LIFE PREDICTION BY SIMULATION OF CRACK GROWTH IN NOTCHED COMPONENTS WITH DIFFERENT MICROSTRUCTURES AND UNDER MULTIAXIAL FATIGUE

A modelling procedure was developed which is applicable to crack growth in notched components subjected to multiaxial fatigue for materials with different microstructures. An algorithm for crack growth, in a microstructure that was modelled as hexagons, was established as a competition between growth by crack linkages during the crack initiation and propagation stages and the propagation of a dominant crack as a single crack. Analytical results simulated by using the developed model were compared with experimental results from fatigue tests which had been conducted using notched specimens of pure copper, carbon steel and two kinds of titanium alloy. Cracking morphology, which was experimentally observed to depend on the microstructure and the loading mode, was well simulated using the present model. The fatigue failure life of a notched specimen was statistically estimated by a Monte Carlo procedure based on the model. The simulated life with a statistical scatter-band almost coincided with the experimental data.     

Fatigue life estimation of ultrasonic spot welded Mg alloy joints

Lightweight magnesium alloys are increasingly used in automotive and other transportation industries for weight reduction and fuel efficiency improvement. The structural application of magnesium components requires proper welding and fatigue resistance to guarantee their durability and safety. The objective of this investigation was to identify failure mode and estimate fatigue life of ultrasonic spot welded (USWed) lap joints of an AZ31B-H24 magnesium alloy. It was observed that the solid-state USWed joints exhibited a superior fatigue life compared with other welding processes. Fatigue failure mode changed from interfacial failure to transverse-through-thickness crack growth with decreasing cyclic load level, depending on the welding energy. Fatigue crack initiation and propagation occurred from both the notch tip inside the faying surface and the edge of sonotrode indentation-footprints due to the presence of stress concentration. A life prediction model for the spot welded lap joints developed by Newman and Dowling was adopted to estimate the fatigue lives of the USWed magnesium alloy joints. The fatigue life estimation, based on the fatigue crack growth model with the global and local stress intensity factors as a function of kink length and the experimentally determined kink angle, agreed fairly well with the obtained experimental results.     

Investigation of small fatigue crack initiation and growth behaviour of nickel base superalloy GH4169

Surface replication method was utilized to monitor the small fatigue crack initiation and growth process of single‐edge‐notch tension specimens fabricated by nickel base superalloy GH4169. Three different stress levels were selected. Results showed that small fatigue cracks of nickel base superalloy GH4169 initiated from grain boundaries or surface inclusions. The small fatigue crack initiation and growth stages took up about 80–90% of the total fatigue life. Multiple major cracks were observed in the notch root, and specimen with more major cracks seemed to have smaller fatigue life under the same test conditions. At the early growth stage, small crack behaviour might be strongly influenced by microstructures; thus, the crack growth rates had high fluctuations. However, the stress level effect on the small fatigue crack growth rates was not distinguishable for the three different stress levels. And no clear differences were found among the crack initiation lives by using replication technique.     

Microstructure and fatigue properties of Mg-to-steel dissimilar resistance spot welds

The structural application of lightweight magnesium alloys in the automotive industry inevitably involves dissimilar welding with steels and the related durability issues. This study was aimed at evaluating the microstructural change and fatigue resistance of Mg/steel resistance spot welds, in comparison with Mg/Mg welds. The microstructure of Mg/Mg spot welds can be divided into: base metal, heat affected zone and fusion zone (nugget). However, the microstructure of Mg/steel dissimilar spot welds had three different regions along the joined interface: weld brazing, solid-state joining and soldering. The horizontal and vertical Mg hardness profiles of Mg/steel and Mg/Mg welds were similar. Both Mg/steel and Mg/Mg welds were observed to have an equivalent fatigue resistance due to similar crack propagation characteristics and failure mode. Both Mg/steel and Mg/Mg welds failed through thickness in the magnesium sheet under stress-controlled cyclic loading, but fatigue crack initiation of the two types of welds was different. The crack initiation of Mg/Mg welds was occurred due to a combined effect of stress concentration, grain growth in the heat affected zone (HAZ), and the presence of Al-rich phases at HAZ grain boundaries, while the penetration of small amounts of Zn coating into the Mg base metal stemming from the liquid metal induced embrittlement led to crack initiation in the Mg/steel welds.     

