Fatigue Crack Propagation Behavior Research Articles

Microstructure and crack propagation behavior of 2195 aluminum lithium alloy with different orientations in the friction stir welding nugget zone

The 2195 aluminum-lithium alloy is widely used in the aerospace field, where using friction stir welding technology can achieve lightweight and reduced wear designs for components. Fatigue failure, as one of the main modes of damage affecting the life and reliability of structural components, is particularly significant. This paper thoroughly explores the differences in microstructure and fatigue crack propagation behavior between the advancing side and retreating side of the friction stir welded joint in different sampling directions, providing a theoretical basis for enhancing the fatigue performance of friction stir welds. Characterization of the microstructure of the samples was performed using Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and the fatigue properties were investigated using fatigue crack propagation rate curves and crack growth rate curves. The results indicate that the longitudinal base material grains tend to a fibrous structure, while the axial base material grains are distributed in a lamellar fashion. Compared to the advancing side of weld nugget zone, the retreating side of weld nugget zone has significantly reduced grain size and texture types. The fatigue performance of the retreating side of the weld nugget zone is superior to that of the advancing side, and the circumferential welds outperform the longitudinal welds in terms of fatigue performance.

Effective stress intensity factor range for fatigue cracks propagating in mixed mode I-II loading

The actual service axles are often subjected to mixed-mode loading, and predicting the mixed-mode I-II crack propagation behaviour using the mode I effective stress intensity factor (ΔKI) differs from the real service conditions. To effectively predict the fatigue crack propagation behaviour of actual service structures, the I-II stress intensity factor range (ΔKP-R) considering two closure effects was adopted to describe the fatigue crack propagation under mixed mode loading. A test database was established based on monitoring data of mode I and mixed-mode I-II (30/45/60°) crack propagation tests under different stress ratios. Combining domain knowledge and symbolic regression (SR) methods, an angle factor was proposed for constructing correlation functions between ΔKI and ΔKP-R. The results showed that the loading angle (α) only affects the initial projection of the load parallel and perpendicular to the fatigue crack growth (FCG) direction. Compared with the geometric correction factor, the correlation function acquired by the angle factor constructed by the SR method has higher accuracy, and the balance parameters (SCORE) obtained by the former are significantly higher than those obtained by the latter under the same function complexity. The SR verification results demonstrated that constructing mode I and I-II correlation functions with angle factors has a good predictive effect.

Analysis of tooth root three-dimensional fatigue crack initiation, propagation, and fatigue life for spur gear transmission

The gears in aviation gear systems are susceptible to fatigue fracture due to high-speed, heavy-load, and load alternation operating conditions. Therefore, a numerical calculation model with multiple mesh positions loading form has been proposed in this paper to analyze the fatigue crack initiation and propagation behavior, and to estimate the fatigue life of these gears. The fatigue life of the gear is determined by separately calculating the fatigue crack initiation life and the fatigue crack propagation life. The tooth root fatigue stress and the fatigue initiation life are calculated by the multi-axial fatigue life prediction method with the Smith-Watson-Topper criterion and the critical plane method. Afterwards, the tooth root stress–strain field is calculated in Finite element (FE) software and the stress intensity factors of the crack tip are calculated in three-dimensional (3D) crack analysis software. Then, the tooth root fatigue crack propagation trajectory and the fatigue crack propagation life are obtained separately. Finally, the influence mechanism of the loading conditions, the geometry parameters of gears, and the initial crack positions on the tooth root fatigue crack initiation life, propagation life, and fatigue crack propagation trajectory are analyzed, and a tooth fatigue test bench is built for verifying the crack propagation trajectory.

