The influence of hydrogen on the very high cycle fatigue property and crack growth characteristics of bearing steels

Abstract

In the present study, the growth rate of optically dark area (ODA) was investigated for two types of bearing steels using a fracture mechanics approach. Ultrasonic fatigue tests were performed for the specimens with hydrogen pre-charging followed by exposing in the atmosphere for a week in order to investigate the effect of hydrogen trapped by inclusions on the growth of ODA. Together with the constant amplitude loading test, two-step and repeated two-step variable amplitude loading tests were performed in order to determine the fatigue crack growth rate by beach marks. The results revealed that fatigue strengths of the both materials were reduced by the hydrogen pre-charging. The size of ODA increased with decreasing the stress amplitude at fracture so that the stress intensity factor range at the end of the ODA growth became a constant value ranging between 4.5 and 5.5 MPa √m independent of the materials and the fatigue lives. ODA formation behavior is enhanced by trapped hydrogen by inclusions, which reduces the fatigue strength in the very high cycle fatigue regime.