Crack Growth Experiments Research Articles

New insights into fatigue anisotropy of an additively manufactured medium-entropy alloy: from the perspectives of crack initiation and crack propagation

ABSTRACT The present work investigates anisotropic fatigue properties of an additively manufactured (AM) medium-entropy alloy (MEA). The fatigue properties of the materials in 0°, 45° and 90° orientations with respect to the build layers were measured. In order to discover the dominant factors for stress level-dependent fatigue anisotropy, crystal plasticity finite element simulations and fatigue crack growth (FCG) experiments were used to evaluate crack initiation and crack propagation behaviours, respectively. The main conclusions are summarised as follows: First, in comparison to grain anisotropy, the difference in fatigue initiation stage is controlled by defect anisotropy. Second, the direct cause of the difference in the FCG rate is considered to be the differences in deflection angle, affected by the incompatibility of the slip planes between adjacent grains. Third, the AM-MEA displays a stress level-dependent fatigue anisotropy. At high-stress level, the fatigue life of the MEA-45° specimen is significantly higher than that of MEA-0° and MEA-90°, while at low-stress levels, the fatigue resistance of MEA-0° is similar to that of MEA-45°. Stress level-dependent fatigue anisotropy is controlled by different ratios of crack initiation and crack propagation. Our work proposes a novel research strategy that qualitatively evaluates fatigue anisotropy of AM materials.

Numerical simulation of laser shot peening and fatigue performance test of AA2524 thin plate

In this study, laser shot peening (LSP) is applied to 2524 aluminum alloy (AA2524). The effects of LSP parameters (the range and the position of LSPed area and LSP times) on the residual stress distribution of the specimen are analyzed using ABAQUS software. The fatigue crack growth (FCG) experiment is conducted, and the FCG of both unpeened and LSPed specimens is simulated using the extended finite element method (XFEM). Then the Paris equation is used to predict specimens’ fatigue life. The results suggest that the compressive residual stress (CRS) gain effect increases as the width perpendicular to the crack tip increases in rectangular LSPed areas of the same size. Furthermore, when comparing specimens of LSPed area situated 0 and 3 mm from the fracture tip, it is observed that the specimen of LSPed area located 5 mm away exhibits the slowest rate of crack propagation.

Fatigue investigations of elastomers developed for high-pressure hydrogen gas environments

Hydrogen possesses many characteristics to be an ideal candidate as a more sustainable energy carrier, especially for the transport sector. For a proper optimization of this abundant resource, hydrogen needs to be compressed, and stored in high-pressure conditions, which demands improvement in technology and the development of appropriate materials. In this context, elastomeric sealing components play a critical role and they need to withstand harsh working conditions, for example, high-pressure, wide temperature range, cyclic exposure conditions, etc. In this work, eight different grades designed for this application were analyzed in terms of fatigue behavior and long-term performance. This was verified through fatigue crack growth experiments, the energy dissipation, and temperature increase during crack propagation were analyzed and correlated with micro-structural differences of materials. Furthermore, the materials were investigated at large and small deformations through uniaxial tensile tests and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), respectively. It was found that only with the addition of a coupling agent can silica-filled NBR have properties similar to carbon black (CB) filled NBR, despite a reduction in both fatigue strength and energy dissipation. Coupling agents also involved an increase in bound rubber. Regarding CB-filled compounds, with peroxide crosslinking a reduction in fatigue strength was found, while no effect on the quantity of bound rubber was observed. Increased CB content in NBR grades led to decreased fatigue resistance and higher energy dissipation; higher bound rubber content was found as well. Also for EPDM grades, increased CB content resulted in reduced fatigue resistance. Despite an increase in energy dissipation, the content of bounded rubber was the same even with higher CB content.

