Crack Growth Behavior Research Articles

A finite crack growth energy release rate for interlaminar fracture analysis of composite material at different temperatures

The interlaminar fracture toughness of unidirectional fiber reinforced polymer composite material is temperature and crack growth history dependence. The non-constant interlaminar fracture toughness challenges the wide application of the linear elastic fracture mechanics-based approach for analyzing the interlaminar crack growth in composite material and structures. In addition, a quantitative relationship between the ductility of the matrix and interlaminar fracture toughness of the fiber reinforced composite is still highly desirable. In this paper, both pure resin and composite double cantilever beam (DCB) are tested at different temperatures. A finite crack growth energy release rate is used to analyze the interlaminar crack growth behavior of composite material at different temperatures. The plasticity of the composite DCB is modeled by Hill’s anisotropic plasticity, with the properties determined from multiscale analyses. It is found that a single constant finite growth energy release rate can well predict the interlaminar mode I crack growth of composite material at different temperatures. The roles of the ductility of matrix, thickness of the DCB, and crack growth history on the interlaminar mode I fracture toughness of composite material are quantitatively determined by using the present method.

Fatigue Crack Propagation of 51CrV4 Steels for Leaf Spring Suspensions of Railway Freight Wagons.

Leaf springs are critical components for the railway vehicle safety in which they are installed. Although these components are produced in high-strength alloyed steel and designed to operate under cyclic loading conditions in the high-cyclic fatigue region, their failure is still possible, which can lead to economic and human catastrophes. The aim of this document was to precisely characterise the mechanical crack growth behaviour of the chromium-vanadium alloyed steel representative of leaf springs under cyclic conditions, that is, the crack propagation in mode I. The common fatigue crack growth prediction models (Paris and Walker) considering the effect of stress ratio and parameters such as propagation threshold, critical stress intensity factor and crack closure ratio were also determined using statistical methods, which resulted in good approximations with respect to the experimental results. Lastly, the fracture surfaces under the different test conditions were analysed using SEM, with no significant differences to declare. As a result of this research work, it is expected that the developed properties and fatigue crack growth prediction models can assist design and maintenance engineers in understanding fatigue behaviour in the initiation and propagation phase of cracks in leaf springs for railway freight wagons.

Effects of build direction and microstructure on fatigue crack growth behavior of Ti6Al4V fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

AbstractThis study compares the fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of Ti6Al4V parts fabricated by laser powder bed melting (LPBF) with four build directions (0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°) and two heat treatments and analyzed the effect of build direction and microstructure on FCG. The results show that the build direction has a significant effect on the FCG rate. Particularly, specimens with 90° build direction have the best FCG resistance while the 0° specimens have the worst. Furthermore, the fragile deposition layer boundary is the main cause of the crack deflection. The microstructure shows that the columnar β grains have less effect on FCG. The increase in resistance to FCG after heat treatment is attributed to the lath‐like α grains consuming the energy for FCG. As compared to needle‐like α′ grains, the lath‐like α grains are more likely to initiate intergranular fracture and secondary cracking, leading to rugged crack tip paths.

Investigation of microstructural evolution and mechanical properties for in-service nickel-based superalloy

In this study, the microstructural evolutions are systematically investigated in the IN718 alloy that has been in-service for eight years. Correspondingly, the effect of in-service process on mechanical properties are explored in terms of tensile properties, fatigue performance and crack growth behavior. Results show that the grain sizes at different sampling locations vary from 9.8 to 15.5 μm, exhibiting the inhomogeneous microstructures for the in-service IN718 alloy. The volume fraction of δ phase and kernel average misorientation (KAM) at outermost layer are the maximum ones, followed by the middle and innermost layers. In addition, the high magnitude of δ phase is caused by the transformation from strengthening phase γ′′. From the perspective of mechanical properties, the in-service IN718 alloy can maintain excellent yield strength and elongation at the high temperature of 650 °C, while the tensile performance is degenerated at room temperature (RT) compared with those of new IN718 alloy. The fatigue life at 650 °C is similar to that at RT under the stress levels lower than 600 MPa. As the stress level increases to 800 MPa, an obvious decrease in fatigue life at 650 °C compared with that at RT. This special fatigue performance is revealed based on the fractography examinations under different loading conditions. Moreover, the investigation of fatigue crack growth for the in-service IN718 alloy is carried out under different stress ratio and temperatures.

