A novel continuum damage mechanics-based approach for thermal corrosion fatigue (TCF) life prediction of aluminum alloys

Abstract

In this study, a novel continuum damage mechanics-based model is proposed to predict the thermal corrosion fatigue (TCF) life of aluminum alloys. First, a new thermal elastic–plastic fatigue damage model is established, and the good applicability of this model is then verified by experimental data. Further, a novel damage model is developed by combining the corrosion fatigue model and the proposed thermal elastic–plastic fatigue damage model, which could effectively consider the thermal effects, corrosion pit evolution, stress–strain field and fatigue damage evolution. After that, the numerical simulation method is implemented for fatigue life prediction, and the predicted results agree well with the experimental data. Finally, the effects of thermal on critical pit depth, corrosion fatigue damage evolution rate and the interaction between corrosion and fatigue are comprehensively investigated using the proposed model.