颗粒和微观结构对Cu/WCp复合材料疲劳裂纹萌生和扩展行为的影响

通过原位扫描电子显微镜(SEM)研究了粉末冶金制备的Cu/WCp复合材料的疲劳裂纹萌生和扩展行为,分析了颗粒和微观结构对Cu/WCp复合材料疲劳裂纹萌生和早期扩展行为的影响。结果表明:疲劳微裂纹萌生于WCp颗粒和基体Cu的界面;微裂纹之间相互连接并形成主裂纹,当主裂纹和颗粒相遇时裂纹沿着颗粒界面扩展。在低应力强度因子幅ΔK区域疲劳小裂纹具有明显的"异常现象",并占据了全寿命的71%左右。疲劳小裂纹的早期扩展阶段易受局部微观结构和颗粒WCp的影响,扩展速率波动性较大,随机性较强;当小裂纹长度超过150μm时,裂纹扩展加快直至试样快速断裂。裂纹偏折、分叉和塑性尾迹降低了疲劳裂纹扩展速率,而颗粒界面脱粘则提高了复合材料的疲劳裂纹扩展速率。通过数值模拟也可以发现颗粒脱粘增大了材料的疲劳扩展驱动力,从而提高了疲劳裂纹扩展速率。     

Role of different material processing methods on the fatigue behavior of an AZ31 magnesium alloy

The influence of extrusion, plate rolling, and sheet rolling on the fatigue life of an AZ31 magnesium alloy is investigated with a microstructure-sensitive fatigue model that comprises both crack incubation and growth stages. The model describes the effect of primary processing on the microstructure by incorporating specific mechanical properties and microstructural attributes such as grain and inclusion sizes. As such, the fatigue model successfully captured the experimentally observed differences in fatigue lifetimes of the Mg alloy due to the induced in-plane constraint effects resulting from different material processing methods. Quantitative prediction of cumulative damage due to cyclic loading and its comparison with experimental data is described in detail.     

Estimating fatigue sensitivity to polycrystalline Ni-base superalloy microstructures using a computational approach

A computational study is conducted to determine the influence of microstructure attributes and properties on driving forces for fatigue crack formation and microstructurally small crack growth in a polycrystalline Ni‐base superalloy, IN100, a turbine disk alloy. A principal objective is to obtain quantitative estimates of the effect of variability of microstructure features on scatter in fatigue life or fatigue strength for a given life. Understanding is sought regarding sensitivity of driving forces to various microstructure attributes that may guide selection of the process route to tailor microstructure to achieve fatigue resistance. A microstructure‐sensitive crystal plasticity model is used to explicitly model individual grains and polycrystals, which is then used to explore effects of: (a) grain size distribution and (b) secondary and tertiary coherent γ′ precipitate size distributions and volume fractions on the cyclic inelastic strain distribution. Multiple statistical volume elements (SVEs) are subjected to random periodic boundary conditions to build up statistically significant measures of distributions of cyclic microplasticity. Multiaxial fatigue criteria with critical plane approaches are used to estimate the crack initiation life. Methods are developed for assessing crack formation and microstructurally small crack growth as a function of microstructure attributes.     

Strain-based approach to fatigue crack initiation and propagation in welded steel joints with arbitrary notch shape

In this paper, a novel strain-based approach for the fatigue strength modelling of welded steel joints is introduced. The actual weld notch geometry and the variation in the microstructure characteristics of the material are considered, and thus, the approach enables the fatigue crack growth simulation from the crack initiation to the critical crack length before the final fracture. The predicted fatigue strength is in line with the experimental results. By considering the crack tip plasticity and stress triaxiality, the approach is able to describe the different crack growth periods of the fatigue life: the short crack, long crack, and tearing-related long crack growth periods. For a welded joint with a smooth notch shape, the short crack growth period is observed to be dominant and to have a significant influence on fatigue life.     

