Abstract
A fracture mechanics approach to hydrogen-assisted microdamage and failure analysis of high-strength pearlitic steel wires is presented. Fractographic analysis revealed micromechanical effects of hydrogen in the form of tearing topography surface(TTS). The progress of this microdamage is modelled as a macroscopic crack that extends the original fatigue precrack and involves linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) principles. In this case, the change from hydrogen-assisted microdamage (HAMD) in the form of TTS (subcritical mode) to cleavage-like topography (critical regime associated with failure) takes place when a critical stress intensity factor (KH) is reached, and this value depends on the amount of hydrogen which penetrated the vicinity of the actual crack tip (the fatigue precrack plus the TTS extension). It is seen that the crack growth by TTS corresponds to the horizontal part (plateau) in the crack growth kinetics (CGK) curve da/dt-K until reaching the critical level KH.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
