Thermomechanical fatigue—damage mechanisms and mechanism-based life prediction methods

An existing extensive database on the isothermal and thermomechanical fatigue behaviour of high-temperature titanium alloy EVII 834 and dispersoid-strengthened aluminum alloy X8019 in SiC particle-reinforced as well as unreinv conditions was used to evaluate both the adaptability of fracture mechanics approaches to TMF and the resulting predictive capabilities of determining material life by crack propagation consideration. Selection of the correct microstructural concepts was emphasised and these concepts were, then adjusted by using data from independent experiments in order to avoid any sort of fitting. It is shown that the cyclic /-integral (δJ_eff concept) is suitable to predict the cyclic lifetime for conditions where the total crack propagation rate is approximately identical to pure fatigue crack growth velocity. In the case that crack propagation is strongly affected by creep, the creep-fatigue damage parameter δ_CF introduced by Riedel can be successfully applied. If environmental effects are very pronounced, the accelerating influence of corrosion on fatigue crack propagation can no longer implicitly be taken into account in the fatigue crack growth law. Instead, a linear combination of the crack growth rate contributions from plain fatigue (determined in vacuum) and from environmental attack is assumed and found to yield a satisfactory prediction, if the relevant corrosion process is taken into account.     

气藏水平井非稳态产能预测新方法研究

针对高产气藏储层特征,建立起气藏水平井非稳态产能预测模型,对高产气藏的产能进行分析和预测.实例分析表明,通过该模型形成的基于气藏与井筒耦合作用的非稳态产能预测新方法,对于单井产能预测具有优越性、长远性和实用性.该方法可直接利用不稳定压力测试成果进行预测,还可通过生产动态资料拟合来确定地层参数和预测,也可用来研究不同工作制度、完井方式,以及增产措施改善情况下的产能变化,为衰竭式开采的气藏工程研究提供了先进的手段.     

用屏蔽暂堵技术封堵水平井裂缝性漏层

克拉玛依油田HW702水平井的大斜度段和水平段,将穿越纵向裂缝发育的二叠系佳木河组储层。为安全钻进和保护油层,用超细碳酸钙和磺化沥青复配后加入复合离子钻井液中成屏蔽暂堵的堵漏钻井液。室内用岩心试验,屏蔽暂堵后渗透率可降为0,暂堵深度小于3cm,可用酸化和射孔解堵。现场使用效果也很好,使HW702水平井顺利完钻,并获得工业油气流。     

横波速度各向异性初步探讨：—多波勘探资料的应用

在纵波、SH 型横波资料处理和解释过程中,我们发现四川 HBC 地区地下介质普遍存在方向各向异性。当横波通过方向各向异性介质时,分裂成两个波:一个波的偏振方向与裂缝平行,叫快横波;另一个波的偏振方向与裂缝走向垂直,叫慢横波。采用相应的观测和处理方法,便可获得快横波和慢横波剖面。根据同一界面的快、慢横波的旅行时可以求得各向异性系数。同样,还可以利用 SH 波与转换波的速度比求取各向异性系数。各向异性系数的大小,反映了裂缝的发育程度。如果野外作了 X、Y 分量观测,室内又作了坐标旋转处理,那么,就可以进一步确定裂缝带的方向。如果未作上述工作,也可以根据构造线走向,大致确定裂缝带的发育方向。     

T-stress in orthotropic functionally graded materials: Lekhnitskii and Stroh formalisms

A new interaction integral formulation is developed for evaluating the elastic T-stress for mixed-mode crack problems with arbitrarily oriented straight or curved cracks in orthotropic nonhomogeneous materials. The development includes both the Lekhnitskii and Stroh formalisms. The former is physical and relatively simple, and the latter is mathematically elegant. The gradation of orthotropic material properties is integrated into the element stiffness matrix using a “generalized isoparametric formulation” and (special) graded elements. The specific types of material gradation considered include exponential and hyperbolic-tangent functions, but micromechanics models can also be considered within the scope of the present formulation. This paper investigates several fracture problems to validate the proposed method and also provides numerical solutions, which can be used as benchmark results (e.g. investigation of fracture specimens). The accuracy of results is verified by comparison with analytical solutions.     

