Fretting fatigue of single crystal nickel at 600 °C

An experimental setup has been developed to conduct fretting fatigue tests at 610 °C and fretting fatigue lives are characterized for the contacting pair of IN100 and single crystal nickel subjected to a range of loading conditions. A well characterized set of experiments have been conducted to obtain the friction coefficient in the slip zone. A robust quasi-analytical approach, based on solution to singular integral equations, has been used to analyze the contact stresses. Different multi-axial fatigue parameters have been investigated for their ability to predict the initiation life of the specimens. An estimation of crack propagation life was made using conventional fracture mechanics approaches, after making certain assumptions to simplify the problem. Total life was predicted using nucleation life from different parameters and propagation life from conventional fracture mechanics approach. These predicted lives were compared with experimentally observed failure lives. The quality of the comparison provides confidence in the notion that conventional life prediction tools can be used to assess fretting fatigue at elevated temperatures.     

Analysis of Fretting Fatigue of Cavitation Shotless Peened Ti–6Al–4V

Fretting fatigue behavior of cavitation shotless peened titanium alloy, Ti–6Al–4V coupons was investigated using finite element method and a critical plane-based multi-axial fatigue parameter. Cavitation shotless peening (CSP)-induced compressive residual stress, which was larger at the contact surface than its counterpart from the shot peening (SP). However, compressive residual stress decreased more sharply with distance from the contact surface in CSP than in SP. Analysis using a critical plane-based multi-axial fatigue parameter demonstrated that the crack initiation would occur inside the cavitation shotless peened specimen which matched with the experimental observations. On the other hand, crack initiation would occur on the contact surface in the shot peened specimen which again was in agreement with experiments. The analysis also showed that the crack propagation part of the total fretting fatigue life was longer in the shot peened specimen than in the cavitation shotless peened specimen while the crack initiation part was almost equal from both peening methods. Therefore, CSP could not improve the fretting fatigue life/strength as much as the SP did but it improved relative to the un-peened specimen.     

Numerical Estimation of Fretting Fatigue Lifetime Using Damage and Fracture Mechanics

Fretting fatigue is a complex tribological phenomenon that can cause premature failure of connected components that have small relative oscillatory movement. The fraction of fretting fatigue lifetime spent in crack initiation and in crack propagation depends on many factors, e.g., contact stresses, amount of slip, frequency, environmental conditions, etc., and varies from one application to another. Therefore, both crack initiation and propagation phases are important in analysing fretting fatigue. In this investigation, a numerical approach is used to predict these two portions and estimate fretting fatigue failure lifetime under a conformal contact configuration. For this purpose, an uncoupled damage evolution law based on principles of continuum damage mechanics is developed for modelling crack initiation. The extended finite element method approach is used for calculating crack propagation lifetimes. The estimated results are validated with previously reported experimental data and compared with other available methods in the literature.     

Ti-6Al-4V燕尾榫结构微动疲劳裂纹萌生及扩展行为研究

针对Ti-6Al-4V钛合金燕尾榫连接结构在不同载荷下的微动疲劳现象,采用榫形微动疲劳试验进行研究,并对裂纹萌生扩展、微动磨损及断口进行分析。结果表明,微动疲劳使构件疲劳寿命显著降低约70%;疲劳载荷对微动裂纹扩展的影响比对裂纹萌生的影响更大;微动疲劳裂纹起始于接触面边缘,与接触表面约成45°角,裂纹扩展到60~150μm后转向与接触表面垂直;微动疲劳断口形貌表面在微动磨损区具有多个裂纹源点,但只有一个主裂纹形成。     

Fretting fatigue analysis using a fracture mechanics based small crack growth prediction method

A complete life model for the nucleation and growth of a fretting fatigue crack has been developed. The nucleation of a fretting crack is predicted by superimposing the crack growth rate experienced under fretting conditions onto S–N fatigue data for the alloy. The growth model utilizes small crack growth rate data and a fretting fatigue stress intensity factor to account for the small crack sizes and higher stresses experienced under fretting fatigue conditions. The development of the propagation model within the established fatigue crack growth code AFGROW allows this approach to be readily used by members of the aerospace industry.     