A new interpretation of mode I interlaminar fracture in layered materials

Interlaminar crack propagation in layered materials, such as composites, is still a not fully understood phenomenon in fracture mechanics. Experimental observations reveal a broad spectrum of crack propagation velocities during the interlaminar fracture of layered materials under varying loading conditions and rates. While there have been numerous studies examining interlaminar crack propagation under quasi-static, fatigue, and more recently, high-speed loading, there has been a notable lack of endeavors to present and interpret crack growth data within a unified framework. To this direction, we present a new interpretation of interlaminar crack propagation data acquired from a broad test campaign under various mode-I loading conditions (quasi-static, fatigue and high-speed). We connect the crack tip velocity to the rate of change of the SERR to propose a new equation/model that shows potential in presenting and explaining the variety of experimental crack growth data. This correlation arises from a simple mathematical analysis of the rate of change of the SERR using the chain differentiation rule. Subsequently, it is further substantiated by experimental evidence, in an effort to accommodate results from various experiments under a unified description. A robust correlation of the test data is established through a range of slopes which are proven -experimentally- to be characteristic constants of the mode-I interlaminar fracture of a specific material system.

A fatigue crack tip field model considering residual stress and plasticity-induced closure for welded structures

In order to more accurately understand and predict the fatigue crack growth behavior in welded structures, a fatigue crack tip field model considering residual stress and plasticity-induced closure (RSPC model) is presented in this paper. Building upon the existing CJP model, which adequately explains plasticity-induced crack closure, the RSPC model further considers the influence of tensile residual stress induced by welding. The model, through a detailed derivation and analysis of the residual stress function, establishes the theoretical stress and displacement fields at the crack tip of the butt-welded joint. Integrating these fields with the CJP model, the theoretical framework of the RSPC model is formulated. Subsequently, through fatigue crack growth experiments and digital image correlation analysis, a comparison and validation of the predictive performance of the CJP and RSPC models are conducted. It is observed that the latter aligns more closely with experimental results in calculating plastic zone area, with a maximum error of only 10%. In comparison to the CJP model, the average error decreases by 19.143%, indicating higher predictive accuracy. Furthermore, the study focuses on the contribution of tensile residual stress in butt welded joints to the growth of the plastic zone at the fatigue crack tip and the underlying reasons for its variations. Finally, the research investigates the constrained relationship between plastic zone size and fatigue crack growth rate. Corresponding relationship functions are fitted, providing more accurate guidance for crack control and material design.

Influence of load ratio on fatigue life assessment of AZ31B magnesium alloy under different temperatures

First ever fatigue crack growth experiments were conducted under various load ratios (R = 0.1 to 0.8) at 300 K, and (R = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7) at 327 K and 473 K, respectively, on AZ31B magnesium alloy. The results reveal that temperature-dependent variations in both fatigue crack growth rates and stress intensity factor ranges (ΔK) across different load ratios. It was found that at relatively higher load ratio (R = 0.8) leads to a lower ΔK = 8.0287 MPa√m and a lower load ratio (R = 0.1) result in a higher ΔK = 15.5981 MPa√m, indicating that the material undergoes fatigue crack propagation at a higher level of stress intensity factor range at room temperature. A slower crack propagation was seen at higher load ratio (R = 0.8), whereas lower load ratio (R = 0.1) exhibits faster crack growth at 300 K. Similarly, crack growth generally increases at higher temperatures (i.e., 373 K and 473 K). The fatigue life of the magnesium alloy AZ31B increased from 12,410 to 87,031 cycles at 300 K, 9,620 to 32,667 cycles at 373 K, and 9,140 to 30,143 cycles at 473 K as the load ratio increases. The average fatigue life decreases to 59 % and 63 % as the temperature is varied from 300 K through 373 K to 473 K. The fractographic and surface roughness carried out by field emission scanning electron microscopy and 3D-Profilometer respectively, illustrate that roughness of fracture surfaces correlates with an increase in the fatigue crack growth rate for a specific value of ΔK.

