Setup for studying the kinetics of crack growth in cyclic bending tests

Abstract

The goal of the study is analysis of the features of fatigue cyclic fracture of steels. An installation has been designed to induce fatigue cracks and to study the kinetics of fatigue crack development. Crack growth is recorded by the method of potential difference. The data on the crack growth kinetics were processed on a computer using LGraph2 programs and Excel spreadsheets. When studying the kinetics of the fatigue crack development, the electrodes were soldered to the edges of the initial notch of the sample and time dependence of the potential difference was recorded on a computer during crack growth. To interpret the experimental data, a calibration chart in the coordinates «potential difference (U) – the crack length (Lcr)» constructed on the basis of the millivoltmeter readings was used, with due regard for the size of the sample section, current flow and length of the fatigue crack. Cyclic loading of the sample resulted in a stepwise character of the crack growth: first occurred zone of plastic deformation of the metal is then followed by accumulation of stresses of a certain size, their relaxation in the form of a crack and sudden crack growth. An abrupt crack growth is clearly visible on a graph of the fatigue crack growth rate obtained upon computer processing of experimental data. Using a graphical editor KOMPAS, a graph was constructed which characterized the growth of the fatigue crack against the number of cycles of fatigue tests for bending. The experimental setup provides the possibility of fatigue crack formation for impact tests, determination of the work of crack propagation, as well as studying of the kinetics of crack development and computer processing of experimental data.