Evolution of residual stresses in micro-arc oxidation ceramic coatings on 6061 Al alloy

Most researches on micro-arc oxidation mainly focus on the application rather than discovering the evolution of residual stresses. However, residual stresses in the surface coatings of structural components have adverse effects on their properties, such as fatigue life, dimensional stability and corrosion resistance, etc. The micro-arc oxidation ceramic coatings are produced on the surfaces of 6061 aluminum alloy by a homemade asymmetric AC type of micro-arc oxidation equipment of 20 kW. A constant current density of 4.4___0.1 A/dm2 and a self-regulated composite electrolyte are used. The micro-arc oxidation treatment period ranges from 10 min to 40 min, and the thickness of the ceramic coatings is more than 20 Bin. Residual stresses attributed to 7-A1203 constituent in the coatings at different micro-arc oxidation periods are analyzed by an X-ray diffractometer using the sin2~u method. The analysis results show that the residual stress in the ceramic coatings is compressive in nature, and it increases first and then decreases with micro-arc oxidation time increase. The maximum stress value is 1 667_＋20 MPa for period of 20 min. Through analyzing the coating thickness, surface morphology and phase composition, it is found that the residual stress in the ceramic coatings is linked closely with the coating growth, the phase composition and the micro cracks formed. It is also found that both the heat treatment and the ultrasonic action release remarkably the residual compressive stress. The heat treatment makes the residual compressive stress value decrease 1 378 MPa. The ultrasonic action even alters the nature of the residual stress, making the residual compressive stress change into a residual tensile stress.     

The effects of artificial asperities on crack closing behavior in quenched and tempered medium carbon steel

To better understand the effect of an asperity on crack closure behavior, K-CMOD relations were examined using artificial asperity/wedge, inserted into the fatigue crack in a three point bending specimen made of a hardened medium carbon steel. Experimental results revealed that the unloading phase of the K vs. CMOD curve exhibited a concave shape if soft artificial asperity (Al alloy) was inserted, signifying acceleration in the CMOD decrease at zero applied load. This was mainly related to elastic and plastic deformation in the wedge material during the unloading process. On the contrary, the linear unloading portion of K vs. CMOD was obtained as hard asperity (high carbon steel) was employed, which specified deceleration in the CMOD decrease at zero applied load, where the only elastic deformation in the asperity was affected. From their unloading curves, the severity of crack closure or ??K _eff value was found to be related to the strength of the asperity material. The values of ??K _eff were examined in two different ways, e.g., (i) the remote displacement method and (ii) the adjusted compliance ratio method (ACR). The ??K _eff value, measured using both approaches, decreases with increasing wedge strength, such as hardness and yield strength. The rate of reduction in ??K _eff was, however, changed depending on the manner of ??K _eff examination, in which the ??K _eff decreased at a higher rate for the compliance ratio method and at a lower rate for the remote displacement method. The reason for this is discussed in the present work.     

Failure analysis of turbine blade in atomic power plant

The turbine blade in an atomic power plant may be fractured by fatigue, stress corrosion cracking and bad fitting. Especially, fatigue fracture is caused by low stress amplitude below the yielding stress. SEM fractography does not have striation, but AFM fractography does on the fatigue fractured surface of 12% Cr steel used for the turbine blade. Surface roughness R _q measured by AFM is linearly related to the stress intensity factor range, ΔK, and is increased linearly according to the load range ΔP. Therefore, in this study, the loading condition applied to a turbine blade is predicted by the relation between the intersection of the ΔK-R _q relation and load range ΔP.     

Fatigue crack growth behavior in ultrafine grained low carbon steel

Ultrafine grained (UFG) low carbon (0.15 wt.% C) steel produced by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) was tested for investigating the effect of load ratio on the fatigue crack growth rate. Fatigue crack growth resistance and threshold of UFG steel were lower than that of as-received coarse grained steel. It was attributed to the less tortuous crack path. The UFG steel exhibited slightly higher crack growth rates and a lower ΔK_th with an increase of R ratio. The R ratio effect on crack growth rates and ΔK_th was basically indistinguishable at lower load ratio (R>0.3), compared to other alloys, which indicates that contribution of the crack closure vanishes. The crack growth rate curve for UFG steel exhibited a longer linear extension to the lower growth rate regime than that for the coarse grained as-received steel.     