Fatigue behaviour of cast magnesium alloy AZ91 microstructurally modified by friction stir processing

Friction stir processing (FSP) was applied to cast magnesium alloy AZ91-F to modify the as-cast microstructure, and the effect of FSP on fatigue behaviour was discussed based on microstructural consideration, crack initiation, crack growth behaviour, and fracture surface analysis. Fully reversed axial fatigue tests have been performed using as-cast, T5-aged and their FSPed specimens (as-cast/FSP and T5/FSP). It was found that both FSPed specimens exhibited significantly higher fatigue strength than the as-cast and T5-aged specimens. FSP resulted in the break-up of coarse as-cast microstructure, grain refinement of the matrix, finely dispersed precipitates and increase of hardness, thereby both the crack initiation resistance and the crack growth resistance were considerably enhanced compared with the as-cast and T5-aged specimens, resulting in the improved fatigue strengths of the FSPed specimens.     

SMALL CRACK GROWTH AND FATIGUE LIFE PREDICTIONS FOR HIGH-STRENGTH ALUMINIUM ALLOYS: PART I—EXPERIMENTAL AND FRACTURE MECHANICS ANALYSIS

The small crack effect was investigated in two high-strength aluminium alloys: 7075-T6 bare and LC9cs clad alloy. Both experimental and analytical investigations were conducted to study crack initiation and growth of small cracks. In the experimental program, fatigue tests, small crack and large crack tests were conducted under constant amplitude and Mini-TWIST spectrum loading conditions. A pronounced small crack effect was observed in both materials, especially for the negative stress ratios. For all loading conditions, most of the fatigue life of the SENT specimens was shown to be crack propagation from initial material defects or from the cladding layer. In the analysis program, three-dimensional finite element and weight function methods were used to determine stress intensity factors and to develop SIF equations for surface and corner cracks at the notch in the SENT specimens. A plasticity-induced crack-closure model was used to correlate small and large crack data, and to make fatigue life predictions. Predicted crack-growth rates and fatigue lives agreed well with experiments. A total fatigue life prediction method for the aluminium alloys was developed and demonstrated using the crack-closure model.     

室温大气环境下峰时效态3J21合金疲劳行为

在MTS万能实验机上对室温大气环境下峰时效态3J21合金的疲劳行为进行研究,并采用扫描电镜(SEM)对宏观断口及微观断口进行分析。结果表明,峰时效态3J21合金的疲劳裂纹主要呈穿晶扩展,沿晶扩展的所占比例较小,疲劳裂纹萌生寿命较低,扩展路径比较平直,扩展速率较大,裂纹扩展抗力较小,疲劳寿命较低;峰时效态3J21合金疲劳断口由疲劳源、疲劳裂纹扩展区和瞬断区组成。在低速扩展区,峰时效态断口呈现冰糖状花样,在中速扩展区未看到长的疲劳条纹,仅发现个别细且短小的疲劳条纹,瞬断区可观察到二次裂纹、准解理和韧窝。     

Estimating the statistical properties of crack growth for small cracks

A series of statistical studies were conducted on two sets of fatigue crack growth data which were generated under variable amplitude loading from cracks that initiated in 7475-T7351 Aluminum down in the bore of typical aircraft quality prepared holes. The study considered fatigue crack growth (life) behavior and fatigue crack growth rate behavior. Generally, the study showed that small crack growth behavior was similar to that observed for larger cracks and that a stress intensity factor parameter could be used to describe the mean trend of the fatigue crack growth rate behavior via a power law relationship.     