Fretting fatigue behaviour of Ti–6Al–4V alloy under plane bending stress and contact stress

Fretting fatigue tests for Ti–6Al–4 V alloy were conducted by use of the plate fatigue specimen with bolt-tightened shoe on both sides of the plate. It was clarified that the repeated bending stress at the contact area where fretting fatigue failure starts linearly decreased as stress over the contact area increased. Fretting fatigue crack starts from the pit where stress concentrate. The pit initiates when fretting debris were removed from the surface striation formed due to the contact slip movement. The fretting fatigue crack initiation mode was transgranular, while the fretting fatigue crack propagation mode was striation.     

Palliatives in fretting: A dynamical approach

Fretting damages are connected to numerous aspects like friction, wear, contact mechanics, fatigue and material sciences. Its quantification also requests to consider the loading history as well as the sliding condition. Based on a “fretting sliding” approach, and considering fretting wear test conditions, various palliative solutions have been investigated. Shot peening treatment, introducing compressive residual stresses, appears pertinent against crack propagation but ineffective against crack nucleation due to the activation of surface relaxation phenomena. Hard thin coatings present stable residual stresses independently of the sliding conditions. However, they only delay the crack nucleation process, when the coating is worn through, cracking phenomena are activated. To quantify the coating endurance against wear, an energy density approach has been developed. The stability of this approach has been confirmed regarding the contact size effect and illustrated through the analysis of synergic interaction between soft thick coating and solid lubricant.     

Fretting fatigue crack initiation lifetime predictor tool: Using damage mechanics approach

Fretting fatigue is a combination of two complex mechanical phenomena. Fretting appears between components that are subjected to small relative oscillatory motions. Once these connected components undergo cyclic fatigue load, fretting fatigue occurs. In general, fretting fatigue failure process can be divided into two main portions, namely crack initiation and crack propagation. Fretting fatigue crack initiation characteristics are very difficult to detect because damages such as micro-cracks are always hidden between two contact surfaces.In this paper Continuum Damage Mechanics (CDM) approach in conjunction with Finite Element Analyses (FEA) is used to find a predictor tool for fretting fatigue crack initiation lifetime. For this purpose an uncoupled damage evolution law is developed to model fretting fatigue crack initiation lifetime at various fretting condition such as contact geometry, axial stress, normal load and tangential load. The predicted results are validated with published experimental data from literature.     

Fretting fatigue crack initiation and propagation behavior of Inconel 690 alloy

Several studies have been conducted on the fretting fatigue limit characteristics of Inconel alloy tube material used in steam generators of nuclear power plants. Nevertheless, additional research on fretting fatigue crack initiation and propagation behavior is necessary in order to evaluate its fretting fatigue life more accurately. In this study, crack growth tests of fretting fatigue are conducted, and the characteristics of fatigue crack initiation and propagation are analyzed on Inconel 690 alloy. Also, plain fatigue crack growth tests are performed on the same material, and the results are compared with those of fretting fatigue crack growth tests. From both of the plain and fretting fatigue crack growth test results, the ΔK-da/dN diagrams are obtained and the crack growth rates are compared. It is found that the crack growth rate for fretting fatigue tests is faster than that for plain fatigue tests under a certain value of DK. However, over this value of DK, the crack growth rate for fretting fatigue tests becomes slower than that for plain fatigue tests due to debris which is produced by fretting and trapped in the propagated cracks. Finally, the fracture surfaces examined by an optical microscope, and the initiation angles of the oblique cracks are determined under various applied stresses. Also, the microstructure of the fracture surfaces is observed by a Scanning electron microscopy (SEM).     

钢丝微动疲劳裂纹萌生寿命预测研究*

钢丝微动疲劳过程中,钢丝裂纹萌生特性直接影响其裂纹扩展特性,进而制约钢丝微动疲劳寿命,因此开展钢丝微动疲劳裂纹萌生寿命预测研究具有重要意义。基于有限元法、摩擦学理论和断裂力学理论,运用Smith-Watson-Topper（SWT）多轴疲劳寿命准则建立考虑磨损的钢丝微动疲劳裂纹萌生寿命预测模型,基于多种不同的钢丝疲劳参数估算方法对钢丝的微动疲劳裂纹萌生寿命进行了预测,并探究接触载荷、疲劳载荷、交叉角度及钢丝直径等微动疲劳参数对钢丝微动疲劳裂纹萌生寿命的影响规律。结果表明：基于中值法的预测结果最接近实际值;在微动疲劳过程中,钢丝微动疲劳裂纹萌生寿命主要与接触载荷和疲劳载荷相关。通过引入微动损伤参数建立简化的适用于钢丝绳的钢丝微动疲劳裂纹萌生寿命预测模型,通过与考虑磨损的预测模型计算结果进行对比验证了该模型的准确性。     

