Cyclic deformation behaviour and lifetime calculation of Al‐3Mg‐Mn

Plastic strain amplitude, temperature and electrical resistance measurements were performed on the aluminium‐magnesium alloy Al‐3Mg‐Mn (AA5454) in recrystallised condition to describe and evaluate the cyclic deformation behaviour in detail. The endurance limit was estimated in load increase tests (LIT). In stress‐controlled single step tests at ambient temperature the cyclic deformation behaviour is characterised by pronounced cyclic hardening, which leads to a saturation state with a plastic strain amplitude of nearly zero. Due to far‐reaching cross effects of the applied measuring techniques, the plastic strain amplitude, the change of the specimen temperature due to cyclic plastic loading and the change of the electrical resistance show a strong interrelation with the underlying fatigue processes. A new lifetime calculation method “PHYBAL” on the basis of the plastic strain amplitude, the change of the temperature and the change of the electrical resistance yields an excellent accordance with experimentally determined lifetimes. Microstructural details were investigated by light and scanning electron microscopy.     

Influence of elevated temperatures on the cyclic deformation behaviour of the magnesium die-cast alloys AZ91D and MRI 230D

The magnesium alloys AZ91D and MRI 230D were investigated in form of die-cast specimens with a cast skin. The fine-grained microstructure consists of a dendritic magnesium solid solution and interdentritic precipitates. The cyclic deformation behaviour was characterised in stress-controlled load increase tests and constant amplitude tests by means of mechanical stress–strain hysteresis measurements at room temperature and at T = 150 °C. The MRI alloy leads to higher plastic strain amplitudes and nevertheless higher lifetimes for both temperatures. Load increase tests allow a reliable short-time estimation of the endurance limit under both, room and elevated temperatures. With the physically based fatigue life calculation method “PHYBAL” the lifetime of the magnesium alloys can be calculated on the basis of cyclic deformation data determined in one load increase test and two constant amplitude tests in excellent agreement with the conventionally determined S–N curve.     

Cyclic deformation behaviour of TiAl6V4 and TiAl6Nb7 in different quasi‐physiological media

In the present investigation the cyclic deformation behaviour of TiAl6V4 and TiAl6Nb7 was characterized in constant‐amplitude and load increase tests in laboratory air and quasi‐physiological media by cycle dependent mechanical hysteresis, temperature and/or corrosion potential measurements. Microstructural changes were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy for defined fatigue states and after specimen failure. In constant‐amplitude tests, the alloys show pronounced cyclic softening and/or hardening. In load increase tests with strain and temperature measurements, estimation values for the endurance limit were determined which were lower than the fatigue limits determined in conventional Woehler tests to a maximum cycle number of 2 × 10⁶. For loading in quasi‐physiological media, the corrosion potential reliably indicates microstructural damage on the specimen surface.     

Estimation of the endurance fatigue limit for structural steel in load increasing tests at low temperature

The endurance fatigue strength of structural steel S355 was investigated in fatigue tests according to the method of increasing stress amplitude. The so‐called ‘load increasing test’ is based on the direct correlation between the fatigue limit and the temperature changes caused by local plastic deformation ahead of the tip of a micro crack, which was initiated as a result of cyclic loading. In the present work the fatigue limit for testing temperatures 40°C and ?20°C was estimated not only from the temperature measurements but also from the electrical potential measurements. Further, the obtained results were validated in standard fatigue tests with constant stress amplitude and a very good agreement was found.     

Dynamic precipitation during cyclic deformation of an underaged Al-Cu alloy

The cyclic deformation behavior of Al-4Cu alloy containing shear-resistant particles was investigated systematically as a function of precipitate state. Pronounced cyclic hardening was observed in the under aged Al-4Cu-0.05Sn (wt.%) alloy strained under various imposed plastic strain amplitudes at room temperature. Such cyclic hardening is absent from the longer aging treatments. Microstructural characterization reveals that the pronounced cyclic hardening of the under aged alloy is due to the dynamic precipitation of GP zones. The dynamic precipitation occurs during all the cyclic loading process and only at the peak stress, where the hardening increment from dynamic precipitation saturates, does strain localization occur which is soon followed by failure of the material. The dynamic precipitation of GP zones has a positive effect on the low cycle fatigue performance of this alloy, and can significantly elevate the strength of this alloy without loss in ductility. Experiments performed to test the dependence of the cyclic hardening on plastic strain amplitude and strain-rate illustrate a relatively strain-rate independent and strain amplitude dependent behavior. Such kinetic behavior is approximately consistent with that expected if the GP zone formation is controlled by the vacancies production process during plastic deformation.     