Fatigue growth behavior of mode II crack in headed stud steel used in steel–concrete composite structures

The fracture mechanics method has been employed for fatigue performance evaluation of stud used in steel–concrete composite structures while the fatigue crack growth behavior in headed stud steel has not been systematically studied. The present work is proposed to investigate the fatigue growth behavior of mode II crack in headed stud steel and its welded joint. Compact tensile shear (CTS) specimens extracted from the base material (BM) and weld metal (WM) of stud are tested under mode II loading to investigate the fatigue crack growth (FCG) trajectories and rates with different stress ratio. The crack closure level and FCG threshold are determined and discussed. Results show that the crack deflection in BM meets both the MTS criterion and S-criterion, while crack deflection in WM does not meet the two criterions. The 2% compliance offset criterion in the origin ASTM method is suitable to determine the crack opening force both for BM and WM of stud. The low crack closure level in WM indicates the tensile residual stress in welded joint, resulting a more quickly fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) in WM than that in BM. The calculation formulation of equivalent SIF range proposed by Borrego et al. is verified with the best normalization effects and is recommended to fit the FCGR model both for headed stud steel and its welded joint under mode II loading.

Investigation of the fracture resistance of high strength ferritic steel welds in gaseous hydrogen environment

Hydrogen is expected to play a major role in the decarbonization of the energy grid. As a fuel, it possesses an elevated energy density per unit mass, about twice as much as natural gas but also a very low mass density; for this reason, it is preferably stored and transported at elevated pressures in the gas phase to achieve a comparable volumetric energy density. High strength quenched and tempered ferritic steels are widely used for gaseous hydrogen storage despite the fact that hydrogen affects material properties and result in higher fatigue crack growth rate and lower fracture toughness.This work presents the results of a comprehensive fracture toughness test program in gaseous hydrogen for the characterization of base metal, heat affected zone and weld metal on a high strength, quenched and tempered steel, suitable for the construction of hydrogen pressure equipment.Full penetration, butt welded joints were made using partly mechanized gas metal arc welding technique on a weldable, high strength steel, namely EN 101216-3 grade P690 QL2. Two different welding procedures were evaluated, and fracture toughness tests were conducted according to ASTM E1820 requirements, in high purity (99.9995%) hydrogen gas at a pressure of 200 bar on specimens extracted from base metal, heat affected zone and weld metal. While base metal and weld metal exhibited stable crack growth behavior, heat affected zone showed variable behavior as a function of the post-weld heat treatment conditions. It was found that local micro-hardness spots are a concern and should be controlled through dedicated post weld heat treatment operation to limit hardness values for use of welds in H2 gas conditions.

Study on fatigue crack growth behavior of the TA15 titanium alloy repaired by laser deposition

Laser deposition repair was employed to repair the body and surface of the forged TA15 titanium alloy. Subsequently, the fatigue crack growth behavior of the repaired components after annealing was investigated. The results showed that the fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) of the body-repaired specimen decreased from the initial cracks in the heat-affected zone (HAZ), interface, and repaired zone (RZ). The increase in the repair layer thickness drastically reduced the FCGR in the surface-repaired specimen. The main crack growth mode was crossing the primary α and transformed β in the substrate zone (SZ), primarily crossing the lamellae α and along lamellae α in the HAZ, and crossing the lamellae α in the RZ. The RZ developed a tighter bond with the substrate interface, making crack growth more difficult. Crossing the lamellae α in the basket-weave structure required higher amount of energy and exhibited significant increase in tortuosity. Hence, the FCGR of the initial crack within the RZ exhibited the lowest rate. An increase in the thickness of the repair layer increased the proportion of the basket-weave, improving the resistance against crack growth, and increased the tortuosity associated with the crack path, reducing the FCGR. It was confirmed that the proposed body and surface repair methodology improved the FCGR of investigated specimens.