Fracture mechanics approach to fretting fatigue and problems to be solved

A large number of research works have been devoted to fretting fatigue from both mechanical and metallurgical viewpoints. In the present paper, fracture mechanical approaches for evaluating fretting fatigue life and strength have been briefly reviewed. Furthermore, a new approach based on a singular stress field near the contact edge and on fracture mechanics has been proposed. The directions of crack initiation and propagation as well as fretting fatigue life, which have coincided with the experimental results, could be estimated according to the new approach, in which singular stress near the contact edge and mixed mode crack growth have been taken into consideration. In the application of the new method to predict the fretting fatigue behavior, there are still several problems to be clarified, which have also been discussed in detail.     

带有微动磨损缺口钢丝的疲劳特性

在自制的微动磨损试验机上进行钢丝的微动磨损试验,将微动磨损后的钢丝试样在液压伺服疲劳试验机上进行不同应力比和不同应力幅下的疲劳试验。结果表明,钢丝的微动磨损深度随微动时间和接触载荷的增加而增加,磨损缺口处的应力集中使其成为了裂纹萌生源,也使钢丝试样的疲劳寿命大大降低,微动磨损后钢丝试样的疲劳寿命和磨损深度呈反比关系。通过钢丝疲劳断口的SEM形貌分析了其疲劳断裂机制,断口对应不同的疲劳阶段,可分为裂纹萌生区、裂纹扩展区和裂纹瞬断区。     

Progression of fretting fatigue damage in Ti–6Al–4V

An investigation was conducted to explore the nature of fretting fatigue damage in the stages prior to crack formation. In the unique experimental apparatus employed in this study, where total slip never occurs, several locations on each test specimen exist where cracks can develop due to local contact conditions. Under the test conditions used, not all of the sites had cracks upon test completion. This study evaluated the condition of non-cracked sites on several fretted specimens in an effort to identify differences between these and sites where small cracks were observed.A single test condition of 620 MPa average applied static clamping stress and 250 MPa applied axial fatigue stress for R=0.5 was selected, which corresponds to a fretting fatigue life of 10⁷ cycles based on prior work. For specimens tested to 10⁶ cycles, or 10% of life, several destructive and non-destructive characterization methods were chosen: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), residual stress measurement and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Each site at which crack nucleation could be expected was inspected in the SEM and was then characterized using surface X-ray diffraction to quantify the residual stresses field near that location. Then TEM foils were cut from one area on a specimen with tiny cracks and dislocation densities were observed. A novel technique was used which permitted TEM samples to be obtained from regions in close proximity on the original specimen.Comparisons were made between as-received (AR) and stress-relief annealed (SRA) specimens, on which the stress-relief was applied prior to fretting fatigue testing. SEM inspection was useful for qualitative analysis of wear debris and identification of cracks as small as 20 μm, but was unable to provide quantitative data on the level of fretting fatigue damage beyond crack size. Although differences were noted in the residual stresses for the SRA versus the AR specimens, no residual stress peaks were noted in the edge of contact regions where cracks would eventually develop. TEM observations in the vicinity of the crack nucleation region showed that the dislocation structure decayed rapidly into the specimen thickness. The cause of the dislocations was attributed to plastic deformation caused by the clamping stresses.     