Small fatigue crack behavior of CP-Ti in thin-walled cruciform specimens under biaxial loading

This study investigates the small fatigue crack propagation behavior of commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) using thin-walled cruciform specimens under in-plane biaxial loading, considering the effects of biaxial ratio and phase angle. Increasing phase angle results in more secondary cracks merging with main cracks perpendicular to the rolling direction (RD) and transverse direction (TD), a phenomenon attributed to the rise in shear stress that accelerates main crack growth. Higher loading biaxiality or a lower phase angle leads to decreased crack propagation rates and increased biaxial fatigue life. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis reveals that when the maximum normal stress aligns with the RD, prismatic slip primarily governs crack propagation, thereby accelerating crack propagation rates. Conversely, alignment with the TD reduces prismatic slip activity and crack propagation rates. Under equi-biaxial loading, prismatic slip activity decreases further, and crack propagation is dominated by multiple slip and twinning, consequently resulting in the slowest propagation rates. Additionally, a higher proportion of prismatic slip under high phase angle also accelerates crack propagation. Finally, incorporating Findley equivalent stress into the Chapetti model, which considers the crack length-dependent threshold effect, a highly accurate biaxial small fatigue crack propagation rate model is proposed.

Model for predicting type Ι fatigue crack growth rate in RKE field considering stress gradient

Based on the stress–strain field at the crack tip of Rice-Kujawski-Ellyin (RKE) and considering the stress gradient effect near the crack tip of type I, a fatigue crack growth rate prediction model L-SG (RKE) for type I is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the stress gradient change value of 1 % at the crack tip is considered as the characteristic distance (stress gradient influence range), and the ratio of the equivalent stress to the far-field stress in the stress gradient influence range is defined as the stress gradient influence coefficient ρ; Secondly, the new model L-SG (RKE) is proposed to quantitatively describe the fatigue crack growth behavior by using the stress–strain field at the crack tip of RKE, and the stress gradient influence coefficient ρ is introduced, and then the crack tip passivation radius rp is defined to eliminate the crack tip singularity, and the plastic strain energy failure criterion is combined.; Finally, the prediction effect of the L-SG (RKE) model is verified by 6 metal materials and the fatigue crack growth rate test results of 2 groups of 45 steel CT specimens, and compared with the SHI-CAI (RKE) model. At the same time, based on the R2 fitting effect and the different requirements of the three stages of fatigue crack propagation, the prediction effect of the two prediction models is analyzed, and comprehensive evaluation from two aspects of safety and accuracy. The results show that the L-SG (RKE) prediction model can better reflect the actual fatigue crack propagation behavior, and can meet the requirements of practical engineering for the accuracy and safety of the prediction model. Especially, the prediction results of physical cracks in 45 steel shaft parts by this model agrees well with the experimental data.

Effect of different braking conditions on fatigue crack propagation behaviour of train brake disc

Fatigue damage on the surface of brake discs can seriously affect the train braking safety. In this paper, the effect of various braking conditions on the crack propagation of train brake discs is investigated based on the co-simulation of Abaqus and Franc3D. The relationship of the braking mode, initial speed, braking time and braking force to the stress intensity factor, crack propagation rate, and propagation life is discussed. The findings show that the initial speed is the major factor influencing disc crack propagation during emergency and service braking, while the braking force and time are more important during ramp braking. Besides, the temperature increasing rate and temperature field distribution are significant factors influencing crack propagation. Thus, reasonable design of braking condition parameters can help slow down the crack propagation of brake discs and ensure the safety of braking.

Fractographic analysis on fatigue crack propagation behavior of Inconel 706 at 25, 450 and 650oC

Fatigue crack propagation (FCP) behavior of Inconel 706 (IN706) was examined at two different R ratios of 0.1 and 0.7 and three different testing temperatures of 25, 450 and 650oC. Several points were notable, including the increase in near-threshold ΔK, ΔKth, value with increasing temperature, extremely high starting da/dN values for stage II regime at elevated temperature and the change in Paris' slope, m, at certain test condition. The crack path observation suggested that the increase in ΔKth and high starting da/dN values with increasing temperature was related to the crack blunting at the tip of crack at 450 and 650oC. To understand the reason for the change in m value with different R ratio and temperature, quantitative fractographic analysis was conducted on the FCP-tested IN706 specimens. The fraction of cleavage fracture varied in complex manner, depending on ΔK, testing temperature and R ratio. It was found that intergranular fracture, cleavage fracture competed with one another, determining the shape of da/dN vs ΔK curves of IN706.

