Fatigue fracture toughness and crack propagation rate

Fatigue crack growth rate, da/dN, of two high strength steels were examined in a laboratory air at different stress ratios, covering almost the entire range of stress intensity, K, from nearly threshold value, Kth, to final fracture. The fatigue fracture toughness, Kfc, corresponding to the final fracture in fatigue, was also determined. The lower the Kfc, the higher da/dN and reduced Kth are revealed.This correlation was analyzed quantitatively based on the four parameter Weibull function. And the stress ratio dependency of the fatigue crack propagation curve can be cleared in a successful manner.The fatigue characteristic stress intensities, Ke and Kv, are proposed to define the transition behaviour in fatigue crack growth curve, from so called region 1 to 2, and from region 2 to 3, respectively. Especially the Kv valua can be specified to be the 0.63Kfc.

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Résumé On a étudié la vitesse de propagation de fissure en fatigue da/dN de deux aciers à haute résistance dans un atmosphère de laboratoire sous des sollicitations couvrant toute la gamme des intensités de contraintes variables K, depuis une valeur voisine de la valeur du seuil Kth jusqu'à celle correspondant à rupture finale.La ténacité à la rupture par fatigue Kfe correspondant à la rupture finale par fatigue a été également déterminée. II s'avère que plus Kfe est faible, plus élevée est da/dN et plus Kth est réduite. Cette correlation est analysée quantitativement en se basant sur la fonction de Weibull à quatre paramètres. On peut ainsi clarifier la manière dont le rapport de contraintes influe les courbes de propagation des fissures de fatigue.On propose de définir pas les facteurs caractéristiques d'intensité de contrainte Ke et Kv les comportements de transition de la courbe de vitesse de propagation de la fissure entre respectivement les régions dénommées 1 et 2, et 2 et 3.En particulier, on peut spécifier que la valeur Kv vaut 0,63 Kfe.

     

Influence of dynamic fracture toughness on dynamic crack propagation

A dynamic finite element code was used in its “propagation mode” to assess the differences in dynamic crack propagation in a wedge-loaded (WL) single-edged notch (SEN) specimen, a tapered double cantilever beam (TDCB) specimen and a rectangular double cantilever beam (RDCB) specimen. The dynamic fracture toughness, K_ID, vs the crack velocity, a, relations determined experimentally for WL-SEN, WL-TDCB and WL-RDCB specimens machined from Araldite B were used as dynamic fracture criteria and the resultant k_id variations with crack propagations in the three specimens were compared with the corresponding experimental results. While the specific K_ID vs /.a relations established for each specimen obviously yielded calculated k_ID which were in best agreement with the experimental K_ID for the respective specimen, the K_ID vs /.a relation for the large WL-SEN specimen provided the best overall fit between the calculated and measured K_ID variations with crack propagation in all three specimens.     

On the mechanism of fatigue crack propagation in ductile metallic materials

An overview of our research performed during the last 15 years is presented to improve the understanding of fatigue crack propagation mechanisms. The focus is devoted to ductile metals and the material separation process at low and intermedial crack propagation rates. The effect of environment, short cracks, small‐scale yielding as well as large‐scale yielding are considered. It will be shown that the dominant intrinsic propagation mechanism in ductile metallic materials is the formation of new surface due to blunting and the re‐sharpening during unloading. This process is affected by the environment, however, not by the length of the crack and it is independent of large‐ or small‐scale yielding.     

The influence of stress intensity and microstructure on fatigue crack propagation in ferritic materials

New and published fatigue crack growth data for a wide range of steels have been categorized in terms of different growth mechanisms, namely striation formation, microcleavage, void coalescence and intergranular separation. General principles emerged concerning the influence of mean stress, specimen thickness, flow stress and toughness on rates of fatigue crack propagation through their effect on growth mechanism.

Crack propagation rates associated with striation formation were insensitive to changes in mean stress (except at very low stress intensities) and specimen thickness. Increase in flow stress resulted in a small decrease in growth rate, although the path of a crack through complex structures like welds was, nevertheless, strongly influenced by plastic relaxation. Crack propagation rates increased when deformation led to net-section yielding (general yielding) and the increase was related to specimen thickness and geometry. It has been shown that simple relationships between the rate of propagation and alternating stress intensity are adequate for describing fatigue crack growth by the striation mechanism.

Departures from exclusively striation formation to include micro-cleavage, void coalescence or intergranular separation were found to result in accelerated growth rates. Where growth occurred by combined striation formation and microcleavage, the increase in fatigue crack growth rate was dependent on the maximum tensile stress and hence on the mean stress and specimen thickness. Similarly, when fatigue involved the void coalescence mechanism the rate was increased by raising the mean stress. The role of microstructure and fracture toughness in promoting the different growth mechanisms is discussed. Modification of the simple growth law is necessary in order to describe the observed results.     

