Propagation of fatigue cracks from notches

Abstract

The traditional design approaches to fatigue at notches, based on stress level–endurance relationships, are briefly reviewed. It is shown, by considering crack propagation from notches and invoking a change in control mode from notch plasticity to crack-tip plasticity, that a critical stress condition can be obtained which must be exceeded if the crack is to propagate to failure. The traditional techniques are then reinterpreted and explained by this propagation method. An example is given of crack growth from a sharp defect at a weld toe. It is shown that the integration of an elastic fracture mechanics growth law can reproduce stress range–cycles to failure data for this situation. There are, however, complexities of stress analysis and crack shape. A simple treatment of residual stresses affecting the threshold and slow–growth regimes, shows some promise as a technique for accounting for residual stresses.

MST/70     

Effects of shot peening on bending fatigue strength of spring steel SS 2090

Abstract

The influence of prior surface condition and of a shot peening treatment on the bending fatigue strength of a standard Si–Cr spring steel (SS 2090) has been investigated. This steel was initially hardened and tempered to a hardness of 52–54 HRC. After shot peening, compressive residual stresses had been introduced into a surface layer of depth ~0·3 mm, with the maximum value of ~1000 MN m^?2 being found close to the surface. The effect of this treatment was to increase the fatigue limit by ~40% to 890 MN m^?2. Coincident with this increase was a change in the site of fatigue initiation from a surface to a subsurface location beneath the compressive residual stress layer. The initiating inclusions, which were 20–40 μm in size, were analysed and found to be Al₂O₃. At stress amplitudes greater than the fatigue limit, initiation was invariably found to occur at the surface and was not always due to inclusions. Inclusion initiated failure has been modelled using the size and spatial distribution of inclusions in the test bars in addition to the variation of applied and residual stresses through the section. A crack propagation criterion based on linear elastic fracture mechanics is used, assuming that propagation is controlled by stress intensity threshold value. It is assumed that small cracks exist at oxide inclusions from the beginning of the fatigue life and that failure is associated with the propagation of one of these cracks.

MST/1392     

CRACK GROWTH ARRESTING PROPERTY OF A HOLE AND BRINELL-TYPE DIMPLE

Abstract— Fatigue tests of sheet specimens having a central crack were carried out to study the effects of holes and dimples on the arrest of fatigue crack propagation. Two holes were drilled at some distance from, and at either side of, a crack tip, and the dimple of a certain diameter was introduced by pressing steel balls in the specimen at a crack tip. Results showed that the two holes produced an increase in crack propagation life (about 3 times) when the holes were drilled at an appropriate distance. On the other hand, the effect of a dimple on the fatigue strength was remarkably large, i.e. in the greatest case a 2.2 times increase in the fatigue endurance limit of cracked specimens and about a 50 times increase in the crack propagation life, at stresses above the fatigue limit. The main reason for the remarkable recovery of fatigue strength was the residual compressive stresses produced by the dimple. To evaluate the effect of residual compressive stresses on the da/dN vs. δK relation, a simple model is proposed. By using this model, the effect of residual stresses on crack propagation can be estimated quantitatively. Furthermore, the fatigue life of dimpled specimens was estimated based on the model.     

Short‐crack thresholds and propagation in an AISI 4340 steel under the effect of SP residual stresses

The effect of residual stresses induced by shot‐peening in a high‐strength AISI 4340 steel has been studied with the purpose of deriving a consistent fatigue model incorporating the results of fatigue crack growth experiments in the threshold region for a broad range of load ratio (R‐ratio ranging from ?2.5 to 0.7), and the effect of short cracks by means of a modified El‐Haddad model. The proposed model, taking into account the effect of crack closure and being capable to assess the conditions for fatigue propagation of short cracks partially embedded in the shot‐peened surface layer, was validated against constant amplitude fatigue experiments conducted in the endurance strength region, ie, for fatigue lives up to 10⁷ cycles, with micronotched specimens in the presence of shot‐peening residual stresses. The proposed model was also validated by comparing the results of fatigue crack propagation simulations with fatigue crack growth experiments under variable amplitude loading, experimentally reproducing the combined effect of service fatigue loads and shot‐peening residual stresses.     

Fracture mechanics assessment of railway axles: Experimental characterization and computation

The results of a joint research project aiming at developing validated fracture mechanics assessment procedures for railway axles are presented. Experimentally determined fatigue crack growth parameters for the commonly used axle steel 25CrMo4 (A4T) and the high strength steel 34CrNiMo6 are included in the range of stable crack propagation and near threshold. The results are employed for predicting fatigue crack growth for cracks initiating at the axle shaft. For the computational modelling of fatigue crack propagation a generally applicable solution for stress intensity factors has been derived. Furthermore, the influence of variable amplitude loading (block loading) on the crack propagation behaviour has been studied and is discussed. The computational results are in good agreement with experimental data determined on standard fracture mechanics specimens as well as down-scaled and geometrically similar axle specimens.     