AZ31B镁合金压-压循环载荷下变形行为及变形机制演化EI北大核心CSCD

为探讨AZ31B挤压态镁合金棒材沿径向取样的循环变形特征,开展了0.75%,1.0%,2.0%和4.0%应变幅下应变控制的非对称压-压循环变形实验。结果表明:在小应变幅(0.75%,1.0%)下,循环变形的滞回曲线表现出较好的对称性;在大应变幅(2.0%,4.0%)下,滞回曲线对称性差,且在滞回曲线上出现拐点;随着循环周次增加,塑性应变幅呈现下降趋势,材料均表现出循环硬化行为,在小应变幅下循环拉伸阶段对材料硬化率远大于压缩阶段的硬化率,而在大应变幅下这种区别并不明显。分析表明,沿径向取向的〈1120〉丝织构镁合金,小应变幅下位错滑移在整个寿命周期内作用更大;大应变幅下,随着塑性变形的增加,循环过程中变形机制发生演化,较低临界剪切应力(critical resolved shear stress,CRSS)的基面位错和拉伸孪生不能完全满足变形要求,较高CRSS滑移系启动及残余孪晶使得滞回曲线出现拐点;循环变形过程中不完全的孪生-去孪生过程使基体中存在大量残余孪晶,影响了循环变形过程的硬化率,同时降低了疲劳寿命。     

Cyclic indentation in aluminum

Cyclic indentation was used to evaluate the dynamic deformation of aluminum. Under the load-controlled cyclic indentation, the indenter continuously penetrated into the material and reached a steady state at which the penetration speed (per cycle) was a constant. The amplitude of the cyclic indentation depth was basically controlled by the amplitude of the cyclic indentation load, independent of the mean indentation load and the indentation frequency. The steady state penetration speed decreased with increasing the amplitude of the cyclic indentation load due to the increase in the size of plastic zone. It also decreased with the increase in the mean indentation load due to local strain hardening, while it increased with the increase of the indentation frequency.     

Further trials of a strain hardening index of fatigue damage

Previous cyclic-strain, smooth-specimen fatigue tests of α–β titanium alloys displayed an anomolous endurance enhancement for some of the alloy conditions. This could be explained by associating resistance to fatigue damage directly with the stress-normalized plastic strain hardening rate at the point of maximum cyclic tensile stress. Since this rate also controls the extent of stress-relaxation-induced tensile creep strain in each cycle, it was thought that fatigue damage might be associated with it. To test this hypothesis, data with varied load hold time, and over a full range of cyclic life, is reported here for some of the previously reported alloys of Ti-6A1-4V, as well as for an A36 steel plate. Notch fatigue tests of the A36, combined with those of Yoder et al. for the titanium alloys, are compared to the smooth specimen data. Results tend to support the damage-inhibiting role of the plastic strain hardening rate, but not of the creep strain portion of each cycle. Notch fatigue data agrees with smooth specimen trends if Neuber's rule is used to characterize the stress concentration factor, particularly with the A36 steel. As with Yoder's notch fatigue results, smooth specimen LCF life, though quite different in the range less than 10³ cycles, tends to converge near the endurance limit, thus mitigating adverse effects of alloy conditions which favor resistance to fatigue crack propagation in α-β titanium alloys.     

Microstructure‐oriented characterisation of the cyclic deformation behaviour of Ti‐6Al‐4V

In this paper, the cyclic deformation behaviour of the titanium alloy Ti‐6Al‐4V is characterised in uniaxial stress‐ and total‐strain‐controlled load increase and constant amplitude tests at ambient temperature by means of mechanical stress‐strain hysteresis and temperature measurements. The measured physical values obviously show a pronounced interrelation with the underlying fatigue processes and represent the actual fatigue state. In selected experiments the influence of elevated temperatures on the cyclic deformation behaviour was investigated. Using the plastic strain amplitude and the change of the specimen temperature with the physically based lifetime calculation “PHYBAL” an excellent accordance with experimentally determined lifetimes could be realised. Microstructural changes were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy in defined fatigue states, additionally, the fracture surface was analysed by scanning electron microscopy.     

