Accelerated Crack Growth Research Articles

A deformation-diffusion interactive model to study crack-tip behaviour and predict crack growth rate under fatigue and hydrogen-embrittlement conditions

Hydrogen is accepted as a cleaner and more sustainable energy source, since it carries abundant energy and does not produce any effluent gas from burning when compared to fossil fuels. However, long-term degradation in mechanical properties, attributed to hydrogen embrittlement, is reported for metallic materials exposed to gaseous hydrogen, leading to accelerated crack growth behaviour under fatigue. In this paper, a visco-plastic deformation-diffusion interactive model is developed to study fatigue crack growth behaviour in a nickel-based superalloy under hydrogen-embrittlement condition. In the model, cyclic deformation is described by visco-plasticity constitutive model, while hydrogen diffusion is simulated by a modified form of Fick’s first law of diffusion which can address hydrogen diffusion driven by the hydrostatic stress gradient. In particular, trapped hydrogen, expressed as dependent on both diffusible hydrogen concentration and inelastic strain, is considered in the modelling of hydrogen diffusion. The model also describes the effects of hydrogen concentration on mechanical deformation by considering its influence on the evolution of isotropic hardening as well as on the strain state. Interaction between cyclic deformation and hydrogen diffusion is therefore studied for a crack tip in a compact tension specimen subjected to fatigue and hydrogen attack, showing a strong dependency on both loading frequency and stress intensity factor range. Subsequently, a two-parameter criterion is proposed for fatigue crack growth prediction, which accounts for the contributions of both cyclic deformation and hydrogen diffusion. The predictions show a good agreement with experimental data in terms of crack growth rate under fatigue and hydrogen-embrittlement conditions.

Fatigue life prediction for Q420qFNH weathering steel welded joints considering the effect of multiple cracks

Multiple semi-elliptical cracks frequently develop at the weld toes of welded joints. These interfering multiple cracks significantly accelerate crack growth rates and reduce the fatigue life of a welded joint compared to a single crack. This study proposes a method for predicting the fatigue life of a welded joint with multiple cracks, considering weld toe amplification effect, multiple crack interference amplification effect, and crack closure effect. The method is validated through fatigue tests on Q420qFNH weathering steel welded joints. The main factors influencing the interference amplification effect are investigated, and theoretical formulas for the interference amplification factor of the stress intensity factor are derived using the finite element method and the superposition principle. The initiation, aggregation, and morphological evolution during the propagation process of multiple cracks is accurately simulated, and the fatigue life of both cruciform-welded and butt-welded joints is predicted. Additionally, a quantitative analysis is conducted to assess the impact of the number of fatigue cracks on fatigue strength. The results indicate that the interference amplification effect of cracks depends on their distance and mainly affects the surface point where the crack front is closest. The proposed fatigue life prediction method can accurately estimate the fatigue life of Q420qFNH steel welded joints considering the effect of multi-cracks. The interference and coalescence of multiple cracks significantly reduce the fatigue life of welded joints. An increase in the number of fatigue cracks notably decreases the fatigue strength.

Phase field modeling of underloads induced fatigue crack acceleration

This study proposes a novel methodology to model the fatigue crack growth acceleration under underloads using a phase field fracture framework. In this model, fatigue crack growth is characterized by the degradation of fracture toughness, with an emphasis on employing a representative loading strategy instead of explicit cyclic loading, thus accelerating simulations of high-cycle fatigue. The model integrates a zone-based crack acceleration approach that responds to single-cycle underload. Notably, the model adeptly captures the dynamics described by the Paris-Erdogan law. Post-underload crack growth acceleration is simulated by identifying an acceleration zone near the crack tip, inspired by existing models based on the plastic zone. This zone is defined by a strain energy density threshold, and the underload ratio governs the rate of fatigue damage accumulation attenuation within this area. The implementation leverages the UMAT user subroutine in Abaqus, utilizing coupled temperature-displacement elements where temperature analogously represents the phase field parameter. Experimental validation of the model confirms its ability to accurately reflect the loss of fatigue life and the acceleration of crack growth rates in compact tension and middle tension specimens. Additionally, the model shows promise for extension to periodic underloads, highlighting its potential for simulating real-world fatigue scenarios effectively.

