Discrepancies of fatigue crack growth behaviour of API X65 steel

Abstract

This paper discusses the fatigue life behaviour of the API X65 steel tested under constant amplitude loading in ambient temperature. The influence of repeated loading at a particular stress ratio would favour the initiation of fatigue cracks that would consequently affect the fatigue crack growth. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the load ratio effects on fatigue crack growth rate, taking into account their statistical characteristics. The fatigue crack growth test was carried out using compact-tension specimen at different load ratios of 0.1, 0.4 and 0.7. The experimental results showed the crack growth rate was dependent on the applied load. It was observed that the load ratio effect was less significant in stable crack growth regions. The result was consistent with the multiple regression test obtained by the least square method at a significance level of 0.05. The empirical model of Paris and Walker was utilised to evaluate the effects of load ratio on the fatigue crack growth rates. The approximation of fatigue life lies between 10-25 % of error using conservative model and 6 % error using the Walker model. The experimental data was scattered within a factor-of-2 correlation line suggesting that the accuracy of the experimental data towards the estimated values was high.