Fatigue Crack Growth Tests Research Articles

Investigation of Corrosion Fatigue Crack Growth in Aluminium Alloy-Based Metal Matrix Composites: A Comparative Study

The need for high-strength alloys that can withstand the harsh conditions of saline environments is a common challenge in engineering applications. These materials must maintain their structural integrity under corrosive conditions. Corrosion fatigue of aluminium-based composites is an important consideration in the design and use of these materials, as it can significantly reduce the strength and service life of the composite. Corrosion fatigue occurs when a material is repeatedly exposed to a corrosive environment and cyclic loading, leading to the formation of cracks and eventual failure. The susceptibility of aluminium-based composites to corrosion fatigue depends on several factors, including the type and amount of reinforcement used, the composition of the matrix and the specific corrosive environment. It is therefore important that these factors are carefully considered and appropriate testing carried out to ensure the longevity and reliability of the composite in its intended application. In this study, fatigue crack growth tests were carried out at four different stress ratios on 2124-T4 +25% SiCp/Al composites at room temperature and in a 3.5% salt solution environment. It was found that the influence of the salt solution at low stress ratios was significant on the fatigue crack growth rates. However, the effect of the saline environment on the fatigue response diminished at high stress ratios.

Analysis of Fatigue Crack Propagation in AISI 4140 Steel with Multi-Austempering Treatment

This study examines the fatigue crack propagation behaviour of AISI 4140 steel subjected to multi-austempering heat treatments. Tensile test and fatigue crack propagation (FCP) specimens were prepared in accordance with ASTM E8 and ASTM E647, respectively. Multi-austempering was carried out by heating the specimen to an austenite temperature for 10 min using an induction heating coil. The specimen was then immersed in a salt bath for each isothermal transformation time of 60 min at three austempering temperature levels from 312°C to 412°C with a temperature increase of 50°C. Tensile and fatigue crack growth tests were performed on both annealed and multi-austempered specimens. It is observed that the multi-austempering heat treatment significantly improves the tensile properties and the FCP properties of AISI 4140 steel. Microstructural observations indicate that the bainitic phase and the retained austenite increase the tensile strength and reduce the fatigue crack propagation rate (da/dN). It is found that the bainitic structures are an effective barrier in reducing fatigue crack propagation as the fatigue loading cycle increases

Assessment of the fatigue crack growth behavior of HG785D steel welded joints

Fatigue performance of high-strength steel welded joints is widely concerned in engineering fields. In this research, the fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of HG785D steel with and without a "soft + hard + soft" composite welded metal is investigated by conducting FCG tests, hardness tests and fracture observation. Further, FCG curves (da/dN-ΔK) quantified by Seven-point incremental polynomial method (SP) and Smith method (SM) from tested crack length and number of cycles are compared. Results show the fatigue performance of composite welded metal is improved due to the hard layer ensures strength and soft layers provide toughness. Additionally, the fatigue life assessment is safer using da/dN-ΔK curves by SP, whereas more accurate using that by SM. The da/dN-ΔK curves by SP can capture the local fluctuations in FCG rate, while that by SM provides a smooth and global description for FCG behavior with steadily increased da/dN. Considering heterogeneous properties of composite welded metal, a piecewise function combining SP method is recommend to describe the unconventional da/dN-ΔK curves. Moreover, the correlation between Paris parameters for steels is analyzed, offering a reference for fatigue reliability assessments.

Study on the behavior and mechanism of double transition points in stable fatigue crack growth of superelastic NiTi shape memory alloy

Fatigue crack growth (FCG) tests were conducted on superelastic NiTi alloys, demonstrating that the da/dN-ΔK curve in the stable crack growth stage exhibits two transition points in the double-logarithmic coordinate system, presenting a tri-linear form. Fracture surface SEM analysis indicated that the FCG mechanisms differ across the three stages on either side of the two transition points. This phenomenon is first discovered and studied in NiTi alloys. The study investigated the size and position relationships between the characteristic zones at the crack tip (phase transformation zone and cyclic plasticity zone) and the microstructure during crack growth. Based on this, a critical prediction method for the transition points was established and found to be in close agreement with the experimental results. Finally, the formation mechanism of the double transition points was explained by combining the SEM results of the fracture surfaces with every stage of FCG.