The effect of pipeline root weld microstructure on crack growth behaviour

The girth weld is the weak link of high-pressure pipeline, which is easy to crack under the combined action of internal and external loads, defect and stress concentration. At present, the safety hazards of high-strength pipeline girth welds are prominent, and it is of great significance to study the failure law of girth welds to ensure the safe operation of pipelines. In this paper, the failure analysis of 6 welded joints with crack defects excavated on site in a gas transmission company was carried out. Through metallographic analysis, scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis, the relationship between root welding, weld microstructure and crack generation was analyzed in detail. The influence of grain boundary distribution behavior of weld microstructure on crack propagation path was studied, and the mechanism of welding inclusions on crack propagation and aggregation nucleation was revealed. The results show that the cracks in root welding, hot welding, filling welding and heat affected zone are all transgranular propagation types, and the deflection of crack propagation path may be related to the complex stress state at the welded joint. Local strain concentration often exists in the near crack surface, secondary crack and crack deflection position on the crack propagation path, which indicates that the formation and propagation of root cracks are likely to be related to the deterioration of weld metal properties caused by local strain concentration at the root. The research conclusions have certain reference value for the intrinsic safety design, construction, and integrity operation and maintenance of pipeline girth welds.

Characterization of fatigue crack growth behavior in welded tubular T-joint

This paper focuses on investigating the fatigue crack growth (FCG) characteristics and residual fatigue life of tubular T-joints which are prone to suffer fatigue damage at the brace and chord intersections under multi-axial stress. Static and fatigue loading tests are performed to investigate the FCG behaviors of tubular T-joints, combining beach marking technique. The evolution of FCG characteristics is studied during the crack growth, convergence and wall penetration through an efficient co-simulation system that established using the multi-scale modeling technique. Fracture morphology analysis is conducted to gain insight into the FCG behaviors combining the scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation. Results indicate that multiple cracks initiate at the crown regions and subsequently evolve circumferentially around the weldments in a doubly-curved shape towards wall-thickness. Interaction effects between adjacent cracks extend the fatigue life along the outer surface, attributed to the premature exposure of converged crack front and the induced variation of stress intensify factor (SIF) distribution along the crack front. The dominant failure mode of tubular T-joints is characterized by an opening mode crack, with the contribution of anti-plane shear mode crack gradually increasing as structural symmetry diminishes. The established co-simulation system shows advantage in capturing the FCG behavior, predicting the fatigue life and characterizing the FCG characteristics with a good balancing of simulation efficiency and calculation accuracy.

Bonded and prestressed fatigue crack retarders based on Fe-SMA

A bonded and prestressed retarder concept is proposed in this work. The shape memory effect of an iron-based shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA) has been exploited to realize a desirable self-prestressing mechanism, resulting in compressive stresses in the parent structure. The synergistic prestressing and added fail-safe features of bonded and prestressed Fe-SMA retarders desirably restrain the fatigue crack growth. The fatigue crack growth behaviour in metallic plates reinforced with bonded and prestressed retarders is experimentally studied in this work. A test campaign has been implemented to investigate the effects of prestressing, as well as the influence of the relative location between the Fe-SMA retarders and the initial crack tip on the crack growth behaviour and fatigue crack life extension. The experimental results show that the prestressing of retarders desirably extends the fatigue crack growth life. More extension in fatigue life can be achieved by positioning the bonded prestressed retarders from 40 to 20 mm before the initial crack tip, the desirable retardation due to beneficial compressive prestressing and added load path on the small crack is significant. The findings in this work imply that it is beneficial to proactively reinforce the fatigue-prone locations in metallic structures with bonded and prestressed Fe-SMA retarders in order to extend the service life.