A three-point electrical potential difference method for in situ monitoring of propagating mixed-mode cracks at high temperature

In this paper an electrical potential difference method for the real-time assessment of both the length and the direction of Mode II cracks is presented. Three measuring electrodes are placed in selected positions over the gauge area of a specially designed shear specimen and their readings are associated with the actual position of the crack tip using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). This information can be processed in real-time to provide continuous monitoring of the crack as it propagates either in pure Mode II (in-plane shear) or mixed Mode I (tension) and Mode II if the inclination of the crack exceeds 20°. In fatigue testing it is possible to produce dα/dN-Δ_KII$d\alpha /\mathit{dN}-\mathrm{\Delta }{K}_{\text{II}}$ (in pure-shear) and dα/dN-Δ_KI$d\alpha /\mathit{dN}-\mathrm{\Delta }{K}_{\text{I}}$ (in mixed-mode) plots on-line as the test is in execution. The method has been calibrated with optical measurements using a long-distance observation microscope on the nickel-based superalloy CMSX4 at high temperature. The main finding was that the central two sensing electrodes were sensitive to the length of the crack and insensitive to the crack angle, whereas the readings from the third electrode were sensitive to the crack angle and thus the exact position of the crack tip could be traced in real-time. Special techniques were implemented to rule-out thermoelectric effects and thermal stresses on the specimen.     

Effect of notch geometry on the fatigue strength and critical distance of TC4 titanium alloy

Studying the effect of different geometric features of machined notch on the fatigue strength and critical distance has an important guiding role to understand the critical distance size effect and to predict the HCF strength of turbine engine fan blades after FOD. Systematically experimental investigations of geometrical characteristic effects on the 10⁶ cycle fatigue strength and critical distance for TC4 machined notched plates at stress ratios of R = 0.1 have been conducted. 123 specimens, including unnotched plates and three different types of notched plates (V-notches, U-notches and C-notches) with various notch root radii, depths and angles have been considered. The results indicate that the notch with small radius can significantly lead to high stress concentration and greatly reduce the HCF strength, while the notch angle and notch depth can affect the HCF strength to a certain extent. The K _t related model does not apply to describe the critical distance size effect perfectly. The critical distance has linear relationship with the notch root radius but no significant correction with the notch depth or notch angle. The findings of this study are beneficial for the size effect modeling and later fatigue strength evaluating of TC4 notched components.     

Fatigue analysis-based numerical design of stamping tools made of cast iron

This work concerns stress and fatigue analysis of stamping tools made of cast iron with an essentially pearlitic matrix and containing foundry defects. Our approach consists at first, in coupling the stamping numerical processing simulations and structure analysis in order to improve the tool stiffness geometry for minimizing the stress state and optimizing their fatigue lifetime. The method consists in simulating the stamping process by considering the tool as a perfect rigid body. The estimated contact pressure is then used as boundary condition for FEM structure loading analysis of the tool. The result of this analysis is compared with the critical stress limit depending on the automotive model. The acceptance of this test allows calculating the fatigue lifetime of the critical zone by using the S–N curve of corresponding load ratio. If the prescribed tool life requirements are not satisfied, then the critical region of the tool is redesigned and the whole simulation procedures are reactivated. This method is applied for a cast iron EN-GJS-600-3. The stress-failure (S–N) curves for this material is determined at room temperature under push pull loading with different load ratios R?=?σ _min/σ _max?=??2, R?=??1 and R?=?0.1. The effects of the foundry defects are determined by SEM observations of crack initiation sites. Their presence in tested specimens is associated with a reduction of fatigue lifetime by a factor of 2. However, the effect of the load ratio is more important.     