Fatigue damage of low amplitude cycles in low carbon steel

The influences of low load cycles on fatigue damage in 0.15% C steel (C15E, No. 1.1141) are investigated in the very high cycle fatigue regime using ultrasonic fatigue testing equipment. Constant amplitude (CA) endurance limits at limiting lifetime of 10⁹ cycles are determined in cyclic tension–compression and cyclic torsion tests. Non-propagating fatigue cracks are found in specimens subjected to cyclic torsion loading at the endurance limit. The endurance limit is considered as maximum stress amplitude where possibly initiated fatigue cracks do not propagate to failure. Two-step variable amplitude (VA) tension–compression endurance tests are performed with repeat sequences consisting of high stress amplitudes above the endurance limit and far greater number of cycles below. The measured lifetimes are compared with linear damage accumulation calculations (Miner calculations). If the high stress amplitude is more than approximately 13% above the CA endurance limit, detrimental influences of low load cycles and failures at low damage sums are found. If the high stress is less than 13% above the CA endurance limit, numerous low load cycles cause prolonged fatigue lifetimes and specimens can sustain large damage sums without failure. Two-step VA fatigue crack growth investigations show that load cycles below the threshold stress intensity accelerate crack growth, if the high stress intensity is 18% or more above the CA threshold stress intensity. In repeat sequences with high stress intensities 14% above threshold stress intensity, low load cycles decelerated and stopped fatigue crack growth. Low load cycles can reduce or prolong fatigue lifetimes of low carbon steel and one reason is the accelerated or retarded fatigue crack growth due to numerous low amplitudes, and the maximum load amplitude of a VA load sequence determines whether detrimental or beneficial effects prevail.     

Very high cycle fatigue of VDSiCr spring steel under torsional and axial loading

Very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) properties of VDSiCr spring steel are investigated with ultrasonic equipment under fully reversed cyclic torsion loading and under cyclic axial loading at load ratios R = –1, R = 0.1 and R = 0.5. Shot‐peened specimens with surface finish similar to valve springs in combustion engines are tested until limiting lifetimes of 10¹⁰ cycles. Under cyclic torsion loading, specimens either fail below 10⁶ cycles with crack initiation at the surface or they do not fail. Under cyclic axial loading, failures above 10⁹ cycles were found for all load ratios with crack initiation at the surface or at internal inclusions. Ratio of mean endurance limit (50% failure probability at 10¹⁰ cycles) under fully reversed cyclic torsion and cyclic tension‐compression loading is 0.86. Cyclic torsion loading slightly below the endurance limit leads to cyclic softening first followed by cyclic hardening whereas cyclic stability is found for tension‐compression loading. Cyclic torsion reduces surface compression stresses whereas they are hardly affected by cyclic tension‐compression loading. Mean endurance limit at 10¹⁰ cycles for R = 0.1 is 61% of the endurance stress amplitude at load ratio R = –1, and for R = 0.5 it is 44% of the tension‐compression endurance limit. Endurance limits for cyclic torsion and cyclic tension‐compression loading are comparable, if effective stress amplitude is used that considers cyclic normal stresses and residual compression stresses at the surface.     

Fatigue-creep interaction performance of Incoloy 825 nickel-based superalloy at 650 °C

The fatigue-creep interaction performance of Incoloy 825 nickel-based superalloy at 650 °C was investigated through introducing the tensile, compressive, and tensile-compressive strain hold time at the controlled total strain amplitude Δϵ_t = 0.3 %∼0.7 %. The results show that the Incoloy 825 nickel-based superalloy exhibits the cyclic hardening behavior, the cyclic hardening behavior followed by cyclic softening behavior and the cyclic hardening behavior followed by cyclic stability during the cyclic deformation with tensile strain hold time, while the alloy exhibits the cyclic hardening behavior and the cyclic hardening behavior followed by the cyclic stability during the cyclic deformation with compressive and tensile-compressive strain hold time. The relationship between both plastic and elastic strain amplitudes with reversals to failure for the alloy shows a single slope linear behavior, which can be described by the Coffin-Manson and Basquin equations, respectively. The deformation mechanism of the alloy under three loading condition of fatigue-creep interaction is mainly the planar slip. In addition, under three loading condition of fatigue-creep interaction, the cracks initiate and propagate in the transgranular mode.     