Modeling of geometry effects in fretting fatigue

The stress field that results from two bodies in contact is an important aspect that governs the fretting fatigue behavior of materials. Applied loads as well as contact geometries influence the contact stresses. The profile of an indenter and the boundary conditions provide sufficient information from which the surface tractions and the corresponding subsurface stresses have been calculated in a semi-infinite halfspace using singular integral equations. In this investigation, a numerical subroutine was developed to calculate the surface tractions and the corresponding surface and subsurface stresses of an arbitrary finite thickness infinite plate subjected to loading through a random indenter. The results from the detailed stress analysis of the contact region are required by both an initiation and fracture mechanics approach. While initiation criteria involving stress gradient fields, such as sharp notches and edges of contact in fretting fatigue, are not well established or agreed upon, stress intensity factor calculations using tools such as weight functions are more reliable. The stress intensity analysis, which is used to determine whether an initiated crack will continue to grow if it is above the threshold, depends on many variables in the stress analysis such as pad and specimen geometry, loading configuration and friction coefficient. The contact stress analysis has been used to determine equivalent stress parameters that are related to the initiation of a crack. Similarly the numerical subroutine for the contact stresses is used in conjunction with the stress intensity analysis to determine the influence of the geometry, loading configuration and friction coefficient on the stress intensity factor. Results from high-cycle fretting fatigue experiments are used to determine the threshold stress intensity factor for a given configuration. The combination of the numerical and experimental analysis is then used to develop a tool for high-cycle fretting fatigue based on a threshold approach involving a go–no go criterion.     

Fretting fatigue in 2XXX series aerospace aluminium alloys

This research investigated the effects of microstructural characteristics on the fretting response in 2XXX series aerospace aluminium alloys. Fretting fatigue tests were conducted to determine the influence of slip character, alloy purity, grain structure and yield strength on fretting crack nucleation and growth. Crack length measurements and micrographs of the specimens indicated there was no significant difference in the fretting response of these alloys based on their microstructural characteristics. Results also showed that fretting caused cracks to nucleate in the first 1–5% of total life which resulted in much shorter fatigue lives. Additionally, fretting normalized the nucleation time in all alloys, eliminating the differences in intrinsic fatigue nucleation resistance. This resulted in the alloys with the highest stress-life (S–N) fatigue properties exhibiting a greater reduction in fatigue strength under fretting conditions. The total fretting fatigue life appeared to be primarily determined by the fatigue crack propagation resistance of the alloys.     

Characterisation of fretting fatigue damage using synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography

The fretting fatigue damage of mechanical joints is studied experimentally by considering the following scenario: first, the crack nucleation in the joint is investigated via fretting tests. Second, the propagation of the fretting cracks under cyclic uniaxial tensile loading is carried out and analysed. Synchrotron radiation X-ray micro-tomography is used to image for the very first time the three-dimensional shape of the initial fretting cracks as well as that of the propagating cracks at different stages of the fatigue life, thanks to a dedicated set-up. This technique brings new experimental data on the influence of the local microstructure on fretting fatigue damage, initiation and growth.     

Effect of contact pressure on fretting fatigue of austenitic stainless steel

The effect of contact pressure on fretting fatigue in solution-treated austenitic stainless steel was studied. With an increase in contact pressure, fretting fatigue life was almost unchanged at low contact pressures, however it decreased drastically at high contact pressures. At low contact pressures, stress concentration due to fretting damage occurred at the middle portion of the fretted area and the main crack responsible for failure was initiated there. At high contact pressures, concavity was formed at the fretted area without accompanying heavy wear. The main crack was initiated at the outer edge corner of the concavity which probably acted as a notch. Plain fatigue prior to the fretting fatigue test increased the fretting fatigue life at high contact pressures since the concavity formation was suppressed by the cyclic strain hardening.     

Numerical Investigation into the Effect of Contact Geometry on Fretting Fatigue Crack Propagation Lifetime

Fretting fatigue is a phenomenon in which two contact surfaces undergo a small relative oscillatory motion due to cyclic loading. There is a need to analyze the effects of contact geometry on crack propagation under fretting fatigue conditions. In this investigation, a finite element modeling method was used to study the effects of different contact geometries along with crack–contact interaction on crack propagation lifetime. Different contacts geometries—that is, cylindrical on flat and flat on flat—along with different contact span widths were analyzed. In addition, the effects of different contact spans on stress distribution at the contact interface were investigated. The computed crack propagation life was compared with experimental results. It was found that the crack initiated near the contact trailing edge for all contact geometries, which agreed with experimental observations. In terms of crack propagation for different contact spans, the fretting fatigue life for a two-based cylindrical pad was shorter than that for a two-based flat pad. By increasing the contact span width for both flat and cylindrical pads, the crack propagation lifetime increased. A comparison between the experimental and numerical results demonstrated a difference of about 18% in crack propagation lifetime.