Effects of CTE-induced residual stresses around hard alpha particles on fatigue crack growth in Ti–6Al–4V

The presence of hard alpha (HA) anomalies in titanium alloys represents a significant potential degradation to gas turbine component performance. Although HA defects in titanium alloys are rare, when they are present, they can crack and ultimately result in failure. In static fracture and fatigue test specimens, embedded HA defects had significantly higher fracture strengths than anticipated. The objective of this work was to determine if residual stresses caused by thermal expansion mismatch during material fabrication were the cause of the observed behaviour. The residual stress fields in and around surface and embedded HA particles in Ti–6Al–4V (Ti–6–4) were determined using an elasticity solution and measured coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) data. The calculated stress distributions serve as the foundation for comparisons of the local stress and the fracture strength, the stress intensity factor K and the crack growth threshold ΔK_th, with the experimentally determined fatigue lives. The analytical results indicated that CTE‐induced residual stress around HA particles can contribute to the fatigue strength of Ti–6–4 by delaying microcracking of HA anomalies and reducing the driving force (effective ΔK) of the fatigue crack. Based on the analysis results, the differences between the surface and subsurface results as well as the difference between predicted and measured fatigue lives could be largely attributed to the residual stress effects caused by the mismatch of the particle and matrix properties.     

Long fatigue crack growth in Inconel 718 produced by selective laser melting

Growth of long fatigue cracks is investigated in Inconel 718 superalloy produced by selective laser melting (SLM). The fatigue crack growth curve and the threshold value of the stress intensity factor are experimentally determined on compact-tension specimens fabricated using a RENISHAW A250 system and the recommended processing parameters.The crack propagation curve and the crack propagation threshold of this SLM material are compared with literature data describing the behavior of conventionally manufactured Inconel 718. The fatigue crack growth is discussed in terms of the specific microstructure and residual stresses produced by selective laser melting.     

Effect of heat treatment on fatigue crack growth in chain steels

Abstract

The influence of tempering temperature, stress ratio, and prior strain on fatigue crack propagation in a low-alloy chain steel has been investigated. At small stress ratios (R=0·1) tempering above 400°C is beneficial, resulting in higher threshold levels and slower growth rates in the initial growth regime. Thereafter, crack growth is independent of tempering temperature, as it is over the entire growth period under a high mean stress (R=0·5). Prior strain produces a slower growth and higher thresholds at R= 0·1. Intergranular fracture is common and is a function of stress intensity range and tempering temperature. It is concluded that residual stress effects, rather than microstructural effects, account for the experimental observations. In particular, the existence of a tensile residual stress during initial growth and a crack closure stress greater than the minimum applied stress level are proposed.

MST/672     

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.     

Probability of cleavage fracture for a crack propagating by fatigue

Standard fracture toughness tests use fatigue pre-cracked specimens loaded monotonically from zero to failure. Scatter in toughness (cleavage) occurs because steel is metallurgically inhomogeneous, and because each specimen has its crack tip in a different local microstructure. A probability of fracture toughness distribution can be obtained by conducting multiple repeat tests on the same steel. This is often used to make probabilistic structural fracture predictions for combinations of crack length and applied load. However, it is likely the true structural situation involves gradual extension of a fatigue crack under a cyclic load. The question then arises as to how often the probability of fracture for the structure needs to be re-calculated. It could be argued that each fatigue load cycle moves the crack tip to a new position and gives a different instantaneous probability of fracture. But if this were the case, the predicted cumulative probability of fracture would quickly tend to unity. This paper describes cold temperature, wide plate fatigue tests designed to investigate this apparent contradiction. The steel is 15 mm thick, grade A, ship plate and the tests involve propagation of a fatigue crack from 300 mm to 650 mm length under a constant amplitude fatigue cycle of 10-100 MPa at −50 °C. The cold temperature fatigue tests do not show an obviously increased probability of fracture compared with the standard monotonic load tests. Nevertheless, in view of uncertainties surrounding the issue, a cumulative probability of fracture determined at 5 mm intervals through the steel is recommended for safe structural predictions.     

