The nature of initiation and propagation S-N curves at and below the fatigue limit

The traditional stress-life method of life prediction relies on an S – N curve of stress versus total life. However, the total life of a sample can be divided into two phases—an initiation phase and a propagation phase that leads to ultimate failure. Although this break-up of total life into two phases has been recognized in theory, there has been no experimental method to generate initiation and propagation S – N curves. In this paper a methodology to generate initiation and propagation S – N curves is presented. Acoustic emission technology is used to detect the transition from the initiation phase to the propagation phase. The phenomenon of fatigue limits is also explored and it is shown that the fatigue limit of the traditional S – N curve corresponds to the fatigue limit of the initiation phase and that initiated cracks continue to propagate at stress levels below the initiation endurance limit. It is also shown that no damage is accrued at stress levels below the fatigue limit. A method to extend the propagation life curve below the initiation endurance limit is also presented. The proposed two-phase S – N curve will greatly extend the life-predicting capability of the stress-life method and can explain some of the contradictions observed in experiments.