Fatigue fracture of 316L steel manufactured by selective laser melting method

The kinetics of short cracks in 316L steel samples made by selective laser melting was studied. The structural sensitivity of such cracks, which form on technological defects at the early stage of fatigue is noted. The cracks develop predominantly along the fusion boundaries and slow down their growth at the boundaries of the melt pools. An increase in the crack opening of arrested cracks lead to the formation of a plastic zone at their tips, localization of deformation, a decrease in opening and continued growth with an increase in the number of cycles. The alternation of the processes of propagation and deceleration of short cracks during loading is reflected in the kinetic diagram of fatigue failure which has rate growth thresholds with spacing between them being close to the scanning step during steel manufacturing. The diagram is described by the Paris equation with the same exponent at the growth stage of both short and long cracks. The plotted fatigue curve was compared with fatigue curves for the same material produced by traditional and additive methods. It was shown that the plotted fatigue curve, as well as the fatigue curves for similar materials taken from literary sources, lie much lower than the fatigue curve for the same steel obtained by the traditional method. However, the use of optimal manufacturing modes, as well as subsequent heat treatment, leads to the fatigue characteristics of «additive» steel being similar to those of steels produced by the traditional method. The macro- and microrelief of the fracture surfaces of the samples was studied, the stages of stable and accelerated crack growth were identified, the crack lengths at fracture surfaces corresponding to these stages were evaluated and the predominate fracture mechanisms at each stage were described. It is shown that the observed knee point in the fatigue curve is accompanied by an increase in the damage of the lateral surface of the samples with an increase in the stress amplitude and transition to a more ductile fracture relief, which is explained by the switch from the plane-strain state to a plane-stressed state of the sample material realizing at the tip of the macrocrack.

Mechanistic model for hydrogen accelerated fatigue crack growth in a low carbon steel

Fracture by hydrogen accelerated fatigue crack growth is a severe type of environmental failure. Although fatigue crack growth has been the subject of intense investigation over several decades, a complete mechanistic and predictive model is still lacking. Such a crack growth model is even more rare in the case of hydrogen in view of the lack also of constitutive models for material deformation under cycling loading that account for the hydrogen effect. In this study, we present a model for fatigue crack propagation induced by alternating crack tip plastic blunting and re-sharpening, which in the presence of hydrogen can be accelerated by hydrogen enhanced dislocation motion and generation. The Chaboche constitutive model, which is a nonlinear kinematic hardening model capable of capturing many features of material behavior under cyclic loading, is used for the calculation of the stress and strain fields at the propagating crack tip. The Chaboche model is calibrated using a sequence of experimental data from uniaxial strain-controlled cyclic loading tests and uniaxial stress-controlled ratcheting tests with a low carbon steel, JIS SM490YB, in the absence and presence of hydrogen. The numerical simulation results indicate that the proposed crack propagation model can predict Paris law behavior and can successfully demonstrate acceleration of fatigue crack growth in the presence of hydrogen. Significantly, the profiles of the steady-state opening stress and strain ahead of the fatigue crack tip in a compact tension (C(T)) specimen were found to have sections over which they vary as ln(1/r) with distance r from the crack tip, consistent with the crack-tip strain field for a non-stationary crack.

Simulation Study of Crack Extension in Concrete Blast Walls Under Blast Impacts

To study the crack propagation law of concrete blast wall (CBW) under explosion impact, this paper uses ANSYS/LS-DYNA finite element software to numerically simulate the crack growth law under the influence of different explosion loads and explosion distances. The results show that: after the explosion, the change of composite velocity of each measuring point on the wall at a certain distance from the explosion point is mainly divided into three stages: explosive initiation stage, the composite velocity and acceleration of each measuring point are zero; In the accelerated crack growth stage, the acceleration of each measuring point reaches the peak value; At the stage of uniform crack growth, the crack will no longer accelerate its diffusion. When the explosion distance is fixed, the explosion load is positively correlated with the number of radial cracks; When the explosion load is small, there are only inconspicuous circumferential cracks in the center of the wall. When TNT equivalent is 15g, 25g, and 30g, CBW circumferential cracks increase and mainly concentrate in the center, and gradually expand outward to the boundary in the form of concentric circles. At the same time, when the explosion load is constant, the explosion distance is negatively related to the number of cracks, mainly radial cracks, while circumferential cracks are always distributed in the center of the wall. In the range of simulated explosion distance, the cracks only appear at the boundary and gradually change from square to round with the increase of explosion distance, and the crack area decreases. The research results can provide a theoretical basis for avoiding such accidents and a powerful reference for accident investigators to determine the location and intensity of explosion sources.