Effect of applied potential on the tribocorrosion behaviors of Monel K500 alloy in artificial seawater

A systematic investigation has been carried out in the present work to study the electrochemical and tribocorrosion behaviors of Monel K500 alloy sliding against Al₂O₃ pin in artificial seawater. It can be observed that the cathodic shift of open circuit potential and two order of magnitude increase of current density formed due to sliding. The total tribocorrosion volume loss increases with increasing applied potential. Interestingly, the total material loss at applied potential of 0.5 V and 0.9 V is more than three times of that under pure mechanical wear, confirming the synergy between wear and corrosion. The contribution of wear-induced-corrosion (ΔK_c) and corrosion-induced-wear (ΔK_w) are dominant especially at high applied potential.     

Boundary element analysis of stress singularity in dissimilar metals by friction welding

Friction-welded dissimilar metals are widely applied in automobiles, rolling stocks, machine tools, and various engineering fields. Dissimilar metals have several advantages over homogeneous metals, including high strength, material property, fatigue endurance, impact absorption, high reliability, and vibration reduction. Due to the increased use of these metals, understanding their behavior under stress conditions is necessary, especially the analysis of stress singularity on the interface of friction-welded dissimilar metals. To establish a strength evaluation method and a fracture criterion, it is necessary to analyze stress singularity on the interface of dissimilar metals with welded flashes by friction welding under various loads and temperature conditions. In this paper, a method analyzing stress singularity for the specimens with and without flashes set in friction-welded dissimilar metals is introduced using the boundary element method. The stress singularity index (??) and the stress singularity factor (??) at the interface edge are computed from the stress analysis results. The shape and flash thickness, interface length, residual stress, and load are considered in the computation. Based on these results, the variations of interface length (c) and the ratio of flash thickness (t ₂/t ₁) greatly influence the stress singularity factors at the interface edge of friction-welded dissimilar metals. The stress singularity factors will be a useful fracture parameter that considers stress singularity on the interface of dissimilar metals.     

Discretized Markov chain in damage assessment using Rainflow cycle with effects of mean stress on an automobile crankshaft

We studied the effect of mean stress correction factor using the Rainflow counting technique to assess the fatigue damage of an automobile crankshaft under service loading by considering the stochastic process of the Markov chain. The failure of the crankshaft will cause serious damage to the engine and also to other connecting subcomponents. The service loading is computationally generated from the Discrete Markov chain model and the fatigue cycle is counted using the Rainflow counting technique with the consideration of the local minima and maxima load. To quantify the fatigue damage, the strain-life curve using the fatigue mean stresses was used to model the fatigue failure of the material used in for the crankshaft at N _f = 10 ⁶ . The fatigue mean stresses were used to estimate the effects of the mean stress on the fatigue strength of the component under service loading condition. Statistical verification with the boundary condition of the 90% confidence level was performed to observe the difference between the stochastic algorithms when compared towards the fatigue life behavior of the ductile cast iron material. We concluded that for the practical application, the proposed stochastic model provides a highly accurate assessment of fatigue damage prediction for improving the safety and controlling the risk factors in terms of structural health monitoring.     

Corrosion fatigue characteristics in the weld of multi-pass welded A106 Gr B steel pipe

In order to investigate the corrosion fatigue characteristics in the weld of multi-pass welded A106 Gr B steel pipe, corrosion fatigue tests were performed under the various stress ratios and 3.5 wt% NaCl solution at room temperature. The corrosion fatigue characteristic curves were represented using crack closure concept. The obtained results are as follows ; when the load frequency is 1.0 Hz, the crack opening point is transited in the region of K_max=20-32 MPa-msu1/2. In the low stress intensity factor range, the crack opening point is higher than that in air. However, in the high stress intensity factor range, it is lower than that in air. In the cases of 0.1 Hz and 0.01 Hz, the crack opening point gradually decreases to K(min) with K_max increase.     