Study on ASTM E399 and ASTM E1921 standards

Costs of ASTM E399 and ASTM E1921 tests, which were developed to determine the fracture toughness (K_Ic) and the ductile–brittle transition temperature of ferritic steels, respectively, are considered high and the procedures are also very complicated. In this study, a method, which is more cost‐effective and easier to carry out, is proposed.     

Failure analysis of three reconditioned rail car couplers

Three reconditioned rail car couplers, arbitrarily identified as couplers, failed during service due to cracking of the front face. The three couplers were reportedly upgraded by quenching and tempering to enhance strength and toughness. The objective of this investigation was to determine the mode of crack propagation and the root cause of the observed failures. Verl E. (Bud) Kahle, P.E., was a professional failure analyst for more than forty years. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in physical metallurgy from Washington State University 1957, Bud was employed by the General Electric Company at a facility in Hanford, Washington. He later was employed by the Aerojet General Corporation and eventually was head of the Southern Pacific Materials Science Laboratory in Sacramento. After retirement from Southern Pacific he owned and operated his own firm, Kahle Metallurgical Consulting Services, for fifteen years. He came to be known as “the man with the answers” to clients in a variety of industries. Bud was a Life Member of ASM International. Many of Bud’s clients remarked on the high quality of his failure analysis case histories and encouraged him to have them published. After Bud passed away in 1999, his wife, Suzanne, approached ASM International to see if the society would be interested in publishing any of his work. Mrs. Kahle was able to supply a large number of reports, which Bud had carefully archived over the years. Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention Associate Editor Michael Stevenson read through the collected case histories, selected the ones to be included in this issue, and edited them for journal publication. ASM International wishes to thank Mrs. Kahle for providing these case histories for publication.     

糯扎渡心墙堆石坝心墙方案比较研究

糯扎渡工程在可行性研究阶段，比较了直心墙堆石坝和斜心墙堆石坝两种方案，分析表明，直心墙堆石坝在坝坡稳定性、坝体应力及抗震性方面均满足设计要求，且在地形地质条件、基础处理、抗震性能、施工方便性、工程造价等方面不同程度地优于斜心墙堆石坝，因此，设计最终选择直心墙堆石坝方案。     

Synergism of Toughening Mechanisms in Whisker-Reinforced Ceramic-Matrix Composites

The improved fracture resistance of whisker-reinforced ceramic-matrix composites involves more than one energy-absorbing mechanism. The possible mechanisms are reviewed and a micromechanical model evaluating the relative contributions to the overall toughness is presented. The mechanisms involve microcracking, load transfer, bridging, and crack deflection. The synergism of these mechanisms is examined using an energy release rate balance equation. The basic assumption of the proposed model is that the load transfer between the matrix and the whiskers is due to Coulomb friction. The model has been applied to an Al₂O₃/SiC whisker composite and shows reasonable agreement with reported experimental results. The role of the thermal residual stresses is also examined in light of the frictional load transfer assumption.     

Basic studies leading to the development of an ultrahigh strength,high fracture toughness low-alloy steel

Ultrahigh strength steels have been used increasingly in recent years for critical aircraft and aerospace structural applications. In such applications, though materials performance is of prime consideration, cost and availability makes the low-alloy steels an attractive option. This paper describes the development of an ultrahigh strength NiSiCrCoMo low-alloy steel, supported by significant findings obtained from the basic studies that were aimed at understanding how solute additions influence fracture resistance of iron, with and without the presence of carbon. The results of the basic studies, in combination with the work of Garrison (1986) on a NiSiCr steel, have profitably been employed in the development of a NiSiCrCoMo low-alloy steel possessing a strength-toughness combination quite comparable to the highly alloyed 250-grade maraging steel. Reproducibility of attractive strength and toughness properties has been established in tonnage scale melts. This steel, in the softened condition, has good formability and machinability. Weld parameters have also been established. The NiSiCrCoMo low-alloy steel thus meets the requirements of performance and cost rendering it an attractive option for advanced structural applications.