FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH BEHAVIOUR OF FIBRE-METAL LAMINATE GLARE-1 AND METAL LAMINATE 7475 WITH DIFFERENT BLUNT NOTCHES

Abstract— The fatigue crack growth behaviour of the fibre metal laminate "GLARE-1" has been investigated for different blunt notches in Constant Amplitude (CA) tests. In order to investigate the influence of the fibres, the same laminate material but containing no fibres (Laminate 7475) was also tested. The fatigue crack growth properties of GLARE-1 are superior to those of Laminate 7475. GLARE-1 shows lower crack growth velocities at the same K_nom values and in addition the crack growth rates decrease with increasing crack length. The Laminate 7475 shows typical metal behaviour for single crack propagation and accelerating crack growth with increasing crack length. In GLARE-1, multiple crack propagation takes place. The cracks propagate independent of each other and have similar crack growth rates, in part due to closure effects caused by the unbroken fibre layers.
The crack growth rates of specimens having a small root radius are higher in both materials than in specimens with a large notch radius. In GLARE-1, the superiority of a larger notch radius is more pronounced than in the Laminate 7475 and is attributed to a stronger crack closure effect owing to fibre bridging. The reason for the higher bridging capability in specimens containing larger notches is that less fibres are broken or damaged in the notch vicinity.     

CRACK INITIATION AND SMALL FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH BEHAVIOUR OF SQUEEZE-CAST Al-Si ALUMINIUM ALLOYS

Abstract— Fatigue strength, crack initiation and small crack growth behaviour in two kinds of squeeze-cast aluminium alloys, AC8A-T6 and AC4C-T6 were investigated using smooth specimens subjected to rotatary-bending fatigue at room temperature. Fatigue resistance of these alloys was almost the same as that of the wrought aluminium alloys because of their fine microstructure and of the decrease in defect size due to squeeze-casting. Fatigue crack initiation sites were at the eutectic silicon particles on the surface of specimens or at internal microporosity in the specimens. Crack initiation life, defined as a crack length of 50 μm on the specimen surface, was successfully estimated from an evaluation of initiation sites using fracture mechanics and the statistics of extrema. Small fatigue crack growth in the two kinds of alloys obeys the relation proposed by Nisitani et al. , namely that d(2c)/d N = C (σ_a/σ_B)ⁿ· (2 c ), where C is a constant and σ_B is the ultimate tensile strength. It is pointed out that an improvement in fatigue strength of cast aluminium alloys can be expected by refining the eutectic silicon rather than by an increase in static strength.     

CRACK CLOSURE: A CONCEPT OF FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH UNDER EXAMINATION

Abstract— In recent literature it is asserted that the concept of crack closure in fatigue fracture mechanics is not capable of explaining fatigue crack growth behaviour. The reasons given are that both asperity induced crack closure and plasticity induced crack closure should be either negligible or non-existent. We have re-considered these hypotheses since their correctness would completely change the established picture of fatigue crack growth. In order to get mathematically tractable systems the present studies are confined to long cracks loaded in mode I. The results suggest that in case of asperity induced crack closure the proposed hypothesis is only true in special cases and the demonstration of the non-existence of plasticity induced crack closure is proved to be wrong.     

CYCLIC FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH AND CLOSURE BEHAVIOUR IN ALUMINA CERAMICS

Cyclic fatigue crack growth behaviour in alumina ceramics is investigated and the effect of grain size discussed. Special attention is given to crack closure effects. Cyclic fatigue tests were carried out using four-point bend specimens, and the load–strain and load–differential strain curves were monitored. These curves show hysteretic behaviour probably related to frictional sliding of bridging grains, and also include non-linearities due to crack closure. The crack opening load is determined from the load–differential strain curve by using a method introduced in this study. Growth rates can be successfully described by the relationship da/dN = C[ΔK_{eff /(1 ? Kmax /KIC )]m} which is proposed in this study to account for the effects of crack closure and the maximum stress intensity factor. Irrespective of grain size, growth rates can be well represented by the above relationship, implying that the grain size exerts an influence on growth rates not only because of crack closure behaviour but also the material fracture toughness. The growth rate curve based on the proposed relationship shows a sigmoidal form for ceramic materials, which is similar to metals.     