A comparative study of residual stress and affected layer in Aermet100 steel grinding with alumina and cBN wheels

Residual stresses induced by finish machining processes have significant effect on fatigue strength of ultra-high strength steel in large structures. In this study, an experimental investigation was carried out to explore the residual stress and affected layer in grinding Aermet100 by using a resin bond white alumina (WA) wheel and cubic boron nitride (cBN) wheel, respectively. The grinding force and temperature were measured, and then the affected layer of residual stress, microhardness, and microstructure by a WA and a cBN wheel was obtained. The comparisons of surface residual stress studies and thermal–mechanical coupling mechanism on the affected layer were discussed in light of the current understanding of this subject. Experimental results show that grinding with cBN wheel can provide compressive residual stress and a smaller affected layer owing to its better thermal conductivity; the coupling effect of wheel speed and grinding depth plays a more significant role on surface residual stress; when grinding with parameters v _w?=?18 m/min, v _s?=?14 m/s, and a _p?=?0.01 mm, compressive residual stress and hardening effect appeared on ground surface, and the depth of residual stress layer is 40~50 μm; the depth of hardened layer is 30~40 μm and the depth of plastic deformation layer is 5~10 μm.     

Structural integrity evaluation for interference-fit flywheels in reactor coolant pumps of nuclear power plants

This study is concerned with structural integrity evaluations for the interference-fit flywheels in reactor coolant pumps (RCPs) of nuclear power plants. Stresses in the flywheel due to the shrinkage loads and centrifugal loads at the RCP normal operation speed, design overspeed and joint-release speed are obtained using the finite element method (FEM), where release of the deformation-controlled stresses as a result of structural interactions during rotation is considered. Fracture mechanics evaluations for a series of cracks assumed to exist in the flywheel are conducted, considering ductile (fatigue) and non-ductile fracture, and stress intensity factors are obtained for the cracks using the finite element alternating method (FEAM). From analysis results, it is found that fatigue crack growth rates calculated are negligible for smaller cracks. Meanwhile, the material resistance to non-ductile fracture in terms of the critical stress intensity factor(K _IC) and the nil-ductility transition reference temperature RTinNDT are governing factors for larger cracks.     

Growth behavior of short surface fatigue cracks in 2 1/4 Cr-1 Mo steel

Fatigue tests by axial loading (R-0.05) were carried out to investigate short fatigue crack growth behavior in 2 1/4 Cr-1 Mo steel at room temperature using smooth and a small notched flat specimen. All the data of the fatigue crack growth rate in the present tests were analyzed as a function of the stress intensity factor equation in conjunction with crack closure behavior. Analysis was performed accounting for the relation of surface effective stress range,Ua and depth effective stress range,Ub. In the case of isotropic crack growth properties,Ub=(ΔK_ta/ΔK_tb) ·Ua. By use ofUb obtained from the analysis, crack growth rates to surface direction coincide with those of depth direction.     

Crack propagation behaviour in fretting fatigue

Fretting fatigue and normal, or unfretting, fatigue tests of a stainless steel SUS304L and an aluminium alloy A2024-T3 were carried out to investigate the effects of the contact pressure and the stress ratio on the crack propagation behaviour. The crack propagation behaviour was represented by the crack propagation rate da/dNversus the crack length a or the stress intensity factors ΔK_eff and K_max In fretting fatigue, crack propagation was divided into two stages, namely S_I and S_II. The value of da/dN in the S_I stage was very high, even under a stress intensity factor less than the threshold for normal fatigue, and decreased gradually with crack growth because of crack closure and the decreasing fretting effect. The decrease in da/dN was marked in the case of high contact pressure and low stress ratio such as when R = −0.33, where R denotes the minimum stress divided by the maximum stress. During fretting fatigue crack closure occurred at an oblique short crack in the early stages of crack propagation in both the SUS304L steel and the A2024-T3 alloy; it also occurred at the oblique cracked surface of the shear lips formed in the A2024-T3 alloy during crack growth. However, in the S_II stage, which followed the S_I stage, da/dN increased with crack growth as for normal fatigue.     