Exploring the fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth behavior of MoRe alloys

The fracture and fatigue crack growth behavior of two molybdenum alloys, containing 41 wt-% and 47.5 wt-% rhenium, respectively, are investigated. These alloys were provided in form of cold-wrought rods of 6 mm diameter and exhibit a refined microstructure with highly elongated grains and a strong fiber texture. Similarly processed pure molybdenum was used as reference material and exhibits a significantly coarser microstructure. SEN(T) and C(T) specimens were tested with R-L and L-R orientation. In both, quasi-static and fatigue crack growth experiments, L-R oriented cracks immediately kinked by 90° into the direction of grain elongation. This yields fracture toughness values and effective and long crack threshold values about twice as high as for R-L oriented cracks, which is in good agreement with calculations of a reduced local crack driving force. In both MoRe alloys a cyclic R-curve behavior was captured in fatigue crack growth tests at a load ratio of R = 0.1, while for MoRe47.5 it was still present at R = 0.7. This is attributed mainly to the coarser microstructure. The effective thresholds ∆Kth,eff of both MoRe alloys are remarkably low and deviate from a commonly used estimation, especially for the MoRe47.5 material. It is proposed that plasticity in these materials is facilitated by twinning, leading to the emission of partial dislocations from the crack tip. Although no clear microstructural or fractographic evidence was found, a recalculation of ∆Kth,eff considering partial dislocations indicates a good correlation with experimental values.

An accelerated corrosion-fatigue testing method for marine high-strength steel based on equivalence principle of fatigue crack growth

The corrosion-fatigue test is widely used to assess marine equipment. However, due to the low-frequency and high-cycle loading of marine equipment in service, conventional test methods require long cycle times and high costs. This makes it challenging to meet the rapid evaluation demands associated with equipment development effectively. In this study, an accelerated corrosion test method was proposed for steel by adjusting the composition, temperature, pH and H2O2 concentration of environment. Fatigue crack growth tests were conducted under various corrosion environments and load frequencies. The matching relationships between corrosion fatigue acceleration multiplier, corrosion environment parameters and load parameters were established. Additionally, a corrosion fatigue acceleration test method was proposed based on the equivalent principle of fatigue crack growth. The results show that effective coupling between corrosion and fatigue can be achieved by gradually reducing the load frequency as the stress intensity factor amplitude increases throughout the crack growth process. It is consistent with the trend of fatigue crack growth rate in the seawater environment. The 4.85% fatigue life deviation and the 15.68 times corrosion fatigue acceleration can be achieved by our method. This work improves the accuracy and reliability of fatigue performance evaluation for offshore equipment.

The hysteresis loop on the near-threshold fatigue crack growth curves generated by stepped load reduction and constant-amplitude loading methods in a Ni-based superalloy

Fatigue crack growth (FCG) tests were conducted on compact tension specimens made of a Ni-based superalloy to investigate the near-threshold FCG behaviors using both the stepped load reduction method (LRM) and the constant-amplitude loading method (CALM) at three stress ratios (R = 0.05, 0.5 and 0.7) under ambient condition. It is found that after the FCG threshold being approached by the LRM, a remarkable hysteresis plateau occurs on the subsequent FCG curve generated by the CALM for R ≤ 0.5, resulting a hysteresis loop on the near-threshold region, but the situation becomes complicated at R = 0.7. In the appearance of hysteresis plateau, the FCG life to fracture can be over 107 cycles longer than that without hysteresis plateau. For FCG rate faster than 10−8 m/cycle, the fractography is dominated by transgranular feature which is insensitive to the microstructure of the alloy. In the hysteresis plateau region where FCG rate is lower than 10−9 m/cycle, fractography shows a wide optical dark zone where microstructure-sensitive crystallographic facet feature dominates, while when no hysteresis at R = 0.7, the optical dark zone is too narrow for the fracture feature transition so that crystallographic facet, transgranular as well as mosaic features can be observed simultaneously. As FCG in the hysteresis plateau under the CALM can be significantly slower than that under the stepped LRM, it is recommend that the stepped LRM should be used to generate the material basic FCG curves for fatigue life prediction of high durability structures.

Microstructural Anisotropy, Mechanical Properties, and Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior of AA2050‐T84 Alloy

ABSTRACTThis study focuses on characterizing the microstructure and mechanical properties of AA2050‐T84 alloy produced in two different thicknesses, 20 and 130 mm. A comparative analysis between the two thicknesses aims to understand how the rolling operation for achieving thin plates influences the alloy's microstructure and overall mechanical performance. Microstructural analyses showed a highly anisotropic grain structure and preferred crystallographic orientation in the 20‐mm‐thick plate, causing anisotropic tensile properties. Also, a significant fatigue crack deviation was observed for the 20‐mm‐thick plate during fatigue crack growth tests due to its microstructure. This result was attributed to the microcrack formations perpendicular to the crack growth direction and slip bands at the intermediate ΔK, when the loading was parallel to the rolling direction. The findings from this study offer critical insights into how the rolling operation for achieving thin plates influences the microstructure and overall performance of the alloy.