Effect of silicon carbide particulate on cyclic plastic strain response characteristics and fracture of aluminium alloy composites

The cyclic stress-response characteristics of powder-metallurgy-processed high-purity aluminium alloy 2124 discontinuously reinforced with varying volume fractions of silicon carbide particulates were studied over a range of plastic strains. The specimens were cycled using tension/compression loading under total strain control. The composite material, in the heat-treated condition, displayed cyclic hardening at all cyclic strain amplitudes and for different volume fractions of the ceramic reinforcement in the aluminium alloy matrix. The degree of hardening was observed to be greater at the higher cyclic strain amplitudes than at corresponding lower strain amplitudes. Micromechanisms controlling the hardening response during cyclic straining are highlighted and rationale for the observed hardening behaviour is attributed to concurrent and competing influences of an increase in dislocation-dislocation interaction, dislocation multiplication and dislocation-particle interactions, and is a mechanical effect. The kinetics of the cyclic fracture process of the composite alloy is discussed in light of composite microstructural effects, plastic strain amplitude and concomitant response stress.     

Cyclic deformation behaviour and fatigue crack propagation in AZ91HP and AM50HP

Abstract

The purpose of the present work was to investigate room temperature cyclic deformation and crack propagation behaviour in the most widely used die casting magnesium alloy AZ91HP with different heat treatments. In addition, examination of the low cycle fatigue properties of solid solution treated alloy AZ91HP-T4 was emphasised in comparison with AM50HP. Obvious cyclic strain hardening was found in low cycle fatigue tests, especially for AZ91HP-T4 at high cyclic strain amplitudes. Nevertheless, it was very difficult to evaluate differences in low cycle fatigue behaviour between die casting alloy AZ91HP-F, artificially aged alloy AZ91HP-T6, solution treated alloy AZ91HP-T4, and AM50HP(-F) because of the scatter of test data. However, it may be concluded that the last two alloys had greater plastic strain components during cyclic deformation, and AZ91HP-T4 exhibited a longer fatigue life than that of AM50HP at the highest strain amplitude. According to results of tests carried out on AZ91HP compact tension (CT) specimens, it was concluded that solution treatment could reduce the fatigue crack propagation rate, and plasticity induced crack closure was considered to have a predominant effect on fatigue crack propagation.     

FATIGUE BEHAVIOUR OF THREE VARIANTS OF THE ROLLER BEARING STEEL SAE 52100

Stress-controlled, low-cycle, push-pull fatigue tests were performed on three variants of the bearing steel SAE 52100 with slightly different compositions and heat treatments. The experiments demonstrated differences in the cyclic plastic behaviour of differently hardened steels (bainitically-hardened and martensitically-hardened, respectively), whereas the two martensitic variants, which differ in composition, behaved very similarly. Bainitically-hardened SAE 52100 steel exhibited initial hardening followed by cyclic softening above a stress amplitude level of 1200 MPa. In contrast, the martensitically-hardened variants showed a pronounced cyclic hardening. The deformation behaviour of the martensitically-hardened bearing steel in a monotonic tensile test and during the first cycles can be well understood on the basis of the transformation of retained austenite. This process leads to an onset of plastic deformation at lower stresses compared to the bainitically-hardened bearing steel. As a result of the subsequent cyclic hardening of the martensitic variants, the CSS curves are almost identical for the differently hardened conditions under investigation. Additional tests under pulsating compression documented that a high negative mean stress enhances the cyclic plasticity.     

