Effect of microstructure on tensile and fatigue properties of cast Mg–10Gd–2Y–0·5Zr alloy

Abstract

The microstructure and its effect on tensile properties and fatigue properties of a Mg–10Gd–2Y–0·5Zr (wt-%) cast alloy have been studied. The microstructures of as-cast, solution treated and T6 treated specimens were examined by optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Tensile properties and fatigue properties of the specimens were determined and fractography was carried out. The SEM examination showed that the precipitates after T6 treatment were mainly distributed at grain boundaries, which accounts for the intergranular brittle fracture observed. The average grain size of the specimens measured after solution treatment varied from 87 to 128 μm. The mechanical tests showed that the tensile strength and low cycle fatigue strength increase with decreasing average grain size, whereas high fatigue strength is less sensitive to grain size. The fractography indicated that ductile and brittle fracture patterns coexist.     

Influential microstructural changes on rolling contact fatigue crack initiation in pearlitic rail steels

Abstract

Rail life is controlled by the balance between wear and fatigue damage due to in service loading. To model and optimise rail life, knowledge of the fatigue crack initiation mechanism is required. This paper reports the effect of in service loading on microstructural changes in the subsurface layer of pearlitic rail steels and observations of early stage (10–50 μm length) fatigue crack formation. Micro and nanohardness measurements are reported, along with microstructural observations, showing differential work hardening in the proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite phases. It is proposed that the differential straining results in ductility exhaustion in the proeutectoid ferrite and therefore fatigue crack initiation and initial growth in the proeutectoid ferrite phase. Observations of short (<50 μm) cracks in rails taken out of service containing significant amounts of proeutectoid ferrite (≈20%) confirm the proposed mechanism.     

基于有限元法的机械疲劳寿命预测方法的研究

介绍了一种采用疲劳有限元分析软件MSC．FATIGUE来对结构件进行疲劳寿命预测的方法。以一阶梯轴为研究对象,在指定的载荷工况下,用有限元法分析了轴上的应力分布情况,并估算危险点处的疲劳寿命。该方法对设计制造过程中机械零部件的疲劳强度分析具有一定的参考价值。