Fretting fatigue life estimations based on fretting mechanisms

Generally the fretting fatigue S-N curve has two regions: one is the high cycle (low stress) region and the second is the low cycle (high stress) region. In a previous paper we introduced the fretting fatigue life estimation methods in high cycle region by considering the wear process; with this estimation method the fretting fatigue limit can be estimated to be the crack initiation limit at the contact edge. In this paper we estimate the low cycle fretting fatigue life based on a new critical distance theory, modified for a high stress region using ultimate tensile strength σ_B and fracture toughness K_IC. The critical distance for estimating low cycle fretting fatigue strength was calculated by interpolation of the critical distance on the fretting fatigue limit (estimated from σ_w0 and ΔK_th) with critical distance on static strength (estimated from σ_B and K_IC). By unifying this low cycle fretting fatigue life estimation method with the high cycle fretting fatigue life estimation method, which was presented in the previous paper, we can estimate the total fretting life easily. And to confirm the availability of this estimation method we perform the fretting fatigue test using Ni-Mo-V steel.     

Effect of sigma phase on near-threshold fatigue crack growth behavior and ultrasonic evaluation in AISI 316L stainless steel

In this work, we examined the influence of microstructural changes, such as an intermetallic sigma (??) phase, on the fatigue behavior of high-temperature aged AISI 316L stainless steel. Nondestructive ultrasonic test and fatigue crack growth tests were performed to determine the threshold stress intensity factor of these artificially aged specimens. Ultrasonic test results characterizing the microstructural changes were compared with those of the fatigue tests to propose an empirical formula capable of predicting the threshold stress intensity factor by a nondestructive method. We observed a strong correlation between the increase in the volume fraction of the ?? phase and the decrease of ??K_th. Ultrasonic velocity increased in response to the coarsening behavior of the ?? phase in the vicinity of the grain boundaries.     

The role of casting porosity in fatigue properties of Al−Si 319 lost foam cast alloy

The tensile, fracture toughness and fatigue properties of Al−Si 319 lost-foam-cast alloy were determined at room temperature. The fatigue properties of this alloy were also determined at 150°C. Fatigue cracks were always initiated at the largest casting pore. Initial pore sizes were measured using a scanning electron microscope. Surface replication showed that majority of the fatigue life was spent in fatigue crack propagation and permitted the estimation of the constants in the Paris power law and the threshold stress intensity factor (ΔK _th ). The role of internal casting porosity was quantified using a linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) model for fatigue crack growth. The predicted lives agreed with the measured values within a factor of two.     

Fatigue crack growth behavior of Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel at elevated temperatures: Effect of temperature,loading frequency and R ratio

The fatigue crack growth behavior of Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel was investigated as a function of temperature, loading frequency and R ratios in the Paris regime. The relationship between fatigue crack growth rate and stress intensity factor range was acquired for each test condition. The results revealed that crack growth rate was accelerated with increasing temperature and decreasing loading frequency. The influence of the R ratio on crack growth rate was only pronounced at the low loading frequency condition. In order to understand the crack growth mechanism, activation energy analysis and normalized ΔK analysis were performed. This study suggests that oxidation and the degradation of mechanical properties promote crack growth behavior.     

Fretting fatigue strength estimation considering the fretting wear process

In fretting fatigue process the wear of contact surfaces near contact edges occur in accordance with the reciprocal micro-slippages on these contact surfaces. These fretting wear change the contact pressure near the contact edges. To estimate the fretting fatigue strength and life it is indispensable to analyze the accurate contact pressure distributions near the contact edges in each fretting fatigue process.So, in this paper we present the estimation methods of fretting wear process and fretting fatigue life using this wear process. Firstly the fretting-wear process was estimated using contact pressure and relative slippage as follows:

W=K×P×S,