The regulation of dislocation and precipitated phase improving hydrogen embrittlement resistance of pipeline steel in high pressure hydrogen environment

In this study, the hydrogen embrittlement behavior of quenched pipeline steel tempered at 550 °C to 650 °C in a high-pressure hydrogen environment was analyzed. Hydrogen permeation tests and microstructural analyses indicated that the dislocation density of the steel decreases with increasing tempering temperature, while precipitates gradually nucleate and grow. These hydrogen traps interact with hydrogen atoms, resulting in significantly higher diffusible hydrogen content in steel tempered at 550 °C compared to that tempered at 600 °C and 650 °C. Fatigue crack growth (FCG) test results show that steel tempered at 600 °C and 650 °C exhibits significantly better hydrogen embrittlement resistance than steel tempered at 550 °C. This is primarily due to the combined effect of the high hydrogen concentration, high dislocation density and low nano carbide content in the steel tempered at 550 °C, which inhibits dislocation slip and emission, leading to high crack tip stress and rapid crack propagation. In contrast, the low dislocation density and and dispersed nano carbides in steel tempered at 600 °C and 650 °C facilitate some dislocation slip and emission, result in crack tip stress relaxation and reduced crack propagation rate. Properly controlling the initial dislocation density and increasing the density of irreversible hydrogen traps can enhance the strength of materials while improving their resistance to hydrogen embrittlement.

Characterization of fatigue crack growth in directed energy deposited Ti-6Al-4V by marker load method

Fatigue crack growth properties of materials are crucial for evaluating damage tolerance in additive manufacturing (AM) metallic structures. However, the unique microstructures and defects of AM materials result in highly complex fatigue crack growth behaviors. Currently, there is a lack of systematic fatigue crack growth rate measurement methods specifically targeting this characteristic. Therefore, taking directed energy deposited Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy as the object of the study, fatigue crack growth tests were conducted in three orthogonal build orientations of the material using marker load method. Additionally, the visual measurement and compliance methods were also employed to measure fatigue crack growth rates, and the anisotropy of fatigue crack growth property was analyzed. Subsequently, anisotropic fatigue crack growth behaviors were characterized by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, confocal microscope, and electron backscatter diffraction, suggesting that the microstructure is the primary factor affecting overall fatigue crack growth. Furthermore, nanoindentation tests were conducted to obtain the micromechanical properties within and among columnar grains in different build orientations, clarifying the homogeneity and anisotropy of mechanical properties. Finally, a fatigue crack growth rate measurement method based on marker load method was established, and the advantages of this method in AM materials and structures were summarized by comparing the results with those obtained using these two mature methods.

Fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth in DMLS Co-Cr-Mo alloy: Unraveling the role of scanning strategies

Co-Cr-Mo alloy is crucial for biomedical implants and aerospace components. These parts often exhibit a high level of geometric intricacy. Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) is ideal for these complex parts. In DMLS, choosing the right scanning strategies is vital, as it significantly affects the fatigue fracture behavior of the printed components. Thus, the present study investigates the effect of different scanning strategies (stripe, meander, and chessboard) on the fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth behavior of DMLS printed Co-Cr-Mo alloy. For each scanning strategy, fatigue crack growth tests have been performed to evaluate the threshold stress intensity factor and Paris law constants. To corroborate the obtained experimental results, microstructure analyses have been performed using electron backscattered diffraction. Further, failure mechanisms have been identified from fractographs obtained using field emission scanning electron microscopy. It is evident from the obtained test results that scanning strategies caused significant variation in fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth behavior. The stripe scanning strategy has exhibited higher resistance to fracture and fatigue crack growth. However, delayed crack initiation has been observed in the case of the chessboard scanning strategy. The present study provide the background for better selection of scanning strategies to mitigate fatigue fracture in DMLS-printed Co-Cr-Mo alloy designed for specific applications.

Corrosion fatigue crack growth model for aluminum alloys in jet fuel

AbstractAluminum alloys are primary structural materials in aircraft fuel systems, where jet fuel can influence the fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of materials. This paper presents a model for calculating the FCG rate of aluminum alloys in jet fuel environment. The model is based on elastoplastic fracture mechanics and revises the interaction terms in the linear superposition model by accounting for the corrosive environment and the crack closure effect. The derivation process of the model is discussed in detail. To validate the efficacy of the model, FCG tests were conducted on three types of aviation aluminum alloys, namely, 2524‐T3, 7050‐T7451, and 7075‐T62 in the jet fuel. The experimental results were compared with FCG rates in the laboratory air environment. Findings indicate that the proposed model effectively captures the primary trends observed in the experimental data. In addition, the failure surfaces of the specimens were observed using a super‐depth‐of‐field optical microscopy system.