Next generation fatigue crack growth experiments of aerospace materials

Today’s societal challenges require rapid response and smart materials solutions in almost all technical areas. Driven by these needs, data-driven research has emerged as an enabler for faster innovation cycles. In fields such as chemistry, materials science and life sciences, automatic and even autonomous data generation and processing is already accelerating knowledge discovery. In contrast, in experimental mechanics, complex investigations like studying fatigue crack growth in structural materials have traditionally adhered to standardized procedures with limited adoption of the digital transformation. In this work, we present a novel infrastructure for data-centric experimental mechanics in the field of fatigue crack growth. Our methodology incorporates a robust code base that complements a multi-scale digital image correlation and robot-assisted test rig. Using this approach, the information-to-cost ratio of fatigue crack growth experiments in aerospace materials is significantly higher compared to traditional experiments. Thus, serves as a catalyst for discovering new scientific knowledge in the field of structural materials and structures.

An iterative crack tip correction algorithm discovered by physical deep symbolic regression

Digital image correlation is a widely used technique in the field of experimental mechanics. In fracture mechanics, determining the precise location of the crack tip is crucial. In this paper, we introduce a novel crack tip detection algorithm based on displacement and strain fields obtained by digital image correlation. Iterative crack tip correction formulas are discovered by applying deep symbolic regression guided by physical unit constraints to a dataset of simulated cracks under mode I, II and mixed-mode conditions with variable T-stress. For the training dataset, we fit the Williams series expansion with super-singular terms to the simulated displacement fields at randomly chosen origins around the actual crack tip. We analyse the discovered formulas and apply the most promising one to digital image correlation data obtained from uniaxial and biaxial fatigue crack growth experiments of AA2024-T3 sheet material. Throughout the experiments, the crack tip positions are reliably detected leading to improved stability of the crack propagation curves.

Numerical analyses of brittle crack growth experiments in compression using a modified phase-field theory

There has been a huge interest in recent years in using phase-field theories for numerical analyses of fracture phenomena. However, in phase-field fracture theories, a critical aspect often involves a decomposition of the strain energy density to select physically trustworthy crack paths and to prevent interpenetration of crack surfaces. This aspect becomes even more critical in the case of mixed-mode loading under compression. To overcome these challenges, a hydrostatic-spectral-deviatoric decomposition, enhanced by separate critical energy release rates for different fracture modes, is employed in this study. In order to evaluate the enhanced decomposition strategy, a set of biaxially loaded crack experiments in global compression is designed. Samples of different geometries contain multiple flaws and holes. The experiments are numerically simulated using a unified set of material parameters and three different strain energy decomposition methods (i.e., hydrostatic-spectral-deviatoric, spectral and hydrostatic–deviatoric). Simulations using the hydrostatic-spectral-deviatoric decomposition scheme capture both intricate crack paths and critical loads in the experiments. The enhanced decomposition strategy seems capable of simulating the experiments with reasonable precision, in sharp contrast to the two commonly used decomposition strategies (spectral and hydrostatic–deviatoric).

Fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth resistance of precipitate-free and precipitation hardened NiTiHf shape memory alloys

The present work investigates fracture toughness, and actuation and mechanical fatigue crack growth responses of Ni50.3Ti29.7Hf20 HTSMAs across martensitic transformation with two different microstructures, one with H-phase nanoprecipitates and one without. H-phase precipitation is known to stabilize the actuation cycling response of NiTiHf HTSMAs and notably impacts transformation-induced plasticity. The fracture toughness tests performed reveal that precipitate-free NiTiHf has a higher fracture toughness and undergoes significantly more inelastic deformation than the one with the precipitates resulting in toughness enhancement, i.e., stable crack advance during fracture toughness experiments, which is not observed in the precipitated NiTiHf for the crack configuration and loading conditions tested. Furthermore, the precipitate free NiTiHf has higher actuation and mechanical fatigue crack growth resistance than the precipitation-hardened microstructure. This is attributed to plasticity buildup, which exacerbates the manifestation of retained martensite upon repeated transformations. The fatigue crack growth rates obtained from both actuation and mechanical fatigue experiments align to a single Paris Law Curve for the precipitation-hardened NiTiHf. This work aims to determine if unified Paris Law curves can be generated from mechanical and actuation fatigue experiments, irrespective of composition and microstructure, to estimate actuation fatigue crack growth rates, laborious and challenging to measure, from easier to detect mechanical fatigue crack growth rates.

