Evaluation of overload effects on fatigue crack growth and closure

Fatigue crack propagation tests with single tensile peak overloads have been performed in 6082-T6 aluminium alloy at several baseline ΔK levels and stress ratios of 0.05 and 0.25. The tests were carried out at constant ΔK conditions. Crack closure was monitored in all tests by the compliance technique using a pin microgauge. The observed transient post-overload behaviour is discussed in terms of overload ratio, baseline ΔK level and stress ratio. The crack closure parameter U was obtained and compared with the crack growth transients. Experimental support is given for the hypothesis that plasticity-induced closure is the main cause of overload retardation for plane stress conditions. Predictions based on crack closure measurements show good correlation with the observed crack growth rates for all the post-overload transients when discontinuous closure is properly taken into account.