Thermal fatigue behaviors of thin-walled structures with holes: Experiments and phase field fracture modeling

The assessment of thermal fatigue behaviors of thin-walled structures with holes is a challenging task. A novel experimental approach was designed to test the thermal fatigue behaviors of thin-walled structures with holes. The experiments were conducted under three test conditions (300–850/950/1000 ℃) to investigate the behaviors of crack initiation and early propagation. The cyclic temperature loading exhibits high-transient and wide-ranging characteristics, enabling the construction of a non-uniform transient temperature field in the heating step. A thermal fatigue phase field model was developed for elastoplastic solids, and thermal fatigue fracture modeling and life prediction were performed. The phase field effectively reproduces crack morphology, and the experimental results closely match the simulation results when fatigue parameters are properly selected. Raising the upper limit of temperature will significantly diminish thermal fatigue life, accelerate crack growth, and induce a broader range of material damage. The temperature gradient in the heating step enhances the cyclic plastic behavior at the edge of the hole, significantly amplifying the detrimental impact of thermal fatigue.

Characterization of Crack Growth Acceleration of V-added Precipitation-strengthened High-Mn Austenitic Steel in High-pressure Gaseous Hydrogen Environment

Characterization of Crack Growth Acceleration of V-added Precipitation-strengthened High-Mn Austenitic Steel in High-pressure Gaseous Hydrogen Environment

Investigating the effect of external heat flux on the crack growth process in an aluminum nanoplate using molecular dynamics simulation

The effect of heat flux (HF) is crucial for understanding the behavior of materials, particularly in terms of crack propagation. HF can induce thermal stresses that accelerate crack growth, which can compromise the structural integrity and safety of materials. However, by studying the effect of HF, we can gain insights into the mechanisms that lead to crack initiation and growth. The importance of this study lies in its contribution to understanding the impact of external HF (EHF) on the cracking behavior of Aluminum nanoplates. For this purpose, EHF with 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.1 W/m2 are added to the initial structure. By inserting EHF into the modeled samples, the atomic evolution of them is investigated. This study was performed using LAMMPS software and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Numerically, the maximum velocity of atoms increased from 4.81187 Å/ps to 4.81236 Å/ps as the EHF rose from 0.01 W/m2 to 0.1 W/m2. The maximum stress of samples increases from 151.689 GPa to 151.712 GPa by the EHF ratio enlarging. Finally, the crack length reaches to the maximum value (33.492 Å) by the EHF ratio set to 0.03 W/m2.By investigating the atomic evolution and crack growth process under different EHF values, the study provides valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms and thermal effects that influence crack propagation in these materials. This knowledge can be utilized to optimize the design and performance of aluminum nanoplates in practical applications, such as in the development of more robust and reliable structural components or devices.

Isothermal and thermo-mechanical fatigue-crack-growth analysis of XH73M nickel alloy

In service-power engineering and aviation, gas-turbine engine structures are operated at elevated temperatures and under extensive variable mechanical loading, which is classified as thermomechanical fatigue (TMF). This coupling effect leads to flaw initiation and growth in components fabricated from thermally resistant nickel-based alloys. This paper presents experimental crack-growth data for isothermal pure fatigue, in-phase and out-of-phase TMF conditions. A crack-growth testing method is developed using inductive heating/forced convective cooling and direct crack-tip opening displacement techniques. The crack-growth experimental results are interpreted based on finite element analyses of the stress–strain rate fields at the crack tip under TMF conditions. Therefore, multi-physics numerical calculations are employed for the interaction of the heat loss from magnetic-field eddy currents with forced convective air cooling through a computer fluid dynamics model, which presents a nonuniform mechanical elastic–plastic stress distribution. Consequently, the dependence of the new nonlinear stress intensity factors on the crack length are obtained for each of the isothermal and thermomechanical cyclic deformation conditions. The polycrystalline XH73M nickel-based alloy tests performed show that, from the crack-growth acceleration viewpoint, the following order of arrangement of fatigue fracture diagrams is formed: isothermal pure fatigue, in-phase TMF, out-of-phase TMF, and isothermal pure fatigue at T = 400 °C and T = 23 °C. The differences and corresponding conclusions based on the interpretation of the experimental results of the crack growth rate characteristics at elevated temperatures in terms of elastic and nonlinear fracture resistance parameters are discussed.

