earlier work that suggests the degradation reaction is approximately second order with respect to humidity. However, we verify this result using rigorous data analysis techniques and, unlike the earlier work, the result is shown to be independent of the form of the kinetic model for crack growth. Trends in the calculated fatigue parameters illustrate that a simple exponential crack growth law best describes the humidity data. No significant differences were found between coated and bare fibers, provided the coated fibers were properly equilibrated. A data analysis methodology is given for obtaining valid reaction orders independently of the crack growth law form.     

Static Fatigue of Silica in Hermetic Environments

Static fatigue tests on metal-coated silica fibers have shown subcritical crack growth with crack velocities ranging from ∼10⁻¹⁴ to 10⁻¹⁷ m.s⁻¹. To induce subcritical crack growth, however, it is necessary that the test be performed at stress intensities, K_I, of >0.8 K_IC. Metal-coated fibers provide a unique medium for studying static fatigue at these high stress levels because the metal coating protects the fiber from the external environment. Crack growth,for these tests demonstrates the sensitivity of crack velocity to OH⁻ concentrations at the crack site.     

Crack Propagation Behavior of Y-TZP Ceramics

Y-TZP ceramics present the twofold advantage of a very fine grain size and a phase transformation leading to some reinforcement, making them useful in hip joint head prostheses. The subcritical crack growth of such a material that mainly drives the lifetime of the components has been evaluated for wide crack velocity ranges down to 10^-11 m/s by using both double torsion and static fatigue tests. It appeared that subcritical crack growth was activated by H₂O. It is shown that two types of flaws should be considered: surface flaws caused by machining located in the compressive layer present at the surface, and so-called volume flaws. The subcritical crack growth and the toughness of both types of defects are different. The relevance of subcritical crack growth analysis for such surface cracks is discussed. The compressive layer at the surface leads to a threshold value below which no crack growth occurs.     

Mixed-Mode Fracture in Soda-Lime Glass Using Indentation Flaws

Mixed-mode failure of soda-lime glass under inert and fatigue test conditions was studied using Knoop indentation flaws. For annealed cracks (residual stress-free) crack extension (catastrophic or subcritical) is by an abrupt transition from the initial crack plane to a noncoplanar crack plane followed by a reorientation of the crack normal to the applied stress. Although fatigue strength of these inclined flaws increased linearly with respect to orientation of the flaws to the applied stress up to an angle of 60°, this increase was considerably less than what was predicted by existing theories. It is believed that subcritical crack growth causes the crack to be realigned perpendicular to the applied stress before failure for all orientations; hence, fatigue strength does not show the dramatic increase at orientation angles as predicted by theory. For as-indented cracks the contact residual stress causes the crack extension to be less inclined to the initial crack plane than for annealed cracks, but in this case also, the crack realigns itself perpendicular to the applied stress. Again, fatigue strength is relatively insensitive to the orientation angle as predicted by theory and subcritical crack growth is believed to play a primary role in determining this strength dependency.     

Characterisation of subcritical crack growth in ceramics using indentation cracks

Abstract

The introduction of indentation cracks into brittle materials has proved to be a useful tool in characterising subcritical crack growth, notably in efficiently measuring the kinetic growth parameters and in defining whether the material exhibits a fatigue threshold. The accuracy of the subcritical crack growth parameters obtained using indentation mechanics can be excellent, provided the stress intensity factor associated with the indentation cracks is well characterised. Indentation cracks can also be used to measure crack velocity as a function of the applied stress intensity factor by direct observation. In such testing, it is critical that the changes in crack shape as the crack extends are known or accurately predicted. Numerical simulations suggest that the shape changes can be influenced not only by the testing geometry but also the growth kinetics. Finally, it is shown that the fatigue threshold can be determined by allowing median cracks to extend subcritically during indentation.     

Effect of Humidity on Small-Crack Growth in Silica Optical Fibers

Subcritical small-crack growth in silica optical fibers was measured directly in air at 25°C for several humidity conditions from 30% to 90% relative humidity. The crack velocity data were shown to be closely fitted by a power function of the stress intensity factor. It was found that the power n is independent of humidity and takes a value of 21.7. It was also revealed that crack velocity varies with relative humidity to a power of 2.5, which agrees with estimates from the published dynamic fatigue data concerning the humidity dependence of the strength of pristine silica fibers.     