Effects of humidity and temperature on the fatigue behaviour of an extruded AZ61 magnesium alloy

Load‐controlled fatigue tests were performed at 20 and 50 °C using two relative humidity levels of 55 and 80% to characterize the influence of humidity and temperature on the fatigue behaviour of an extruded AZ61 magnesium alloy. Fatigue tests were also conducted at 150 °C. No significant variation in fatigue properties was noticed with respect to temperature over the range from 20 to 50 °C for both the humidity levels. Fatigue limits in the range 140–150 MPa were observed for relative humidity of 55%. Fatigue strength decreased significantly with increase in temperature to 150 °C. Further, a significant reduction in fatigue strength with a fatigue limit of ～110 MPa was observed with increase in relative humidity to 80% at 20 and 50 °C. The crack initiation and propagation remained transgranular under all test conditions. The fatigue fracture at low stress amplitudes and high relative humidity of 80% results from the formation of corrosion pits at the surface and their growth to a critical size for fatigue‐crack initiation and propagation. The observed reduction in fatigue strength at high humidity is ascribed to the effects associated with fatigue–environment interaction.     

STATISTICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE BEHAVIOUR OF SMALL CRACKS AND FATIGUE LIFE IN CARBON STEELS WITH DIFFERENT FERRITE GRAIN SIZES

Abstract— In order to study the relation between the scatter characteristics of small crack growth behaviour and fatigue life, rotatory bending fatigue tests of smooth specimens were carried out using 0.21% carbon steels of different ferrite grain sizes. Fifteen to eighteen specimens were fatigued at each stress amplitude, and the initiation and propagation behaviour of the cracks which led to the final fractures were examined for all the specimens. The physical basis of scatter in fatigue life was investigated, based on the successive observation of fatigue damage on the surface using the plastic replica technique, followed by an analysis of the data assuming a Weibull distribution. A statistical investigation of the physical basis of scatter in relation to the ferrite grain size was performed, i.e. the distributions for crack initiation life, crack propagation life, fatigue life and growth rate of small cracks. Finally, the fluctuation of crack growth rate was studied in relation to the application of a crack growth law for microstructurally small cracks.     

Small fatigue crack initiation and growth behavior of high-strength low alloy steel in various environments

Fatigue tests under rotating bending and reversed torsion were carried out in air, distilled water and 3% saltwater, using smooth specimens of high-strength low alloy steel (Cr-Mo steel). The initiation and growth behavior of small fatigue cracks in each environment were evaluated based on detailed observations, and the effects of corrosive environment were also discussed. The fatigue strength decreased with increasing aggressiveness of test environment. The decreases in corrosive environment were due to earlier fatigue crack initiation. From the observed locations at which small fatigue cracks began, it was considered that the crack initiation was primarily governed by hydrogen embrittlement in distilled water and also affected by corrosive dissolution in 3% saltwater. The validity of the application of linear fracture mechanics for small fatigue cracks was established. The growth rates of small fatigue cracks were higher than for large through cracks, and not accelerated by the corrosive environment. Moreover, fatigue life in the corrosive environment was estimated by using the crack growth characteristics in air.     

THE EFFECT OF GRAIN SIZE ON FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH IN AN ALUMINIUM MAGNESIUM ALLOY

Abstract Fully reversed uniaxial fatigue tests were performed on aluminium magnesium alloy Al 5754 with four different grain sizes in order that the effect of grain size on fatigue crack growth could be examined. Surface cracks were monitored by a plastic replication technique. Fatigue strength was shown to improve with a decrease in grain size. The endurance stress is a function of the inverse square root of the grain size and is described empiricdty by a Hall-Petch type relation. The effect of grain size on fatigue crack growth is most significant when the crack length is of the order of the microstructure. Fluctuations in the growth rate of microstructurally short cracks are most marked in a fine grained microstructure and may be related to the need to transfer slip to adjacent grains. Crack path deviation is greatest in the coarsest grained microstructure and SEM fractography reveals a more pronounced crack surface roughness in the coarser grained alloy than in the finer grained alloy.     