Micromechanism of cleavage fracture in fully pearlitic steels

Abstract

The micromechanism of cleavage fracture in a fully pearlitic steel has been investigated. Uniaxial tensile and compression test specimens, together with single notched bend (SNB) and double notched bend (DNB) specimens, were heat treated such that the prior austenite grain size remained constant while the pearlite interlamellar spacing was varied. The SNB specimens were used to determine the cleavage fracture stress σ_fM, over the temperature range ?25 to ?196°C. The DNB specimens were used to study the initial stages of crack nucleation. The results indicate that pearlite can exhibit two different cleavage mechanisms which are dependent on the strength of the steel. For cleavage fracture stresses below about 2100 MN m^?2, fracture is nucleation controlled and involves shear linking of carbide nucleated microcracks before unstable cleavage can occur. Under these conditions, the cleavage fracture stress is dependent on temperature and is proportional to the uniaxial proof stress. For cleavage fracture stresses above 2100 MN m^?2, cracked carbides act directly as cleavage nuclei. Fracture is then propagation controlled and the cleavage fracture stress is independent of temperature. The transition from nucleation–controlled to propagation–controlled cleavage may be achieved by either a reduction in pearlite interlamellar spacing or a reduction in testing temperature.

MST/355     

Fatigue crack propagation assessment based on residual stresses obtained through cut-compliance technique

Crack growth rate versus crack length curves of heavily overloaded parent material specimens and fatigue crack propagation curves of friction‐stir‐welded aluminium samples are presented. It is shown that in both cases the residual stresses have a strong effect on the crack propagation behaviour under constant and variable amplitude loading. As a simplified engineering approach, it is assumed in this paper, that in both cases residual stresses are the main and only factor influencing crack growth. Therefore fatigue crack propagation predictions are performed by adding the residual stresses to the applied loading and by neglecting the possible effects of overloading and friction stir welding on the parent material properties. For a quantitative assessment of the residual stress effects, the stress intensity factor due to residual stresses K_res is determined directly with the so‐called cut‐compliance method (incremental slitting). These measurements are particularly suited as input parameters for the software packages AFGROW and NASGRO 3.0, which are widely used for fatigue crack growth predictions under constant and variable amplitude loading. The prediction made in terms of crack propagation rates versus crack length and crack length versus cycles generally shows a good agreement with the measured values.     

Zum Mechanismus der Wechselfestigkeitssteigerung durch Werkstoffverfestigung und Druckeigenspannungen nach einer Oberflächenbehandlung

The Improvement of Fatigue Limit as a Result of Hardening and Macrostresses Due to a Surface Treatment Surface treatments, that increase the hardness as well as induce surface residual macrostresses, are universaly able to improve the fatigue limit. It is shown, that depending on the shape of specimens both effects together are responsible for the raise of the fatigue strength, which is in contrast to former opinions. The increase of hardness increases the stress required for crack initiation and is thus decident for unnotched specimens, whereas in this case the influence of permanent residual stresses is relatively smaller. Notched specimens of sufficient stress concentration factor k_t are determined by the crack propagation conditions, which can be controlled decisively by mean loads. The increase of hardness improves the resistance against crack initiation proportional to the 1/k_t portion of the unnotched fatigue limit, but cracks remain nonpropagating as long as a certain minimum alternative stress, which can be raised by compressive residual stresses, is not exceeded. Depending upon concentration factor, mean compressive load and hardness the transition from crack initiation to crack propagation as the criterion for fatigue fracture can be estimated by several fatigue-strength-diagrams, which are evaluated for specimens of constant hardness but are valid for surface hardened specimens as well.     

Influence of macroscopic residual stress fields on fatigue crack growth measurement in SiC particulate reinforced 8090 aluminium alloy

Abstract

The effect of residual stresses, induced by cold water quenching, on the morphology of fatigue crack fronts has been investigated in a powder metallurgy 8090 aluminium alloy, with and without reinforcement in the form of 20 wt-%SiC particles. Residual stress measurements reveal that the surface compressive stresses developed in these materials are significantly greater than in conventional metallurgy ingot 8090, because surface yielding occurs on quenching. The yield stresses of the powder route materials are greater than those of ingot produced 8090 and hence greater surface stresses can be maintained. In fatigue, severe crack front bowing is observed in the powder formed materials as a result of the reduction of the R ratio (minimum load/maximum load) by the compressive residual stresses at the sides of the specimen, causing premature crack closure and hence reducing the local driving force for fatigue crack growth ?K_eff. This distortion of the crack fronts introduces large errors into measurements of crack growth rate and threshold values of ?K.

MST/1370     

Fatigue Resistance of an Anodized and Hardanodized 6082 Aluminum Alloy Depending on the Coating Thickness in the High Cycle Regime

In this study, the high cycle fatigue behavior of an anodized 6082 aluminum alloy is investigated. Main focus is on the most relevant influencing factors for crack initiation and propagation under cyclic loading and damage mechanisms considering coating type, thickness, and residual stresses. The bare substrate is compared to anodized and hardanodized specimens with three coating thicknesses, for each coating type, in the range from 20 to 70 μm. Coating hardness and microstructure as well as residual stresses are analyzed. Fatigue and fracture behavior under alternating tension–compression loading is determined. Dependent on the coating thickness, the fatigue strength is reduced by 8%–50% after anodizing and by 50%–62% after hardanodizing. As the coating thickness is equal to the initial crack length from a fracture mechanical point of view, stress intensities at the crack tips are higher for thicker coatings respectively longer initial crack lengths. Therefore, propagation of fatigue-induced cracks from the coating into the substrate is promoted for a higher coating thickness resulting in premature failure. A significant correlation between the coating thickness and tensile residual stresses induced by both coatings in the subjacent substrate is not found and residual stress influence on the overall fatigue strength is only minor.     