Corrosion fatigue crack propagation behaviour in different micro-regions of steel/aluminum laser-MIG hybrid fusion-brazed joints

Evaluating corrosion fatigue crack propagation (CFCP) behaviour in different micro-regions of steel/aluminium welded joints is crucial for ensuring the safety and reliability of these joints in service environments. However, the CFCP behaviour of steel/aluminum welded joints has rarely been studied. This study explores the CFCP behaviour of steel/aluminium laser-metal inert gas hybrid fusion-brazed joints in different micro-regions under a simulated corrosive environment (3.5wt.% NaCl solution) at room temperature. A self-made 5 KN electronic servo testing machine was used to apply a sinusoidal wave load (stress ratio R = 0.1, frequency = 0.5Hz) to single-edge notched tensile specimens. The notches were located at the weld, heat-affected zone (HAZ) and steel/aluminium interface (abbreviated as interface). The fatigue crack propagation rate (da/dN) of different micro-regions in steel/aluminium welded joints followed the order of interface > weld > HAZ under corrosive environment and air conditions. Compared with air, the corrosive environment triggered a markedly higher da/dN, irrespective of notch location at the weld, HAZ or interface. This accelerated da/dN resulted from the combined effects of anodic dissolution, chloride ions and galvanic corrosion. The electron backscatter diffraction results indicated that compared with the weld and HAZ specimens, the HAZ specimen exhibited lower da/dN, attributed to its small grains, higher proportion of high-angle grain boundaries and increased geometrically necessary dislocation density. Fatigue striations were clearly observed on the weld and HAZ fracture surfaces, while a brittle fracture pattern was observed on the corrosion fatigue fracture surface for the interface.

Simulation of fatigue crack growth in aluminium alloy 7075-T7351 under spike overload and aircraft spectrum loading

The trend towards virtual testing and digital-twin assisted management means that the accurate and reliable simulation of fatigue crack propagation behaviour is more important than ever. Reliable but conservative approaches to support this are in widespread use in the aerospace industry. Nevertheless, the conservatism comes at a significant cost in terms of reduced structural life and an increased ongoing inspection requirement and, as such leads to questions about the economic burden of these approaches. Recent comparisons between blind predictions and test results revealed the extent of the issue for cracking in aluminium alloy 7075-T7351 coupons with configuration and loading representative of military transport aircraft wing skins. The current models were generally conservative by a factor of two or more in terms of crack propagation life. This suggested that there was significant scope to improve the modelling to better reflect all the complex contributing factors. The current work has investigated the issue of changes in the crack front constraint as the crack progresses from a state of high constraint (close to plane strain) to a lower constraint (approaching plane stress). This issue was investigated both experimentally and with the development of an improved analytical model. A test program was conducted on several specimens, loaded under constant-amplitude, constant-amplitude with spike-overloads and a variable amplitude spectrum. Crack-opening stress levels were measured at key points in the tests and the results were used to develop and evaluate improved modelling approaches. The improved model was generally able to predict crack growth within about ± 30 % of that demonstrated along with the correct form of the crack growth, which is a significant advance and will lead to reduced costs and increased safety.