A model for modifying the S‐N curve considering the effect of boundary conditions on the fatigue crack growth of welded components

AbstractThe present study proposes a novel model to modify master S‐N curves of components according to their load redistribution capability reflected in different boundary conditions (BCs) based on the fracture mechanics analysis. To that end, a comprehensive numerical study was conducted on a Single Edge Notch Bend (SENB) specimen constrained with different kinematic BCs using discrete fatigue crack growth (FCG) simulation. It was observed that BCs indeed can have a significant effect on the crack growth behavior and consequently on the resulting fatigue life under the same nominal loading conditions. The proposed model was applied to the S‐N curve of a T‐welded joint, and the predicted fatigue life was validated against 3D FCG simulations. Finally, FCG tests were conducted on SENB specimens to experimentally corroborate the effect of BCs on the FCG rate.

A combined cyclic viscoplasticity and entropy generation approach for modelling fatigue crack growth behavior of a nickel-based superalloy at high temperature

This paper developed an entropy-based approach to estimate the fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of GH4169 at high temperature. Firstly, systematic FCG experiments of GH4169 at 650 °C were conducted to obtain the experimental data. Then, a finite element analysis combined with Chaboche viscoplasticity and node release technology was developed to obtain cyclic stress–strain responses and entropy generation fields. Based on thermodynamic analysis, numerous discrete material elements as sub-systems were divided along the crack growth direction in simplified representative 2D middle section. Fracture process zone (FPZ) was defined equal to the size of discrete material elements (ρ) which can be determined by distribution of normal stress perpendicular to the crack plane. Subsequently, an effective cyclic entropy generation related to ρ was defined as the crack driving force. Effective cumulative entropy generation was calculated when crack increment was ρ and the results indicated that effective cumulative entropy generation float within a certain range. The average of all effective cumulative entropy generation values was defined as crack growth entropy. Finally, an entropy-based FCG rate model was established to estimate the FCG behavior of GH4169, and a good correlation between experimental results and model predictions are achieved for all the high temperature FCG tests.

Bayesian analysis of acoustic emission data for prediction of fatigue crack growth in concrete

Acoustic emission (AE) is a valuable technique for non-destructive testing, enabling real-time monitoring and measurement of fatigue crack growth in engineering structures. The present study focuses on investigating the fatigue crack growth behaviour in plain concrete specimens through Bayesian analysis of AE data collected during the testing of beam specimens under three-point bending. A log-linear relationship is established between parameters extracted from AE waveforms and the fatigue crack growth in concrete. Additionally, AE energy is identified as the most suitable parameter for characterising the fatigue behaviour of concrete. Bayesian regression is employed for estimating model parameters and their posterior distributions. The proposed model is validated through post-processing and Bayesian analysis of experimental data from the literature. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the estimated model parameters remain unaffected by the frequency of fatigue loading and the size of the specimen.

Prediction of fatigue lifetime and fatigue limit of aluminum parts produced by PBF-LB/M using a statistical defect distribution

Fatigue tests were performed with samples of AlSi10Mg produced by PBF-LB/M. The failure is caused by inhomogeneities nearby or at the surface of the samples. Therefore, the fatigue strength depends on the crack growth behavior at inhomogeneities under the local stress state at the surface, including residual stresses. For a given size of the failure-causing inhomogeneity, the fatigue lifetime can be described using a crack growth law proposed by Murakami et al. The fatigue limit is given by the threshold value of fatigue crack growth according to the approach of El Haddad. Knowing the distribution of the maximum value of inhomogeneity size in a specimen, it is possible to estimate the S–N curve for 10%, 50%, and 90% crack probability.

Initiation and growth of fatigue cracks in sheets with U-shaped notches in the first and mixed modes of fracture

Initiation and growth of fatigue cracks in sheets with U-shaped notches in the first and mixed modes of fracture

Thermal corrosion fatigue crack growth behavior and life prediction of 304SS pipeline structures in high temperature pressurized water

The influence of transient water temperature changes on the fatigue crack growth behavior of 304SS pipeline structures was studied based on high-throughput testing method through the modification of dual loop circulating water equipment. Results demonstrated that the fatigue crack growth rate gradually decreased with the decrease of cooling rate, and the crack growth rate was exponentially related to the cooling rate. Both the base material and weld of the stepped pipe showed a transgranular cracking mode, and propagated continuously by slip-oxidation mechanism. Compared with the fine equiaxed grain of the base material, the grain in the weld was coarse and the residual strain was large, and the crack growth rate of the weld was obviously higher. Then, the thermal fatigue crack growth rate model for stepped pipes was established by combining finite element thermo-mechanical coupling simulation and three-dimensional crack propagation analysis software, and the model was modified based on the experimental results.

