A Study on Very High Cycle Fatigue Properties of Low Flammability Magnesium Alloy in Rotating Bending and Axial Loading

Abstract

In order to use a low flammability magnesium alloy as structural components, very high cycle fatigue properties of this alloy (AMCa602) were investigated. S-N properties obtained in both rotating bending and axial loading were compared with each other. It was found that S-N curve in the axial loading appeared a little lower than that in the rotating bending due to the differences of stress distributions and critical volumes for both loading types. Moreover, the statistical aspect on the fatigue property was analyzed as P-S-N characteristics in the rotating bending. After fatigue tests, fracture surfaces of failed specimens were observed by means of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the microstructures at the crack initiation site and the propagation path were also observed by combining FIB technique and EBSD analysis. Thus, it was found that some specimens failed from surface inclusions and their fatigue lives were lower in comparison to those of the specimens without surface inclusions. In addition, the fracture surfaces of this alloy revealed very rough in the usual life region, whereas a characteristic smooth area was observed on the fracture surfaces of specimens failed in the surface inclusion-initiated fracture and in very high cycle regime. A stress intensity factor range at the front of the smooth area (ΔKsmooth) tended to a definite value so that the fracture mechanism of this alloy was governed by a concept of ΔK.