Influence of Composition on Fatigue Behavior and Threshold Stress Intensity Factor of Borosilicate Glasses

Fatigue behavior of borosilicate glasses was studied using the analysis of subcritical propagation of Vickers indentation cracks. Glasses containing various amounts of glass-network modifiers, mainly soda, were considered. Cone and median/radial crack systems were observed, depending on glass composition, indenter geometry, and test environment. Indentation tests were performed in water, holding the maximum load for durations ranging from 15 s to 6 d. The analysis of the crack length as a function of dwell time allowed evaluation of the subcritical growth parameters and fatigue limit at crack arrest. The influence of composition on fatigue parameters and fatigue limit was discussed in terms of fourfold-coordinated boron atoms fraction compared with the content of glass-network modifier ions.     

Fatigue Crack Propagation in Transformation-Toughened Zirconia Ceramic

Fatigue crack propagation under tension-tension loading is observed in a transformation-toughened partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) ceramic containing 9 mol% MgO. Such subcritical crack growth behavior is demonstrated to be cyclically induced, based on a comparison with behavior under sustained loading (at the maximum load in the fatigue cycle) and at varying cyclic frequencies. Crack extension rates, which are measured as a function of the cyclic stress intensity range ΔK over the range 10^-10 to 10^-6 m/cycle, are found to be load ratio dependent and to show evidence of fatigue crack closure, similar to behavior in metals. Cyclic crack growth rates are observed at ΔK levels as low as 3 MPa m^1/2 and are typically many orders of magnitude faster than reported data on environmentally assisted, subcritical crack growth in PSZ under sustained-load conditions.     

Dependency of Fatigue Predictions on the Form of the Crack Velocity Equation

A computer search technique was developed to analyze fatigue strength data using both exponential and power law forms of the subcritical crack velocity equation. All crack velocity equations would fit a given set of fatigue data equally well in the data range but failure predictions based on the different crack velocity equations diverge from each other outside the data range. The exponential form of the crack velocity equation best fit both the static and dynamic fatigue data of hot-pressed Si₃N₄ and optical glass fibers, whereas the power law form best fit the static and dynamic fatigue data of soda-lime glass and A1₂O₃. To determine the most appropriate crack velocity equation for a given material/environment system, it is recommended that fatigue data be obtained under different loading conditions and the data numerically regressed using the computer search technique with each of the possible crack velocity equations to find which best fits the data.     

Crack Shielding in Ce-TZP/Al2O3 Composites: Comparison of Fatigue and Sustained Load Crack Growth Specimens

Crack shielding stress intensities in in situ loaded compact tension specimens of two types of ceria-partially-stabilized zirconia/alumina (Ce-TZP/Al₂O₃) composites with prior histories of subcritical crack growth in sustained and tension-tension fatigue loading were directly assessed using laser Raman spectroscopy. Crack-tip stress fields within the transformation zones were measured by measuring a stress-induced frequency shift of a peak corresponding to the tetragonal phase. The peak shift as a function of the applied stress was separately calibrated using a ball-on-ring flexure test. Total crack shielding stress intensity was estimated from the far-field applied stress intensity and the local crack-tip stress intensity assessed from the measured near-crack-tip stresses. The shielding stress intensities were consistently lower in the fatigue specimens than in the sustained load crack growth specimens. The reduced crack shielding developed in the fatigue specimens was independently confirmed by measurements of larger crack-opening displacement under far-field applied load as compared to the sustained load crack growth specimens. Thus, diminished crack shielding was a major factor contributing to the higher subcritical crack growth rates exhibited by the Ce-TZP/Al₂O₃ composites in tension–tension cyclic fatigue. Calculations of zone shielding considering only the dilatational strains in the transformation zones accounted for 81% and 86% of the measured values in the sustained load crack growth specimens, but significantly overestimated the shielding in the fatigue specimens. Possible reasons for the diminished crack shielding in the fatigue specimens are discussed.     

Fatigue Behavior of Alumina–Zirconia Multilayered Ceramics

The influence of sustained and cyclic loading on the crack growth behavior of a multilayered alumina–zirconia composite exhibiting high internal compressive stresses is investigated. The study was conducted on precracked notched samples and focused on evaluating the static and cyclic fatigue resistance to crack extension beyond the first arresting interface (threshold) as well as the mechanisms involved during stable crack growth through the layered structure for each loading condition studied. Although it is found that the layered composite is prone to subcritical crack growth, the effectiveness of operative toughening mechanisms, i.e., compressive residual stresses as well as crack bifurcation and delamination at interfaces, is observed to be independent of the loading conditions. As a consequence, fatigue degradation of the multilayered ceramics studied is restricted to the intrinsic environmental-assisted cracking of the individual layers, pointing them out as toughened composites practically immune to variable stresses and much less static and cyclic fatigue sensitive than other structural ceramics.     