On the influence of rubbing fracture surfaces on fatigue crack propagation in mode III

Fatigue crack growth has been studied under fully reversed torsional loading (R = ?1) using AISI 4340 steel, quenched and tempered at 200°, 400° and 650°C. Only at high stress intensity ranges and short crack lengths are all specimens characterized by a microscopically flat Mode III (anti-plane shear) fracture surface. At lower stress intensities and larger crack lengths, fracture surfaces show a local hill-and-valley morphology with Mode I, 45° branch cracks. Since such surfaces are in sliding contact, friction, abrasion and mutual support of parts of the surface can occur readily during Mode III crack advance. Without significant axial loads superimposed on the torsional loading to minimize this interference, Mode III crack growth rates cannot be uniquely characterized by driving force parameters, such as ΔK_III and ΔCTD_III, computed from applied loads and crack length values. However, for short crack lengths (?0.4 mm), where such crack surface interference is minimal in this steel, it is found that the crack growth rate per cycle in Mode III is only a factor of four smaller than equivalent behaviour in Mode I, for the 650°C temper at $\text{ΔK}{}_{\mathrm{III}}\text{= 45 MPa m}\text{1}\text{2}$.     

The influence of microstructure on fatigue crack propagation in polyoxymethylene

An analysis of the influence of crystalline microstructure on fatigue crack propagation in poly-oxymethylene is presented. A series of test specimens containing a variety of diverse micro-structures was prepared through controlled thermal treatments of plaques from four different lots of polyoxymethylene. Extensive characterization of the crystalline microstructure was carried out in order to permit a direct comparison between the fatigue behaviour and crystalline microstructure. The degree of crystallinity and tie molecule density were both found to have a significant affect on fatigue crack propagation rate while average spherulite size did not appear to influence fatigue behaviour. Additionally, the fatigue fracture surfaces of many of the test specimens were examined. Three distinct surface topographies were observed and found to correlate with different stages of crack growth. In the region near the end of fatigue crack propagation, closely spaced surface markings that resemble fatigue striations were observed.     

Fracture toughness and crack morphology in indentation fracture of brittle materials

The relationship between the indentation fracture toughness, K _c, and the fractal dimension of the crack, D, has been examined on the indentation-fractured specimens of SiC and AIN ceramics, a soda-lime glass and a WC-8%Co hard metal. A theoretical analysis of the crack morphology based on a fractal geometry model was then made to correlate the fractal dimension of the crack, D, with the fracture toughness, K _IC, in brittle materials. The fractal dimension of the indentation crack, D, was found to be in the range 1.024–1.145 in brittle materials in this study. The indentation fracture toughness, K _c, increased with increasing fractal dimension, D, of the crack in these materials. According to the present analysis, the fracture toughness, K _IC, can be expressed as the following function of the fractal dimension of the crack, D, such that $$In K_{IC} = {1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 2}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 2}\{ In[2\Gamma E/(1 - \nu ^2 )] - (D - 1)In r_L \}$$ Where Γ is the work done in creating a unit crack surface, E is Young's modulus, v is Poisson's ratio, and r _L is r _min/r _max, the ratio of the lower limit, r _min, to the upper limit, r _max, of the scale length, r, between which the crack exhibits a fractal nature (r _min ?r?r _max). The experimental data (except for WC-8%Co hard metal) obtained in this study and by other investigators have been fitted to the above equation. The factors which affect the prediction of the value of K _IC from the above equation have been discussed.     

Using crack propagation fracture toughness to characterize the durability of wood and wood composites

We measured fracture resistance curves (or R curves) for laminated veneer lumber (LVL) made with Douglas-fir veneer and polyvinyl acetate resin and for solid wood Douglas-fir. The LVL and solid wood R curves were the same for initiation of fracture, but the LVL toughness rose much higher than solid wood. Because a rising R curve is caused by fiber bridging effects, these differences show that the LVL resin has a large effect on the fiber bridging process. We exploited this resin effect to develop a test method for characterizing the ability of a resin to provide wood composites that are durable to moisture exposure. The test method exposed LVL specimens to vacuum pressure soaking and drying (VPSD) cycles and then monitored the rising portion of the LVL R curves as a function of treatment cycles. Douglas-fir/polyvinyl acetate LVL lost about 30% of its toughness after 16 cycles. In characterizing toughness changes, it was important to focus on the magnitude and rate of the toughness increase attributed to fiber bridging. We suggest that these properties are much preferred over other fracture or mechanical properties of wood that might be used when characterizing durability.     