Fatigue failure mechanism analysis of 1Cr17Ni2 stainless steel blades ground by an abrasive belt

Fatigue failure, as the main failure form of aero-engine blades, has a direct impact on the reliability and service life of aviation equipment. In order to improve the service performance of machined blades, it is necessary to understand the failure process and failure mechanism of blades and then optimize the grinding process. This paper takes abrasive belt grinding of an 1Cr17Ni2 stainless steel blade as the research object and analyzes the fatigue failure mechanism by characterizing the surface morphology, cross-sectional microstructure, and cross-sectional characteristics of the fatigue failure blade. The results show that cracks are prone to propagate in carbon-rich areas with poor mechanical properties inside the material, and the accumulation of large-size carbon-rich areas leads to continuous cracks easily and accelerates crack growth. The grinding process promotes the migration and consumption of surface carbon elements and forms a carbon consumption layer on the surface of the material, which can inhibit the initiation of fatigue cracks. The point-like pits on the ground surface have an adverse effect on the fatigue life and play a role in the initiation of fatigue crack enhancement. The direction of material research and development to homogenize the structure of the material and the direction of anti-fatigue grinding to increase the thickness of the carbon consumption layer on the ground surface and avoid the damage of micro-pits are proposed. The research has important guiding significance for anti-fatigue machining of key components.

Fracture Analysis of Butt Welding Area of 5″ Drill Pipe Internal Thread End in an Oilfield

This paper tested fracture morphology analysis, mechanical properties and chemical, metallographic analysis and micro analysis to find out the factors of fracture in the butt welding area of the internal thread of the 5″ drill pipe, which is made of S135 in the casing pulling process of an oilfield. The results show that the chemical element, tensile strength and yield strength, impact performance, metallographic structure, inclusions in microstructure and grain size of the Fracture drill pipe meet the relevant data of the oilfield and industry standards, but the hardness of the fracture does not meet the requirements of the national standard. The important reason of the fracture of the drill pipe is that the oxide skin was not cleaned before the drill pipe joint was welded with the body. During welding, the oxide skin entered the molten weld metal, and large slag inclusions formed in the weld resulted. The secondary cause is improper subsequent heat treatment of drill pipe weld, which leads to increased weld brittleness and accelerated crack growth. This paper puts forward corresponding countermeasures to improve the quality of the drill pipe’s weld and prevent the failure accidents of drill pipe.

Effect of post-weld heat treatment on mechanical properties and fatigue crack growth behaviour of friction stir welded 7075-T651 Al alloy

The effect of post weld heat-treatments (PWHT) on the mechanical and fatigue crack growth of friction stir welded 7075-T651 aluminum alloy was investigated. The PWHT of natural aging (NA), artificial aging at 190 °C for 24 h (HT1), and 423 °C for 12 h (HT2) resulted in significant improvement in the mechanical properties of the welded joint as compared to the base metal. The highest improvement in mechanical strength is seen in HT1 post heat treatment followed by NA and HT2 post heat treatments. The ductility of welded joint for PWHT at 190 °C with a soaking period of 24 h is about 70 % of the base metal. Crack growth tests at constant amplitude loading (CAL) and single tensile overload (OL) with an overload ratio of 1.8 were conducted at a stress ratio of 0.1. A difference in the crack growth rates after application of overload is seen in all PWHT conditions. Different heat treatments did not change the growth behaviour in base metal in both the loading cases. However, a slight difference in crack growth rates is observed due to the application of overload. The crack growth acceleration followed by delayed retardation is observed due to the application of overload. The post weld heat treatment enhances the retardation effect due to tensile overload and the degree of enhancement depends on the PWHT.