Enhancing fatigue crack propagation resistance of heterostructured Al composites and multistage crack mechanisms

High tensile strength and low fatigue crack propagation (FCP) rate are hard to achieve simultaneously in aluminium (Al) based materials, which has been a long-lasting topic. It is because the traditional strengthening mechanisms may lead to the increase in FCP rate. In this work, we developed dual-level heterostructures by incorporating the in-situ synthesized TiB2 particles into Al matrix, to create particle-lean zones (PLZs) and particle-rich zones (PRZs) by extrusion. Fine grains were introduced by particle-associated local recrystallization in PRZs. By means of particle and grain size distribution, a heterostructured Al composite featuring with the coarse grains in PLZs and fine grains in PRZs was fabricated. It was found that simultaneous enhancement of both the strength and FCP resistance of Al composite was achieved through the development of heterostructures. During FCP, the PRZs can retard the growth of slip bands and increase crack deflection frequency while the PLZs increase the crack deflection distance and plastic deformation capability at crack tip. The fracture behavior of composite during FCP depended on grain characteristics, particles and stress intensity range. The detailed cracking behavior for typical <100>Al and <111>Al grains in different FCP stages was identified. The associated models were developed for different FCP behaviors. Particularly, the quantitative relationship between Pairs parameters and microstructure features was established, which was critical to understand fatigue properties of Al composite reinforced by small particles. These findings can provide a strategy to design metal materials with an excellent combination of both static and dynamic mechanical properties.

A prediction method for new titanium alloy welded structure fatigue crack growth rate

ABSTRACT For the fatigue life prediction of titanium alloy welded structures used in deep-sea submersibles, a modified model considering the welding characteristics and the load sequence effect is established in this paper. Based on the modified model, the fatigue crack propagation behaviour of the new titanium alloy welded structure under different loading conditions is predicted. The comparison between the prediction results and the test data is analyzed. The prediction ability of the modified model over the conventional model is comparatively analyzed. The results show that the modified model has a strong ability to predict the fatigue crack propagation behaviour of new titanium alloy welded structures under various load spectra.

Short Fatigue-Crack Growth from Crack-like Defects under Completely Reversed Loading Predicted Based on Cyclic R-Curve.

Understanding short fatigue-crack propagation behavior is inevitable in the defect-tolerant design of structures. Short cracks propagate differently from long cracks, and the amount of crack closure plays a key role in the propagation behavior of short cracks. In the present paper, the buildup of fatigue-crack closure due to plasticity with crack extension from crack-like defects is simulated with a modified strip yield model, which leaves plastic stretch in the wake of the advancing crack. Crack-like defects are assumed to be closure-free and do not close even under compression. The effect of the size of crack-like defects on the growth and arrest of short cracks was systematically investigated and the cyclic R-curve derived. The cyclic R-curve determined under constant amplitude loading of multiple specimens is confirmed to be independent of the initial defect length. Load-shedding and ΔK-constant loading tests are employed to extend the cyclic R-curve beyond the fatigue limit determined under constant amplitude loading. The initiation stage of cracks is taken into account in R-curves when applied to smooth specimens.

The impact of welding residual stresses on fatigue crack growth behaviour in aluminium alloy plates: a numerical and experimental investigation

ABSTRACT This paper presents the findings of an investigation into fatigue crack growth in Compact Tension (CT) samples made of an aluminium alloy that contains welding residual stresses. The samples were welded using the TIG welding process, and the fatigue crack growth was measured through experimental means. To model the welding process and resulting residual stresses, as well as their impact on the rate of fatigue propagation, 3-D thermal-mechanical finite element (FE) analyses were conducted. The simulations revealed that the residual stresses induced by welding relaxed during fatigue loading. Both the experimental and FE results demonstrated similar relaxation behaviour of the specimens under fatigue loading. This study highlights the significant influence of residual stresses on the propagation of fatigue cracks in aluminium alloy specimens. By combining experiments and numerical simulations, a comprehensive understanding of how welding residual stresses evolve during fatigue loading and affect crack growth rates is achieved. The agreement between the experimental and FE models confirms the effectiveness of the finite element method in investigating the influence of residual stresses on the behaviour of fatigue crack propagation in structures fabricated through welding processes.