Influence of microstructure on fracture toughness distribution in ceramic-metal functionally graded materials

This paper deals with the influence of microstructure on fracture toughness distribution in functionally graded materials (FGMs) consisting of partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) and austenitic stainless steel SUS 304. FGMs and non-graded composites (non-FGMs) with fine and coarse microstructures are fabricated by powder metallurgy using PSZ and two kinds of SUS 304 powders. The fracture toughness is determined by conventional tests for several non-FGMs with each material composition and by a method utilizing stable crack growth in FGMs. The obtained results on the fracture toughness are as follows: (1) The fracture toughness increases with an increase in a content of SUS 304 on both FGMs and non-FGMs. (2) On the fracture toughness of the non-FGMs, the influence of microstructure is negligible. (3) On the FGMs, the fracture toughness is higher in the FGM with fine microstructure than in the FGM with coarse microstructure. (4) The fracture toughness of the FGMs is higher than that of the non-FGMs especially in the case of fine microstructure. Finally, the residual stress in the FGMs created in a fabrication process is estimated from the difference in fracture toughness between the FGMs and non-FGMs.     

On the use of short-rod/bar test specimens to determine the fracture toughness of metallic materials

The compliance calibration of a set of short-bar fracture toughness test specimens has been studied using analytical and experimental techniques. The stress intensity coefficients obtained from experimental compliance analyses were used for the assessment of fracture toughness,K _ICSB, from short-bar fracture toughness tests. Very good correlation was observed between theK _ICSB andK _IC values of a series of high chromium cast irons.K _ICSB values also correlated well withK _Q(j) values of a high strength cast aluminium alloy.

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Résumé On a étudié l'étalonnage par compliance d'une série d'éprouvettes d'essai de ténacité à la rupture en forme barreaux courts en recourant à des techniques analytique et expérimentale.Les facteurs d'intensité de contrainte dérivés des analyses expérimentales de compliance ont été utilisés pour établir la ténacité à la rupture dans le cas d'essais sur barreaux courtsK _ICSB.On a relevé une excellente corrélation entre les valeurs deK _ICSB etK _IC pour une famille de fontes á haute teneur en chrome. Les valeurs deK _ICSB ont également été trouvées en bonne corrélation avec les valeurs deK _Q(J) relatives à un alliage d'aluminium à haute résistance moulé.

     

Application of the small punch test to determine the fracture toughness of metallic materials

A new methodology to determine the elasto‐plastic fracture toughness, J_Ic, by means of notched small punch tests (SPT) samples is reported. Standard SPT samples were used after being longitudinally notched machined from the centre of one side of the sample to the centre of the opposite side, producing a notch depth‐to‐thickness ratio a/t= 0.4. The onset of crack initiation was experimentally determined directly from the experimental load‐displacement plot of the test and also with the aid of scanning electron microscope observations performed on different samples, with tests being interrupted at different percentages of the maximum registered load. The test was also modelled using finite element analysis and the J‐integral was evaluated as a contour integral in ABAQUS. The obtained results were compared with the critical J values of the steel determined using standard tests (J–R curves) and the differences found were duly justified.     

The fractal effect of irregularity of crack branching on the fracture toughness of brittle materials

Microstructural observations of brittle materials indicated that a variety of microdefect events can be responsible not only for inelastic behaviour, but also for macroscopic crack front irregularity. This irregularity produces an increase in the fracture toughness of the material. In this paper, this irregularity is analysed by fractal geometry in a very simple manner; a fractal model of crack branching is established. Both microscopic and macroscopic analytical results show that the toughness can be raised appreciably as a fractal geometric effect of the irregularity.

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Résumé Des observations microscopiques sur des matériaux fragiles ont montré qu'une variété d'évènements à l'échelle du microdéfaut peuvent être responsables non seulement du comportement inélastique, mais aussi de l'irrégularité du front d'une fissure macroscopique. Cette irrégularité provoque un accroissement de la ténacité à la rupture du matériau. Dans cette étude, on analyse de manière très simple cette irrégularité par fractogéométrie (Mandelbrot) et on établit un modèle fractal relatif à une fissure qui se ramifie. Les résultats de l'analyse microscopique et macroscopique montrent qu'un effet fractogéométrique de l'irrégularité du front de fissure est d'accroitre de manière appréciable la ténacité.

     

The temperature wave method of determining fracture toughness values due to crack propagation

A method is presented of determining fracture toughness by measurement of the amount of heat emitted at the tip of a propagating crack. Two thermojunctions placed adjacent to the crack were used to monitor the temperature wave produced at fracture. An electromagnetic fluxmeter was used to integrate the thermojunction output with respect to time and was calibrated to give a direct reading in terms of strain energy release rate G. The temperature wave method is independent of initial crack length and fracture surface area and can be readily used for specimens having complex sections. Values obtained by this method compare favourably with toughness values determined by a linear elastic fracture mechanics analysis. Results of static and dynamic three-point bending tests on specimens at different temperatures within the range ?40 to 60° C are reported.