ON THE IMPACT FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH BEHAVIOUR OF METALLIC MATERIALS

The impact fatigue crack growth characteristics of a low carbon steel and an aluminium alloy were studied. An impact fatigue testing machine of the Hopkinson bar type was used in these experiments to conduct a series of crack growth tests under simple impact stresses. The following characteristics of impact fatigue crack growth behaviour were revealed: (1) crack growth rate is higher in impact fatigue than in non-impact fatigue; (2) crack opening ratio in impact fatigue takes a higher value than in non-impact fatigue; (3) crack tip plastic zone size is smaller in impact fatigue than in non-impact fatigue.     

THE EFFECT OF REGULAR AND IRREGULAR SHEAR LIPS ON FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH IN Al 2024

Abstract— Multiple underloads and overloads with constant Δ K were carried out on centre-cracked tension specimens. It was found that when shear lips develop, underloads or overloads affect the crack growth rate d a /d N and the subsequent retardation. The appearance of the shear lip fracture surfaces depends on the frequency. At higher frequencies a greater number of rough shear lip fracture surfaces will develop, while at lower frequencies there is a tendency towards smooth shear lips. The amount of crack closure differs in each case. It was found that the type of shear lip, rough or smooth, can be related to the effect on d a /d N during and after underloads. The effect of rough and smooth shear lip growth was investigated in constant Δ K tests, performing these tests with and without crack closure.     

COMPRESSION FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH BEHAVIOUR OF AN ALUMINIUM ALLOY: EFFECT OF OVERLOADING

Abstract— The behaviour of fatigue cracks in an Al-alloy under cyclic compression, either with or without overloads, was studied. For constant-amplitude compressive cycling, a non-catastrophic (saturation) character of the fatigue crack behaviour was confirmed, with the final depth of a crack depending on the applied load level. Single (tensile or compressive) intermittent overloads were shown to re-activate a previously arrested crack while reversed (tensile—compressive or compressive—tensile) ones were also shown to maintain continual fatigue crack extension under otherwise fully compressive cycling.     

THE INFLUENCE OF COMPRESSIVE LOADS ON FATIGUE CRACK PROPAGATION IN METALS

An experimental study on Al alloy 7475-T7351 was conducted to determine the influence of compressive loads on fatigue crack propagation. The investigation was based on the determination of the crack propagation stress intensity factor, K_PR , under three different basic loading sequences involving compressive loads. The data of the entire experimental program collapse onto a single 'master curve' which describes K_PR as a function of K_max and the unloading ratio UR. Load interaction effects are mainly due to the changes of the residual compressive stress state in front of the crack tip, while crack closure plays a minor part. The results give an improved understanding of fatigue crack propagation.     

ARTIFICIAL RETARDATION OF FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH BY THE INFILTRATION OF CRACKS BY FOREIGN MATERIALS

The effects of inducing artificial crack closure into fatigue cracks in AISI 304 stainless steel by infiltrating foreign materials have been investigated. The foreign materials used include pure epoxy resin and resin mixed with 0.3  μm and 4  μm TiO2 , 4  μm Fe, as well as 18  μm AISI 316L stainless steel. In all the cases studied, different degrees of crack growth retardation have been achieved. When the particle size was small enough or when the prop-opening load for infiltration was large enough, crack arrest occurred. Crack retardation and arrest were mainly caused by the infiltrated material rather than the propping load. A rigid-wedge model was found to have limited value in predicting the possible outcome of an infiltration. On the other hand, the degree of crack closure immediately on resumption of a test after infiltration could tell whether the treatment was going to be successful or not.     

THE INFLUENCE OF AGEING AT INTERMEDIATE TEMPERATURES ON THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOUR OF A DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL: Part II. FATIGUE LIFE AND FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH

Abstract— The mechanical behaviour of AISI 329 steel has been investigated for ageing times up to 20,000 h at temperatures of 475, 425, 375, 325 and 275°C. The study has concentrated on the changes in the response to cyclic strains, in the low-and the high-cycle fatigue regimes, and in the resistance to fatigue crack propagation as a function of temperature and time of ageing.
It is shown that ageing increases the fatigue resistance in the high-cycle fatigue regime, but the opposite occurs in the low-cycle fatigue regime. Ageing increases the LEFM threshold stress intensity factor range for fatigue crack propagation which reaches high values in these alloys, and is influenced by the fatigue load ratio. Crack closure contributes to the LEFM threshold stress intensity factor range for crack propagation only in the annealed condition of the AISI 329 steel.     