Generalization of crack growth mechanisms under isothermal and thermomechanical fatigue by COD and ERR parameters

An experimental-computational study of the crack opening displacement (COD) was performed to evaluate the ability of this parameter through the hysteresis loop area and energy release rate (ERR) to characterise fatigue crack growth under isothermal and thermomechanical conditions. To this end, a range of experimental crack growth tests were carried out including isothermal fatigue (IF), creep-fatigue interaction (CFI), in-phase (IP), and out-of-phase (OOP) thermomechanical fatigue (TMF). The crack growth experimental results in terms of COD and ERR were interpreted based on multi-physics finite element analyses of the stress–strain and displacement fields performed by incorporating Maxwell 3D, Fluent, and the transient structural modules of ANSYS. As a result of measurements and computations, the COD on the outer surface of the SENT specimen at the location of the original notch was found to be directly related to the crack tip opening displacement (CTOD). To gain insight into the fatigue crack growth mechanism operating under isothermal and TMF conditions, the fracture surfaces of all the tested specimens were examined using a scanning electron microscope to compare the morphology and changes in the dominant failure mechanisms. It was found that propagating cracks under isothermal and thermomechanical conditions interact with the microstructure of the material, and supporting fractography evidenced subtle differences in fracture mechanisms in terms of COD and ERR parameters. The relationship between the experimentally determined energy release rate and degradation function in the fatigue phase-field fracture methodology is discussed.

The fatigue crack growth behavior of hydrogenated 9Cr‐1Mo steel: An experimental and numerical study

AbstractThis research investigates the fatigue crack evolution in P91 steel through experiments and extended finite element method (XFEM) simulation for as‐received and hydrogenated conditions. Hydrogen pre‐charging is performed using a constant current electrochemical method in 1 M sulfuric acid solution. The study compares the experimental fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) of hydrogenated and as‐received conditions and employs an XFEM simulation to replicate FCGR. The results of the experiments reveal an increased FCGR in hydrogenated specimens. Fracture surface analysis confirms the co‐occurrence of the “hydrogen‐enhanced localized plasticity” (HELP) and “hydrogen‐enhanced decohesion” (HEDE) mechanism (HELP+HEDE, HEDE>HELP). The simulation results closely align with the experimental findings, validating the model's accuracy. Consequently, these findings are the basis for proposing a damage tolerance approach‐based numerical algorithm. This algorithm allows the prediction of component integrity by considering a known crack length. Furthermore, fracture toughness (KIQ) was experimentally evaluated to enhance the understanding of the material's mechanical properties.

Fatigue crack growth properties of PMMA material used in underwater transparent structures

ABSTRACT Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is an ideal material used in underwater transparent structures such as submersible windows and the fully-transparent pressure chamber of the sightseeing submersibles. The failure of PMMA structures usually come from small crack-like defects. In this paper, the fatigue crack growth experiments were carried out on PMMA materials with different thicknesses (B = 3, 6, 12 mm) and stress ratios (R = 0.1, 0.3) as well as plane strain fracture toughness test for unstable crack propagation conditions. Thickness effect and dwell time effect are experimentally investigated in addition to load ratio effect. The applicability of an improved crack growth rate model on PMMA material is validated by test results. The application of this model for prediction of crack growth rates can greatly save experimental time under different working conditions and can be applied in fatigue assessment of full-transparent structures under random loading.