Acid-assisted subcritical blunt-tip crack propagation in carbonate rocks

AbstractSubcritical crack propagation in stressed carbonate rocks in a chemically reactive environment is a fundamental mechanism underlying many geomechanical processes frequently encountered in the engineering of geo-energy, including unconventional shale gas, geothermal energy, carbon sequestration and utilization. How a macroscopic Mode I crack propagates driven by a reactive fluid pressurizing on the crack surfaces with acidic agents diffusing into the rock matrix remains an open question. Here, the carbonate rock is modeled as an elasto-viscoplastic material with the mineral mass removal process affecting the rock properties in both elastic and plastic domains. A blunt-tip crack is considered to avoid any geometrically induced singularity problem and to allow a numerical analysis on the evolution of the chemical field being linked to the micro-cracking activities in front of the crack tip, affecting the delivery of acid. The model is capable of reproducing an archetypal three-region behavior of subcritical crack growth in a reactive environment. The crack propagation exhibits a prominent acceleration in Region III due to a two-way mutually enhancing feedback between mineral dissolution and the degradation process, which is most pronounced in front of the crack tip. With the consideration of initial imperfections in the rock, the macroscopic crack propagation is further accelerated with a secondary acceleration arising due to self-organization of micro-bands inside the chemically enabled plasticity zone.

Modelling short crack growth under creep-fatigue interaction for different dwell times

The creep-fatigue interaction (CFI) short crack growth behavior of 316H steel under different dwell times at 550℃ was investigated in this work. The dwell time effect of the CFI short crack growth behavior is analyzed systematically, the results revealed that compared to the long cracks, the short cracks is more sensitive to the creep damage effect during the dwell period. Meanwhile, a CTOD-based CFI short crack growth rate predication model is proposed by introducing the creep effect during the dwell time. Compared with conventional fracture mechanics approach, the CTOD-based approach demonstrated a superior capability in providing a unified prediction result for the creep-fatigue interaction in short crack growth rates under different dwell times.

Influence of different heat treatments on fracture behavior of rolling element bearing steels

Rolling element bearings (REB), one of the critical components of mechanical power transmissions, operate under high contact loads concentrated over small volumes of material. The damage caused by fatigue to REBs happens in two stages: the initiation of cracks and the propagation of cracks from areas of stress concentration. To select bearing steels for different applications, it is important to have knowledge about the material’s ability to resist fracture. This study presents results from an experimental investigation of bearing steels manufactured using different heat treatments. Steels were induction-hardened, carburized, and through-hardened, generating varying microstructures. Fracture mechanics tests were conducted using ASTM standards. The data generated is useful for predicting crack initiation and growth behavior under different loading conditions. Microscopic-level investigations are also presented to discern the fracture mechanisms associated with different microstructures.

Ultra-high cycle fatigue and ultra-slow crack growth behavior of additively manufactured AlSi7Mg alloy

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the ultra-high cycle fatigue behavior and ultra-slow crack propagation behavior of selective laser melting (SLM) AlSi7Mg alloy under as-built conditions.Design/methodology/approachConstant amplitude and two-step variable amplitude fatigue tests were carried out using ultrasonic fatigue equipment. The fracture surface of the failure specimen was quantitatively analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM).FindingsThe results show that the competition of surface and interior crack initiation modes leads to a duplex S–N curve. Both manufacturing defects (such as the lack of fusion) and inclusions can act as initially fatal fatigue microcracks, and the fatigue sensitivity level decreases with the location, size and type of the maximum defects.Originality/valueThe research results play a certain role in understanding the ultra-high cycle fatigue behavior of additive manufacturing aluminum alloys. It can provide reference for improving the process parameters of SLM technology.