Influence of grain structure and precipitates on fatigue crack propagation behaviors of Al-xCu-1.2Li-X alloys

The fatigue crack propagation (FCP) rates of the Al-xCu-1.2Li-X (x=4.2, 4.5 wt%) alloys with various heat treatment states were systematically investigated and correlated crack growth mechanism was further elucidated. The finer recrystallized grains and more equivalent slip system numbers provided more beneficial conditions for crack deflection and bifurcation, leading to the decreased FCP rate in short-term natural-aged (ST-T4) MC alloy. Moreover, the crack tips hardly activated the slip system within the adjacent grains when their twist angle differences for four slip surfaces were >10°, and the crack tended to propagate along the grain boundaries. With increasing Cu content of T8-aged alloy, the number density and dimension of T1 and θ′ precipitates are simultaneously increased, and the strengthening mechanism of T1 precipitates transformed from shearing to by-passing. Thus, the crack tips required more energy for transgranular propagation, causing the tendency of propagation to the grain boundaries and increased FCP rate in T8-aged HC alloy. However, the high Cu content levels resulted in the preferential precipitation of Guinier-Preston (G.P) zones during T6 aging. The δ′ and θ′ precipitates are increased and the nucleation of by-passed T1 precipitates is suppressed in T6-aged HC alloy, leading to a significantly decreased FCP rate compared to that of MC alloy.

Effect of low temperature on fatigue crack propagation behavior of QP980 steel and laser-welded joint

This paper aims to investigate the fatigue crack propagation behavior of quenching and partitioning 980 steel (as base metal) and its welded joint at low-temperature environments. The fatigue crack propagation tests are carried out at 25°C, −40°C and −80°C under R=0.1, 0.3 and 0.5. The results show that the fatigue crack propagation threshold value increases and fatigue crack propagation rate decrease of base metal, whereas welded joint behaved opposite results as the temperature decreases. The fatigue ductility to brittle transition temperature of base metal is lower than that of welded joint. Compared with the welded joint, the base metal has higher fatigue resistance.

Effect of Low Temperature on the Fatigue Crack Propagation Behavior of Underwater Manned Vehicle Rudder Materials in Arctic Environments.

During polar navigation, adverse environmental conditions like cold temperatures, fatigue, and corrosion can affect surface and underwater manned vehicles (UMVs). Understanding the fatigue fracture growth behavior of polar ship steel is crucial for ensuring safety. This study investigates the mechanical properties and fatigue fracture propagation of steel used in underwater vehicle rudders under various low-temperature conditions through experimental research. It compares and analyzes the static mechanical characteristics, fatigue crack growth rate, and fracture morphology of underwater manned vehicle rudder steels at different low temperatures. Findings show enhancements in yield strength, tensile strength, elastic modulus, and fatigue crack propagation life of steel 925A, steel 20#, and their welded parts under low-temperature conditions. The tensile strength of 925A steel, 20# steel, and their welded parts increases by 6.87%, 14.61%, and 12.55%, respectively, as the temperature decreases from 20 to -60 °C. The yield strength also increases by 14.17%, 29.09%, and 15.76%, respectively. Fatigue crack propagation rate experiments were conducted under different constant low-temperature conditions. This study offers direction for future modeling and experimental testing.

Near-threshold fatigue crack propagation in a Ni-based single crystal superalloy affected by crystallographic anisotropy

Fatigue crack propagation in the near-threshold regime was investigated experimentally and numerically in a Ni-based single crystal superalloy, namely, CMSX-4. Fatigue crack propagation tests were conducted at room temperature using four types of specimens with different primary and secondary crystallographic orientations. The results reveal that the crystallographic orientations strongly affect the fatigue crack propagation behavior, including the crack paths, fatigue crack propagation rates, and fatigue threshold. Crystal plasticity finite element analysis was conducted to quantify the slip activity of an octahedral slip system in front of the crack tip, considering the actual 3D geometry of the crack plane and elastic–plastic anisotropy. The fatigue damage parameter, considering the slip activities of the individual octahedral slip systems, provides reasonable explanation for the fatigue crack propagation rates and crack paths in the near-threshold regime, regardless of the crystallographic orientation. Furthermore, these damage parameters are equivalent at the fatigue thresholds for all specimens with different crystallographic orientation.