Effect of microstructural features on the failure behavior of hybrid laser welded AA7020

Detailed investigations of microstructural feature, mechanical property, fatigue strength, and damage mechanism were conducted on hybrid laser welded 7020‐T651 aluminum alloys used into high‐speed railway vehicles. The results show that the hybrid laser welding process can induce significant changes of microstructures and alloying elements, together with numerous gas pores. Such local modifications degrade the fatigue performance. The tensile strength of welded joints was approximately 74% with respect to the base metal, thus satisfying the design standard. The fatigue property was determined in the low and high cycle regimes. It was found that the fatigue strength of welded joints was fairly inferior to that of the base metal, but far higher than the IIW recommended value. Furthermore, welding defects were well believed to contribute to the shorter fatigue life. The small fatigue crack growth presented highly discontinuous and inhomogeneous due to microstructure and porosity. By contrast, the crack stable growth stage was less sensitive to microstructural features of hybrid welded joints.     

HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE AND THRESHOLD BEHAVIOUR OF POWDER METALLURGICAL Mo AND Mo-ALLOYS

Abstract A detailed characterization of the room temperature fatigue properties of powder metallurgical Mo, Mo–W and Ti–Zr–Mo (TZM) alloys is presented. In particular the factors affecting fatigue crack nucleation and growth behaviour are described. Fatigue tests were carried out by conventional rotating-bending and compared with results from a time-saving 20 kHz resonance push-pull test method. Fatigue strength data were determined by a statistical evaluation of test results from a sufficiently large number of specimens. The results show an increase in fatigue strength with alloying additions. Fatigue cracks were observed nucleating at highly localized slip bands at the specimen surface with the fatigue crack zones comprising only a small fraction of the total specimen cross-section. Fatigue crack growth rates at low stress intensities and threshold stress intensity values for crack growth were determined for a stress ratio of R =– 1 using a 20 kHz resonance test method. These latter values were found to be sensitively dependent on microstructure, composition and processing history.     

退火处理对紫铜组织和机械性能影响的试验研究

研究退火处理对紫铜组织及机械性能的影响,利用X射线衍射、金相观测、硬度测量、拉伸和疲劳试验以及扫描电子显微镜观测等试验手段,对比分析了退火前后紫铜的金相组织、基本力学性能、疲劳寿命、断口显微形貌和疲劳裂纹扩展行为等。考察了表面形貌对材料试件的疲劳寿命的影响,利用带缺口的试件对疲劳裂纹扩展行为进行了观测,给出了退火前后疲劳裂纹扩展速率及疲劳寿命随表面粗糙度增大而改变的定量结果。结果表明:退火后紫铜主要衍射峰出现窄化,其内部晶粒增大;材料屈服应力、弹性模量、维氏硬度及疲劳性能显著降低。试件疲劳寿命受表面粗糙度影响的敏感性在退火后降低。     

A genetic algorithm for unified approach-based predictive modeling of fatigue crack growth

This paper presents a framework to derive models of fatigue crack growth in real-life applications based on the unified approach.The unified approach enunciates that two parameters-namely, the stress intensity amplitude ΔK and the peak stress intensity K_max-drive fatigue crack growth. It captures and explicates the various fatigue phenomena coherently. However, its application for damage prediction is still in its infancy. Mathematical models that are consistent with the approach and the various observed characteristics under various environments are imperative for fatigue damage life prediction. These models will reduce cumbersome experimentation that is usually needed for the fatigue crack growth analysis. The framework presented in this paper consists of using the unified approach to design the structure of a model that relates fatigue crack growth with the specified microstructure, applied stress and environmental conditions. The fatigue growth model is derived by parametrizing, using a genetic algorithm, these structural relationships from the known experimental data. This model can quantitatively estimate crack growth rate under the given combination of microstructure, applied stress and environmental conditions. The initial research on modeling fatigue crack growth dynamics in Al-5052 under vacuum and air has revealed that the models resulting from the framework can capture the actual crack growth pattern to within 12% accuracy, and that an automatic rendering of ΔK^* vs. trajectories is possible for a given material and environmental conditions.