Experimental investigation and phenomenological modeling of fatigue crack growth in X80 pipeline steel under random loading

Ocean structures are subjected to random environmental loads during their service life. Under the action of random loads, fatigue crack growth within pipeline steel exhibits transient behaviors such as retardation or acceleration. This poses significant challenges in predicting the fatigue life of ocean structures under random loadings. To establish a predictive model for fatigue crack growth in X80 pipeline steel under random loadings, this study first conducts fatigue crack growth experiments under constant amplitude and random loading conditions. Then, based on deep learning methods and the fracture yield zone theory, a phenomenological model is developed to predict fatigue crack growth in X80 pipeline steel under random loading conditions. The results show that under random loading conditions, the fatigue crack growth curve of X80 pipeline steel maintains a relatively clear logarithmic-linear feature during the stable crack growth stage. However, due to the continuous variation of stress ratio with loading sequence, the fatigue crack growth curve exhibits strong fluctuation characteristics; The phenomenological model established in this study for predicting fatigue crack growth under random loading conditions can relatively accurately reflect the overall trend of fatigue crack growth under random loadings, with a maximum prediction error of less than 10%.

Mechanical properties and growth mechanisms of long and small fatigue cracks in as-deposited bulk cold spray Al-6061

Cold spray depositions are created by accelerating powder particles at a substrate at supersonic speeds to create a deposition with effective metallurgical and mechanical bonding. To progress from coatings/repairs to bulk additive depositions suitable for structural components, fatigue properties and microstructure-scale crack growth mechanisms must be established. In this study, the microstructure, tensile properties, and crack growth behavior were systematically investigated for as-sprayed Al-6061 and compared to those of wrought Al-6061-T6. Long fatigue crack growth behavior was investigated at two stress ratios (R = 0.1 and 0.7) and two crack plane orientations with respect to the deposition direction. Small crack growth behavior was investigated at a stress ratio of R = 0.1 in four crack plane orientations. Fractographic observations were made to identify the crack-microstructure interactions at different growth stages, and interparticular failure was determined to be the lifetime-limiting crack growth mechanism. A lap-shear testing method was developed to evaluate the interfacial shear strength of cold spray depositions at the interface with the substrate and to compare it to the strain energy release rates obtained from fatigue crack growth experiments. Design maps were created to relate loading conditions, crack orientation, and deposition ductility and predict the onset of interparticular growth.

Application of a ΔJ Approach for Thermal Fatigue Crack Growth Assessment on the Large Scale Yielding PACIFIC Experiment

Austenitic stainless steel large nuclear components, with high thicknesses, may experience cyclic Large Scale Yielding due to mechanical and thermal loadings during their service life. International codes and standards only provide inadequate and very conservative methods for dealing with the thermal fatigue crack growth associated with this situation. Non-codified alternatives, such as ΔJ approaches, then appear to be good candidates for predicting fatigue crack growth beyond Small Scale Yielding.This paper aims to apply a ΔJ approach on the so-called PACIFIC experiment permitting thermal fatigue crack propagation in Large Scale Yielding conditions. Numerical protocol and modelling assumptions are detailed. Then, a particular focus is given, through sensitivity analyses, on the choice of the cyclic elastic-plastic stress-strain curve used in the Finite Element Analyses. Finally, comparisons between numerical results and experimental fatigue crack growth data are provided and discussed.

Solution to the problem of low sensitivity of crack closure models to material properties