Insights into fatigue crack propagation behaviour of WAAM produced SS316 stainless steel: Molecular dynamics simulation and experimental analysis

The current work focuses on the crack growth mechanism / behavior of wire arc additively manufactured SS316L. Beside the experimental investigation, a molecular dynamics based polycrystalline model is developed to simulate the crack propagation under cyclic loading. The purpose of this work is to understand the crack growth behavior of wire arc additively manufactured SS316L, particularly the directional dependence of crack propagation. The experiments and molecular dynamics analysis are performed for the crack propagation along the build and traverse direction for the SS316L deposit. The experimental procedure involves fatigue crack growth rate tests, while the molecular dynamics simulations model the crack propagation in polycrystalline structures of different grain sizes. The ultimate tensile strength in build and traverse direction were 535±2 MPa and 495 ± 2 MPa, respectively. The experimental results reveal faster crack propagation along build direction in comparison to traverse direction. The values for Paris law material constants i.e. C and m are 7x10-15 and 6.78 along build direction while 8x10-14 and 6.02 along traverse direction, respectively. The crack growth along the build direction is primarily intergranular, which leads to high crack growth rate. The molecular dynamics simulations reveal the initiation and closure of secondary cracks for the traverse direction, which leads to slower crack growth rate along the traverse direction. The fractography of the fractured surfaces from fatigue crack growth rate test also indicate the formation of secondary cracks for the case of traverse direction. The molecular dynamics simulations performed with three grain sizes and thickness variation indicate the insensitivity of predicted crack growth mechanisms with respect to grain sizes used for simulations.

Precipitate-mediated fatigue crack propagation behavior of Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy tailored by non-isothermal aging

The fatigue crack propagation behavior of non-isothermally aged Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy was examined at different aging stages. It has been revealed that non-isothermal aging (NIA) improved the fatigue crack resistance by adjusting the thermodynamics, and thus modified the precipitation configuration. Enhanced crack propagation threshold and decreased crack propagation rate were achieved when NIA was applied and carried out thoroughly. Fine and dispersed GP zones existing in underaged alloy significantly intensified the slip localization, which effectively mitigated the stress concentration near the crack tip and showed an approximately 8.2 MPa·m1/2 crack propagation threshold. Smaller width of the precipitate-free zone enabled the slip bands to propagate through the grain boundaries. However, relatively low strength and intense slip localization led the fatigue crack to propagate along the crystallographic slip bands, responsible for the higher crack propagation rate. For minorly over-aged alloys, coarsening and elevated number density of intragranular precipitate effectively hindered the movement of dislocation around, where strain concentration was frequently and preferentially induced, causing the degradation of resistance to fatigue crack propagation.

Stress intensity factor analysis for multiple cracks in orthotropic steel decks rib-to-floorbeam weld details under vehicles loading

In recent years, it has been found that multiple cracks coexist in the existing steel bridge orthotropic steel decks (OSDs) longitudinal rib-to-floorbeam (RF) details. The synergistic expansion mechanism of multiple cracks in the orthotropic steel bridge deck panel is still unclear. This paper proposes a multiscale extension finite element method based on ABAQUS and FRANC 3D interactive technology to simulate the fatigue crack propagation behavior of steel bridge RF details under dynamic vehicle loading. The effectiveness of this method is verified by comparing experimental data. The crack propagation behavior of longitudinal rib weld toes, transverse diaphragm weld toes, and transverse diaphragm arc notches is studied, and the influence of fatigue crack length and angle on the initial crack stress intensity factor (SIF) of adjacent details is discussed.