Fatigue crack growth of a railway wheel

Typically, fatigue crack propagation in railway wheels is initiated at some subsurface defect and occurs under mixed mode (I–II) conditions. For a Spanish AVE train wheel, fatigue crack growth characterization of the steel in mode I, mixed mode I–II, and evaluation of crack path starting from an assumed flaw are presented and discussed.Mode I fatigue crack growth rate measurement were performed in compact tension C(T) specimens according to the ASTM E647 standard. Three different load ratios were used, and fatigue crack growth thresholds were determined according to two different procedures. Load shedding and constant maximum stress intensity factor with increasing load ratio R were used for evaluation of fatigue crack growth threshold.To model a crack growth scenario in a railway wheel, mixed mode I–II fatigue crack growth tests were performed using CTS specimens. Fatigue crack growth rates and propagation direction of a crack subjected to mixed mode loading were measured. A finite element analysis was performed in order to obtain the K_I and K_II values for the tested loading angles. The crack propagation direction for the tested mixed mode loading conditions was experimentally measured and numerically calculated, and the obtained results were then compared in order to validate the used numerical techniques.The modelled crack growth, up to final fracture in the wheel, is consistent with the expectation for the type of initial damage considered.     

Relationship between decarburisation and fatigue strength of through hardened and carburising steels

Abstract

The effect of surface decarburisation upon the fatigue strength in rotating bending of a through hardened low alloy steel and a carburised carburising steel was investigated. The relationships between surface carbon content, depth of decarburisation, microhardness, residual stress, surface finish, and fatigue limit were examined. Whereas the fatigue limit was found to be independent of the depth of decarburisation over the range investigated (up to 1 mm), linear relationships were found between fatigue limit and surface carbon concentration and micro hardness. Furthermore, the presence of residual tensile stresses at the surface were found to lead to a reduction of fatigue limit. The fatigue limit of the rough machined specimens was found not to be significantly lower than that of the polished specimens.

MST/1179     

Determination by neutron diffraction of effect of plasticity on crack tip strains in a metal matrix composite

Abstract

Neutron strain scanning has been used to determine residual and applied stresses along the plane of a fatigue crack in a metal matrix composite. The specimens were studied in two conditions: one was as heat treated, and the other was plastically deformed in tension before fatigue cracking. Neutron diffraction was used to measure the three principal strains as a function of position along the crack growth direction, ahead of and in the wake of the crack, and these measurements were used to calculate the stress variation along the crack line. An Eshelby based model was used to separate the individual components of the stress. It was found that the thermal misfit stress between matrix and reinforcement was changed significantly by the plastic deformation and was effectively reduced to near zero in both phases. This changes the crack tip strains in the material, decreasing the strains in the matrix and increasing those in the reinforcement. Possible implications of this for fatigue crack propagation are discussed.     

Effect of submillimeter size holes on the fatigue limit of a high strength tool steel

The very high cycle fatigue and small fatigue crack growth behaviour of a generic tool steel material for diesel fuel injector application are described. The small crack growth tests for the tool steel material with and without the hardening heat treatment revealed the mechanisms of crack propagation and threshold behaviour. Based on the small fatigue crack propagation threshold value, an elastic plastic fracture mechanics methodology for the prediction of the endurance limit of specimens with submillimeter holes is proposed. The advantages of the new methodology are discussed in relation to existing methodologies for endurance limit prediction of specimens with small holes.     

Observations on fatigue crack paths in the corners of cold-formed high-strength steel tubes

Fatigue crack propagation in cold-formed corners of high-strength structural steel plate-type structures has been investigated. Large- and small-scale test specimens having complex residual stress states and subject to multi-axial cyclic local stresses have been investigated using both laboratory tests and numerical simulations. The combinations of alternating bending stress, alternating shear stress and static mean stress producing complex multi-axial stress states have been found to influence the fatigue crack path behaviour. Straight, zig-zag and “S” shaped cracks were observed depending on the material strength, range of cyclic loading, residual stress field and multi-axiality of the local stresses. Numerical simulations of residual stresses and linear elastic fracture mechanics were used to help understand the alternate crack paths. Mode I cracks propagating into a static compressive stress field did not arrest, but, due to the multi-axial stresses, combinations of mixed mode I, II and III crack growth with distinct paths were observed. The crack paths depend on the type and range of cyclic loading, material properties and residual stress conditions of the specimens.