Anisotropy and microcrack-induced failure precursor of shales under dynamic splitting

The dynamic anisotropy and failure mechanism of shales are greatly affected by bedding surfaces. To reveal the influence of beddings on anisotropic characteristics of shales under dynamic impact, the Brazilian splitting tests were conducted by the split Hopkinson pressure bar system. The fracturing process were monitored by the high-speed camera. Meanwhile, to understand crack initiation and propagation mechanism, the stress buildup, stress shadow and stress transfer were modelled based on the digital image processing and the rock failure process analysis method. The effect of dip angle and bedding spacing on crack initiation, propagation and coalescence was analyzed. Simultaneously, the spatial distribution and energy magnitude of crack-induced acoustic emissions were captured numerically. The results show that the shale discs continue to produce parallel cracks and cambered cracks induced by the high stresses at the tips of initial cracks; the tensile strength under dynamic splitting changes in the U-shaped trend with the bedding dip angle increasing; the cracking percentage of bedding surfaces decreases, and the cracking percentage of rock matrix increases with the bedding dip angle increasing. In addition, the acceleration of crack growth and the rapid growth of AE energy can be regarded as the effective precursors of shale failure.

The relationship between surface roughness and fatigue crack growth rate in AA7050-T7451 subjected to periodic underloads

The accurate prediction of fatigue crack growth rates is necessary to assist with optimising the design, maintenance, and availability of aircraft structures. Roughness induced crack closure is considered by many researchers as an important factor that can impact these growth rates. It has also been suggested that crack closure may be the governing factor behind the accelerative effects of underloads. As such, the focus of this study is on better understanding what correlation there is between the known accelerative effects of underloads, and the local fracture surface roughness of fatigue cracks. Here, specially designed loading spectra are used to quantify the effects of underloads on local fatigue crack growth. Photogrammetry is then used to quantify surface roughness local to the application of the underloads, in order to explore any potential relationship between observed crack growth acceleration and local crack surface roughness. In addition, a general fractographic analysis of the fatigue fracture surface was conducted to understand what correlation there may be between any observed features and the fatigue crack growth rate. It is found that there is little correlation between small-scale surface roughness and the observed acceleration from underloads. However, these is some evidence that large out-of-plane features, such as river patterns, correspond with changes in crack growth rate.

Observations of non-linear stress effects on crack growth in interference fit fasteners

Interference fit fasteners are a ubiquitous part of modern airframes, incorporated to increase the fatigue life at critical locations. When inserted into a structure, they have a compound effect of inducing residual stresses and changing the stress concentration. Evidence suggests that this stress state may become non-linear under high tensile loading, as the fastener and hole surface may separate. This paper illustrates the importance of including this separation in fatigue analysis of structures containing interference fit fasteners by showing that separation results in an otherwise unexplained acceleration in crack growth. Test specimens with and without fasteners are subjected to a specifically designed test spectrum, and crack growth rates are measured using quantitative fractography. This investigation reveals a statistically significant acceleration in fatigue crack growth only found in the specimens containing interference fit fasteners. Simulations that model the separation effect predict an acceleration, but classic crack growth equations fall short. Ignoring these separation effects is shown to underpredict the growth of cracks under certain conditions by a factor of two or more.

Influence of Constant Magnetic Field upon Fatigue Life of Commercially Pure Titanium.

Cyclic tests of the multicycle fatigue of commercially pure titanium were performed under normal conditions (without a magnetic field) and after exposure to a constant magnetic field of varying density (B = 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 T). It was shown that the application of the constant magnetic field of varying density led to a fold increase in the average number of cycles to destruction of the VT1-0 titanium samples by 64, 123, and 163%, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the magnetic field led to a 1.45-fold increase in the critical length of the fracture (the width of the fatigue crack growth zone) and a 1.6-fold decrease in the distance between the fatigue striations in the accelerated crack growth zone of the destroyed titanium samples. It was established that a subgrain (fragmented) structure formed in the area of the fatigue growth of the fracture of the titanium samples. The size of the subgrains corresponded to the spaces between the fatigue striations, which had an inhibitory influence on the microcrack propagation. Collectively, the revealed facts are indicative of a higher material resistance to fatigue fracture propagation and increased operation resources under the fatigue tests in the magnetic field, which correlates with the data on the growth of the average number of cycles to fracture of the VT1-0 titanium samples.