Dynamic fatigue of ceramics based on aluminum oxide

A comparative study of the resistance of alumina-based ceramic materials with different grain-boundary phases to delayed fracture is described. The tests were conducted by the method of dynamic fatigue in air, water, and a salt solution. It is shown that the ceramics with an alkali-free vitreous phase has a higher resistance to subcritical crack growth than the material with an alkali-containing grain-boundary phase.Translated from Ogneupory i Tekhnicheskaya Keramika, No. 11, pp. 2 – 4, November, 1996.     

Mixed-mode fatigue behavior of degraded toughened epoxy adhesive joints

Open-faced asymmetric double cantilever beam (ADCB) specimens of toughened epoxy-aluminum adhesive joints were aged either in a constant humidity environment or a cyclically changing environment to study the mixed-mode fatigue behavior. Under constant humidity environments, the fatigue threshold strain energy release rate initially decreased with aging time until it reached a constant minimum value for long times. In contrast, the crack growth rates continued to increase with aging time. It is hypothesized that at crack growth rates close to threshold the fatigue behavior is governed by the epoxy matrix, whereas at relatively high crack growth rates the fatigue behavior is governed by the loss of the rubber toughening mechanism. Increasing the aging temperature accelerated the degradation of the joints leading to a reduction in the time to reach the constant minimum value and increased the crack growth rates.Under a cyclic aging environment with intermittent salt spray, neither the threshold strain energy release rate nor the crack growth rates degraded until four weeks of aging. The superior fatigue performance of these joints compared to joints aged in constant humidity environments was due to the lower water concentrations in the adhesive while aging. This conclusion was supported by moisture uptake measurements of the adhesive in deionised and salt water environments that showed simple Fickian behavior at room temperature and dual-Fickian behavior at higher temperature. The salt water environment produced osmotic pressure that decreased the moisture concentration in the second stage of diffusion.     

Measurement of the silica glass fatigue limit

The static fatigue limit, or the threshold stress intensity factor, K_o, for first subcritical crack growth has been measured directly in silica glass for T ≥ 600°C using the double cantilever beam (DCB) crack growth technique. Values measured ranged from 0.48 to 0.61 MPa·m^1/2 for a temperature range of 600°C-850°C, respectively. Cracks growing near the static fatigue limit had a time-dependence, where the crack growth decreased and appeared to stop at K ≈ K_o. Slow crack growth curves (K-v) have been measured from room temperature, 50% RH, up to 850°C with subcritical crack growth not measurable for T > 900°C. Increasing temperature was found to first increase, and then decrease the slope of Region I, and a peak in fatigue resistance was found around 150°C-300°C. At T > 600°C subcritical crack growth was observed for K higher than previously measured K_IC values. This observation and the static fatigue limit in silica are explained by a water-assisted stress relaxation mechanism at the crack tip.     

Indentation Fatigue of High-Purity Alumina in Fluid Environments

The influence of environment on the cyclic fatigue behavior of a high-purity alumina bioceramic was investigated using the repeated indentation technique. Tests were conducted in the presence of water, a variety of alcohols, toluene, and simulated physiological fluid environments. The results show that these environments do not have any detectable effect on the damage produced by single indentations, but those containing water cause a significant degradation in cyclic fatigue resistance which cannot be quantified in terms of known subcritical crack growth behavior in static fatigue. It is concluded that the effects of fluid environments on the growth of cyclically driven cracks must be an integral part of the mechanism responsible for cyclic fatigue in ceramics.     

High-Temperature Failure of an Alumina-Silicon Carbide Composite under Cyclic loads: Mechanisms of Fatigue Crack-Tip Damage

Experimental results are presented on the mechanisms of tensile cyclic fatigue crack growth in an A1₂0₃-33-vol%-SiC-whisker composite at 1400°C. The ceramic composite exhibits subcritical fatigue crack propagation at stress-intensity-fator values far below the fracture toughness. The fatigue characterized by the stressintensity-factor range, ΔK, and crack propagation rates are found to be strongly sensitive to the mean stress (load ratio) and the frequency of the fatigue cycle. Detailed transmission electron microscopy of the fatigue crack-tip region, in conjunction with optical microscopy, reveals that the principal mechanism of permanent damage ahead of the advancing crack is the nucleation and growth of interfacial flaws. The oxidation of Sic whiskers in the crack-tip region leads to the formation of a silica-glass phase in the 1400°C air environment. The viscous flow of glass causes debonding of the whisker-matrix interface; the nucleation, growth, and coalescence of interfacial cavities aids in developing a diffuse microcrack zone at the fatigue crack tip. The shielding effect and periodic crack branching promoted by the microcracks result in an apparently benefcial fatigue crack-growth resistance in the A1₂0₃—SiC composite, as compared with the unreinforced alumina with a comparable grain size. A comparison of static and cyclic load crack velocities is provided to gain insight into the mechanisms of elevated temperature fatigue in ceramic composites.