Fatigue crack growth of titanium alloy joints by electron beam welding

Abstract

Electron beam welding (EBW) has been widely used in the manufacture of titanium alloy welded blisk for aircraft engines. Based on fatigue crack growth tests on titanium alloy electron beam welding (EBW) joints, mechanism of fracture was investigated under scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that fatigue crack growth rate increases as the experimental load increases under the same stress ratio and stress intensity factor range. At the beginning of crack growth, the extension mechanism of fatigue crack is the typical mechanism of cleavage fracture. In the steady extention stage, crack extends along the weld seam firstly. Then, crack growth direction changes to extend along the base metal. The extension mechanism of fatigue crack in the weld seam is the main mechanism of cleavage fracture and the extension mechanism of fatigue crack in the base metal is the main extension mechanism of fatigue band. In the instantaneous fracture stage, the extension mechanism of fatigue crack is the typical dimple-type static fracture mechanism. Crack growth was simulated by conventional finite element method and extended finite element method.