Towards a Fracture Mechanics-Based Assessment for Fatigue Life Prediction of Ni–Ti Stents

The fatigue failure of Ni–Ti peripheral stents still represents an open issue of major concern due to the non-linear material behavior, the complex loads acting in vivo, and the manufacturing process. The fatigue assessment currently exploits total-life methodologies devoted to preventing crack nucleation. This work investigates a complementary fracture mechanics-based approach accounting for crack propagation from pre-existing manufacturing defects. Fatigue crack growth tests were performed on rolled Ni–Ti samples with a thickness and microstructure comparable to that of stents. A fracture mechanics-based assessment was implemented to predict the fatigue durability of surrogate samples tested at different mean and alternate strains. The fracture surfaces of the samples were inspected to determine a statistical distribution of defect size at the fracture origin. The cyclic J-integral was adopted as the crack driving force parameter, and it allowed to account for the complex response of the material, undergoing energy dissipations during phase transformation. Encouraging fatigue life predictions conforming to experimental data were obtained in the finite-life regime, whereas conservative estimates were computed below the fatigue threshold. This approach can be reverted to determine the maximum acceptable material defects for specific applications, providing a useful tool to manufacturing companies.

Fatigue and fracture in dual-material specimens of nickel-based alloys fabricated by hybrid additive manufacturing

The integration of additive manufacturing with traditional processes, termed hybrid additive manufacturing, has expanded its application domain, particularly in the repair of gas turbine blade tips. However, process-related defects in additively manufactured materials, interface formation, and material property mismatches in dual-material structures can significantly impact the fatigue performance of components. This investigation examines the low cycle fatigue and fatigue crack growth behaviors in dual-material specimens of nickel-based alloys, specifically the additively manufactured STAL15 and the cast alloy 247DS, at elevated temperatures. Low cycle fatigue experiments were conducted at temperatures of 950 °C and 1000 °C under a range of strain levels (0.3%–0.8%) and fatigue crack growth tests were conducted at 950 °C with stress ratios of 0.1 and −1. Fractographic and microscopic analyses were performed to comprehend fatigue crack initiation and crack growth mechanisms in the dual-material structure. The results consistently indicated crack initiation and fatigue fracture in the additively manufactured STAL15 material. Notably, fatigue crack growth retardation was observed near the interface when the crack extended from the additively manufactured STAL15 material to the perpendicularly positioned interface. This study highlights the importance of considering yield strength mismatch, as well as the potential effects of residual stresses and grain structure differences, in the interpretation of fatigue crack growth behavior at the interface.

Investigation on the fatigue crack growth behavior of welded joints in EH690 high-strength marine steel

EH690 high-strength steel (HSS) is extensively utilized in marine engineering due to its exceptional strength. The fatigue crack growth (FCG) behaviors of EH690 HSS welded joints in different zones (base metal (BM), heat-affected zone (HAZ), and weld metal (WM)) were investigated by conducting FCG tests with various stress ratios (R). The results demonstrate that the WM and HAZ materials exhibit enhanced resistance to FCG compared to the BM material. The higher stress ratios result in increased fatigue crack growth rates (FCGRs). The welded residual stress (WRS) distribution in the welded joints was predicted considering solid-state phase transformation (SSPT). Subsequently, a comprehensive analysis of the WRS influence on FCG behavior shows that the residual compressive stress enhances the material’s resistance to FCG. Additionally, the effect of R on the FCG behavior of the material was investigated by employing the Walker model, and the applicability of the Walker model was discussed as well. Finally, the FCG mechanisms of the different zones in the welded joint were investigated from a microscopic perspective, further exploring the influence of R on the FCG behavior.

Evaluation of scale invariance in fatigue crack growth in metallic materials

The length-scale dependence of fatigue crack growth is evaluated for a set of metallic materials, namely titanium Ti-6Al-4V, ductile iron EN-GJS-500-7 and tool steel AISI H13, by performing fatigue crack growth tests on geometrically similar compact C(T) specimens of different sizes. With references to length-scale-invariant variables, notably the crack growth rate normalised by the specimen width, it is demonstrated that fatigue crack growth is not a length-scale-invariant process for the tested conditions. In particular, the length-scale dependence is less significant for larger specimens and at longer crack lengths. The test results also contradict the hypothesis of similitude, i.e., that the growth rate is uniquely related to the stress-intensity-factor range, as smaller specimens manifest a higher growth rate when compared at the same stress-intensity-factor range. The observations are in line with presented fracture-mechanical demonstrations, which show that the Paris–Erdogan law depends on the length scale whenever fatigue crack growth is anticipated to be scale invariant.