Characterization of Fatigue Crack Growth Based on Acoustic Emission Multi-Parameter Analysis.

In engineering structures that are subject to cyclic loading, monitoring and assessing fatigue crack growth (FCG) plays a crucial role in ensuring reliability. In this study, the acoustic emission (AE) technique was used to monitor the FCG behavior of 2.25Cr1Mo0.25V steel in real-time. Specifically, an AE multi-parameter analysis was conducted to qualitatively assess the crack growth condition and quantitatively correlate the crack growth rate with AE. Various AE parameters were extracted from AE signals, and the performances of different AE parameters were analyzed and discussed. The results demonstrated that four stages of FCG, which correspond to macrocrack initiation, stable crack growth with low crack growth rate, stable crack growth with high crack growth rate, and unstable crack growth, are distinctly identified by several AE time domain parameters. The sudden and continuous occurrence of many AE signals with high count (>100) and high energy (>40 mV·ms) can provide early and effective warning signs for accelerated crack growth before final failure occurs. Moreover, linear correlations between crack growth rate and different AE parameters are established for quantifying crack growth. Based on the AE multi-parameter analysis, it was found that the count, energy, and kurtosis are superior AE parameters for both qualitatively and quantitatively characterizing the FCG in 2.25Cr1Mo0.25V steel. Results from this research provide an AE strategy based on multi-parameter analysis for effective monitoring and assessment of FCG in engineering materials.

High cycle and very high cycle fatigue properties and microscopic crack growth modeling of Ti‐6.5Al‐3.5Mo‐1.5Zr‐0.3Si titanium alloy at elevated temperatures

AbstractPulsating tension fatigue tests were conducted at 25°C, 150°C, and 250°C to investigate the effect of temperature on high cycle and very high cycle fatigue behavior of titanium alloy. The fatigue strength decreases with the increase of temperature, and the surface failure is more sensitive to temperature than interior failure. Afterwards, the fatigue fracture morphology, microstructure, and texture of titanium alloy were characterized. The results show that the fracture of larger αp phase with the maximum shear stress and higher strain concentration is responsible for the facet formation. The formation of facets leads to the interior failure at different temperatures. Finally, combining with the definition of interior crack growth rate, an assessment approach was proposed to predict the crack growth rate within the inhomogeneous microstructure area (IMA), which takes crack growth acceleration caused by the increase of temperature into consideration.

Adaptive modeling of vibrations and structural fatigue for analyzing crack propagation in a rotating system

This study is concerned with adaptive modeling of vibrations and structural fatigue in a rotating system with a propagating crack. The system consists of a Jeffcott rotor with a transverse surface crack at mid-span. It undergoes low and high cycle loadings due to an unbalance force. The high cycle loading (HCL) and the consequent high cycle fatigue (HCF) can accelerate crack growth, structural degradation and occurrence of mechanical failure. Therefore, accurate modeling is critical for lifetime prediction and prognostics requirements. There is a significant difference between the time constants of the rotor’s dynamic behavior and that of crack growth. Hence, in most of the prior studies, it has been assumed that the crack depth is constant, which implies that the system undergoes low cycle loading (LCL). In some studies that do focus on HCL, the loading scenario is assumed to be a summation of LCL steps with constant length. This study shows that assuming constant and pre-defined length for these steps can significantly affect the accuracy of the model leading to inaccurate lifetime prediction and poor prognostics in general. Hence, in this study, a novel approach is proposed in which the LCL step length is variable and adaptive. Considering different relationships proposed for modeling the fatigue crack growth, fluctuation of stress intensity factor (SIF) is the most important factor for driving the crack growth. Hence, an index is defined based on the rate of SIF fluctuation. Critical thresholds of this index are set at rapid and slow crack growth conditions. The level of proximity to these thresholds determines each LCL step length, which is hence determined adaptively. The equations governing the rotor motion and crack growth are formulated using Newton’s second law of motion and Paris–Erdogan’s fatigue crack growth law, respectively. The equations are solved numerically using the Runge–Kutta method. It is shown that this novel adaptive approach makes the modeling process realistic and computationally efficient while providing high accuracy. The results of this study could be of significance in decision making processes that would require lifetime prediction and prognostics of crack growth.