The paper focuses on differences between crack closure obtained by numerical models and by experimental fatigue crack growth rates, namely for three different steels (bainitic steel, predominantly pearlitic steel and additively manufactured austenitic stainless steel). The experimental data revealed a load ratio effect different from that predicted by the most used plasticity-induced crack closure (PICC) models. The term “irreversibility of plastic deformation” was proposed in this work to be used as a material property to estimate how strong the PICC effect would be in a material. Two basic phenomena, which are usually omitted in other models, were considered in the explanation: (i) cyclic softening/hardening, (ii) brittle microcracking at the maximum load. The strip-yield model has the ability of conducting fast and accurate simulations under the variable-amplitude loading. It was demonstrated that the results of this model are practically independent of the material properties. This is caused by the consideration of only monotonic elastic–plastic material properties. To simulate real load ratio effects, the parameter β in the strip-yield model (constraint factor in compression) is proposed to be used as a variable. It enabled a generation of different ratios of monotonic and cyclic plastic zones, which in turn helped to reproduce the crack closure values observed experimentally. Discussion and explanations were provided regarding the material microstructure. The proposed approach considers unequal tensile and compressive yield stresses caused by the different irreversibility of plastic deformation, which explains the dissimilarities in the load ratio effect observed in the investigated materials. It can also improve the accuracy of residual fatigue life estimations.

Conventional shot peening treatment effects on thermal fatigue crack growth and failure mechanisms of a solid solution alloy

This study presents the effects of conventional shot peening as a surface post-treatment method on the fatigue crack growth behavior and failure mechanism of a solid solution alloy used in the flat seal component under thermal fatigue conditions. The study employs a combination of experimental tests and finite element simulations to evaluate the effect of shot peening on thermal fatigue crack growth behavior. The corrected J-integral and Paris model are used to calculate the stress intensity factor and predict the thermal fatigue crack growth behavior, respectively. Additionally, the ZENCRACK method is employed to predict thermal fatigue life. The results indicate that shot peening induces compressive residual stress, leading to a decreased distribution of thermal stress, particularly along the crack propagation path. The simulated fatigue life curve obtained by ZENCRACK demonstrated a good agreement between the simulated and experimental crack growth results. The incorporation of shot peening caused a significant reduction in the rate of thermal fatigue crack growth, and the simulated stress intensity factor analysis revealed an increase during the heating stage. Consequently, the thermal fatigue crack propagated during the heating-up process. SEM evaluation reveals that the shot peening post-treatment impacts both thermal fatigue crack initiation and propagation. Furthermore, the failure mode of shot-peened specimens involves inter- and trans-granular cracking, while non-shot-peened specimens exhibit trans-granular cracking.

Electrochemistry Numerical Study of Stress Corrosion Cracking under Near-Neutral Soil Solution

Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) is a phenomenon in which cracks develop in certain materials due to a combination of stress and corrosion. This process is commonly observed in low-alloy steels with a ferritic-pearlitic structure, such as X70, which are often used in buried pipeline applications within the oil and gas industry. These materials are particularly susceptible to SCC failure in dilute solutions. To simulate SCC conditions, the Near-neutral simulated soil solution (NS4) has been established as a widely accepted industry standard for conducting crack growth experiments in many laboratories. This paper aims to investigate the role of electrochemistry in SCC under near-neutral soil solution conditions by presenting a numerical study using COMSOL on the effects of applied potential on corrosion rate in near-neutral soil solutions. According to the findings, the electrode thickness, current density, and corrosion rates were mostly affected by an applied potential of -1.2 V. This implies that slight modifications in the applied voltage can greatly influence the corrosion rate of the electrode. This outcome aligns with prior research on the influence of potential on electrode performance and emphasizes the crucial role of precise control of the applied potential in electrochemical systems.

Determination of creep crack growth kinetics of ABS via the C* approach at different temperatures

Crack initiation and propagation under creep is one of the main failure modes of service equipment made of plastic. This paper explores the feasibility of using the creep C* integral approach to deduce creep crack growth data obtained for a polymeric material, specifically an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene polymer, which exhibits nonlinear mechanical behavior. Experimental creep crack growth data, measured at 60 and 80 °C, was used to obtain the relationship between the time rate of crack growth, da/dt, due to secondary creep and the applied value of C*. A master-curve could be determined, which describes experimental data at both temperatures. These promising results suggest that C* integral approach can be used as powerful and convenient tool to describe crack propagation of polymeric materials under secondary creep conditions. The approach may also be of interest for the prediction of creep lifetime for ductile polymers.