EFFECT OF STRESS-STRAIN BEHAVIOR ON LOW-CYCLE FATIGUE OF α-β TITANIUM ALLOYS

Tensile specimens of Ti-6A1-4V with four levels of interstitial oxygen content and a Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V alloy with different heat treatments to alter grain size and/or microstructural character are subjected to slow strain-controlled cyclic deformation leading to rupture in the 5-500 cycle range. Indication of crack initiation as well as rupture life are compared, relative to the plastic excursion strain. On this basis, the effects of grain size and oxygen content are not clearly discriminated. Yet, some of the materials exhibit markedly superior performance. This improvement seems to be related to a characteristic evolution in the shape of the cyclic stress-strain curve. Here, relative to a full convex hysteresis loop of early cycles, the later cycles exhibit a reduced stress level, or cyclic softening, in the first half of the excursion, followed by a resurgence of strength to initial stress levels in the latter portion. The enhanced strain hardening rate enabling this terminal strength restoration is thought to stabilize the deformation, reducing the amount of stress-relaxation-induced tensile strain. Taking such strain as an increment of damage in a cumulative cyclic creep strain criterion provides a correlation between the evolving shape of the cyclic stress-strain curve and the low cycle fatigue endurance. Results indicate the absolute increase in the terminal plastic strain hardening rate to be a constant of a material, independent of the cyclic strain excursion.     

Effect of Sc addition on low-cycle fatigue properties of extruded Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr alloy

ABSTRACT

The influence of minor Sc addition on the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) properties of hot-extruded Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr alloy with T6 state was investigated through performing the LCF tests at room temperature and air environment. The results indicate that two alloys show cyclic stabilisation, cyclic hardening and cyclic softening during fatigue deformation. The addition of Sc can significantly enhance the cyclic stress amplitude of the alloy. Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr-Sc alloy shows higher fatigue lives at lower strain amplitudes, while has lower fatigue lives at higher strain amplitudes. For the two alloys, the density and movability of dislocations are related to the change of cyclic stress amplitudes. The existence of Al₃(Sc,Zr) phase can inhibit the appearance of cyclic softening phenomenon in the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr-Sc alloy.     

Effect of Hydrogen on Fatigue Resistance of VT6Ch Titanium Alloy

We studied the effect of hydrogen on the cyclic endurance of cylindrical specimens made of VT6Ch titanium alloy for various parameters of cyclic loading, coefficients of asymmetry of a cycle, coefficients of stress concentration, and load frequencies. The specimens were cut from plates with a lamellar structure at different angles with the rolling direction. In all cases where hydrogen was present in the solid solution, the limit of its bounded corrosion endurance in the initial state increased. This is probably caused by hardening of the solid solution and by separation of dispersed hydrides. At concentrations of hydrogen 0.03% (by mass), under the action of cyclic loading, hydrides separate from the supersaturated solution. They play the role of stress concentrators and lead to a decrease in cyclic endurance.     

Wechselverformungskurven und Mikrostruktur bei spannungskontrollierter Zug-Druck-Wechselbeanspruchung von Ck 45 im Temperaturbereich 295 K ≤ T ≤ 873 K

Cyclic deformation curves and microstructure of SAE 1045 after stress-controlled push-pull loading in the temperature range 295 K ≤ T ≤ 873 K Stress-controlled cyclic deformation tests were performed with normalized SAE 1045 in the temperature range 295 K ≤ T ≤ 873 K. From the measured mechanical hysteresis loops cyclic deformation curves were determined, which are characterized by temperature dependent cyclic softening and hardening processes. Due to the cyclic deformation processes at any temperature distinct dislocation structures are formed depending on the stress amplitudes and the number of cycles chosen. In the whole temperature range and for all stress amplitudes the plastic strain amplitude was proved to be a suitable parameter to describe the actual fatigue state.     

Effect of saline solution environment on the cyclic deformation of Ti-6Al-4V alloy

The present investigation studies the effect of physiological solution at 37°C on the cyclic deformation behaviour of a Ti-6Al-4V alloy, with a microstructure corresponding to that obtained in the substrate when a sintered metallic porous coating is produced. Cyclic deformation tests have been carried out up to fracture and the fatigue crack nucleation mechanisms have been analysed. Since fatigue is a phenomenon related with plastic deformation, which is enhanced at corrosion and/or at stress concentration sites, cyclic deformation tests conducted at a level of stress above the elastic limit can provide a clear picture of the crack nucleation mechanisms involved.