Closure Effect of I + II Mixed-mode Crack for EA4T Axle Steel

The crack-closure effect is a crucial factor that affects the crack growth rate and should be considered in simulation analysis and testing. A mixed-mode I + II loading fatigue crack growth test was performed using EA4T axle steel specimens. The variation of the plastic-induced crack closure (PICC) effect and the roughness-induced crack closure (RICC) effect during crack deflection in the mixed-mode is examined in this study. The results show that the load perpendicular to the crack propagation direction hinders the slip effect caused by the load parallel to the crack propagation direction under mixed-mode loading, and the crack deflection is an intuitive manifestation of the interaction between the PICC and RICC. The proportion of the RA value change on the crack side caused by contact friction was reduced by the interaction between PICC and RICC. The roughness of the crack surface before and after the crack deflection is different, and the spatial torsion crack surface is formed during the crack propagation process. With the increase of the crack length, the roughness of the fracture surface increases. During the crack deflection process, the PICC value fluctuates around 0.2, and the RICC value is increased to 0.15.

Fatigue crack growth behavior of laser welded QP980 steel at low temperatures with water-cooling assistance

Cooling assistance holds great promise for enhancing the quality of welded joints. In this paper, the fatigue properties of laser welded quenching and partitioning 980 steel joints are improved using a water-cooling assistance process at low temperatures. This process facilitates the creation of high-quality welded joints characterized by both strength and ductility. Hardness and Charpy impact tests are conducted in conjunction with microstructure observation. Fatigue crack growth tests are performed under different stress ratios (R = 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5) at three temperatures (T = 25 °C, −40 °C and −80 °C). Results indicate that the fatigue life of welded joints increases by factors of 2.0 (at 25 °C), 2.2 (at −40 °C) and 1.5 (at −80 °C) and ductile-to-brittle transition temperature decreases with the use of water-cooling assistance at low temperatures.

Microstructural causes and mechanisms of crack growth rate transition and fluctuation of additively manufactured titanium alloy

Wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) enables rapid near-net-shape fabrications of large-size parts and in-situ remanufacturing in many industry sectors. A comprehensive understanding of the fatigue failure mechanism of WAAM titanium alloys is a prerequisite for their widespread use in critical structural components subject to fatigue load. Here, the fatigue crack growth behavior of WAAM TA15 material is investigated. Fatigue crack growth tests are performed using compact tension specimens sampled from different locations and with different crack orientations of the WAAM TA15 block. The fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) data exhibit two governing rates separated by a transition stress intensity factor value, ΔKn, and the degrees of fluctuation of the FCGR data in the two regimes are notably different. A piecewise log-linear model is first proposed by incorporating the Heaviside step function and ΔKn into the classical Paris’ model, allowing for the transition ΔKn to be determined by the data. The potential causes of the transition ΔKn are phenomenologically inferred via fractography and surface roughness profiling results. The critical microstructure affecting the value of ΔKn is identified by relating the crack tip cyclic plastic zone size at ΔKn to the sizes of main microstructures. The cause of different degrees of fluctuations in the two regimes separated by ΔKn is inferred by examining the microstructures within the plastic zone. The microstructural mechanisms of the local FCGR reduction and fluctuation are further identified and explained.

Quasi-in-situ observation of fatigue crack growth behavior of friction stir welded 2024-T4 joint

This study presents a quasi-in situ observation of the fatigue crack growth behavior in a friction stir welded 2024-T4 joint. The microstructure and fatigue properties of the joint were investigated using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and fatigue crack growth tests. The fatigue crack growth behavior of the joint was examined by conducting fatigue crack growth tests with different notch locations. The results show that the sample with the notch in the stir zone (SZ) exhibited the highest resistance to fatigue crack growth, followed by the notched samples of the Advancing side (AS) and Retreating side (RS) weldments. Microstructural observations showed a homogeneous microstructure with a fine grain size in SZ and it was observed that this fine-grained structure significantly enhanced the material’s resistance to fatigue crack growth. The experimental results were further analyzed using the Paris model to provide a quantitative understanding of the crack growth behavior. The study underlines the impact of microstructural characteristics and notch location on the fatigue performance of the weldment. Overall, the quasi-in situ observations and experimental findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the fatigue crack growth behavior in friction stir welded 2024-T4 joints.