DETERMINATION OF THE MOST APPROPRIATE MESH SIZE FOR A 2-D FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF FATIGUE CRACK CLOSURE BEHAVIOUR

Abstract— A two-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analysis is performed for plane stress conditions with 4-node isoparametric elements to examine closure behaviour of fatigue cracks, giving special attention to the determination of the most appropriate mesh sizes. It is found that a smaller mesh size does not always give more accurate simulation results in the fatigue crack closure analysis, unlike a conventional structural analysis. A unique, most-appropriate mesh size exists for a given loading condition that will provide numerical results which agree well with experimental data. The most appropriate mesh size can be determined approximately in terms of the theoretical reversed plastic zone size. In particular, the ratio of the most appropriate mesh size to the theoretical reversed plastic zone size is nearly constant for a given stress ratio in the so-called crack-length-fixed method proposed in this study. By using the concept of the most appropriate mesh size, the finite element analysis can predict fatigue crack closure behaviour very well.     

THE MECHANISM OF STAGE II FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH

This paper describes the early work directed to understanding fatigue crack growth behaviour and the seminal role played by Regis Pelloux, at both the Boeing Aircraft Co and MIT, and other researchers in various parts of the world. From this beginning, fatigue life assessment procedures for engineering components and structures developed and still continues.     

轴承钢疲劳裂纹扩展速率的研究

研究了轴承钢碳化物及晶粒细化对轴承钢疲劳寿命的影响。结果表明;细化轴承钢中的碳化物可以使其疲劳裂纹扩展速率下降,而同时细化轴承钢中的碳化物和晶粒,会使其疲劳裂纹扩展速率下降更明显。     

A NEW MULTIPARAMETER APPROACH TO THE PREDICTION OF FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH

A new multiparameter approach is proposed for the prediction of the combined effects of multiple variables on fatigue crack growth. The method, which is based on multiple linear regression analysis, involves the statistical formulation of mathematical expressions for the crack growth rate, da/dN, as a function of multiple variables, e.g. stress intensity factor range, ΔK, crack closure stress intensity factor, K_cl , and stress ratio, R. A general empirical approach is proposed for the estimation of the fatigue crack growth rate as a function of the above variables. The predictive capability of the empirical approach is then verified by comparing predicted and measured fatigue crack growth and crack growth rate data obtained from tests on a quenched and tempered Q1N (HY80) pressure vessel steel. Error ranges and reliability functions are presented within a probabilistic mechanics framework, and the implications of the results are discussed for the development of generalized fatigue life prediction methods.     

WEIGHT FUNCTIONS APPLIED TO FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH ANALYSIS

Abstract— An overview is presented of studies conducted at the University of Pisa on the Weight Function technique as applied to Fatigue Crack Grown analysis. The fundamental theoretical aspects of the technique are summarised, discussing some recent methods for the determination of the Weight Function. The application of the technique to non-linear (contact) problems and to the evaluation of the crack tip stress field is also discussed. It is shown that the Weight Function method allows one to efficiently consider many crack propagation problems, some examples of which are provided.     

CRACK GROWTH BEHAVIOUR OF FATIGUE MICROCRACKS IN LOW CARBON STEELS

The behaviour of low carbon steels has been studied, in particular the initiation and growth of the major crack which led to final fracture of smooth specimens, via surface replica and photomicrograph techniques. From this study, the fracture process and fatigue life prediction characterized by the growth of surface microcracks have been analysed by a new approach unifying the conventional approaches based on the final fracture of materials with the fracture mechanics approach. Knowledge of fracture parameters is critical for non-destructive inspection during service life and the application of fracture mechanics to life prediction and assessment.     

A THEORETICAL MODEL FOR PREDICTING FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH RATES IN FIBRE-REINFORCED METAL LAMINATES

This paper is concerned with the development and application of an analytical model for predicting fatigue crack growth in fibre-reinforced metal laminates (FRMLs). An analytical model for the distribution of bridging traction is first introduced. Based upon observations of the delamination shapes in FRMLs under fatigue loading and a model for characterizing delamination growth in FRMLs, a model for predicting crack growth rates in CCT specimens of FRMLs is developed. The model is applied to two GLARE laminates (2/1, 3/2 lay-ups) under various cyclic stress levels and stress ratios. The predicted crack growth rates are compared with experimental data. The predicted crack growth rates agree well with the experimental results.