Multiaxial Thermo-mechanical Loading Research Articles

Life prediction based on fatigue-environment damage under multiaxial thermo-mechanical loading

In this paper, the competition mechanism between protectiveness and harmfulness of oxidation, as well as the effects of cycle period, mean stress and temperature on the damage behavior of TA15 titanium alloy are revealed under multiaxial thermo-mechanical fatigue loading. Based on the damage mechanism, a high-temperature environmental damage model is proposed under multiaxial thermo-mechanical fatigue loading first, then a life prediction method is developed by combining a multiaxial fatigue damage model. The experimental verification results under uniaxial and multiaxial thermo-mechanical fatigue loadings showed that almost all of the prediction errors are within a factor of 2.

Multiaxial thermo-mechanical fatigue damage mechanism of TC4 titanium alloy

In this paper, the experimental investigation was carried out on the TC4 titanium alloy to understand the cyclic deformation behavior and fatigue damage mechanism of materials under multiaxial thermo-mechanical loading. The results showed that the fast cracking mode of the material may be activated by the combined action of high temperature, tensile stress and shear stress, inducing a fast degradation in the axial mechanical properties of the material, which results in a drastic decrease in the failure life of the material. Moreover, it is also found that the non-proportional additional hardening and the tensile mean stress can increase the fatigue and oxidation damages of the material, and the material damage behavior is temperature dependent and time dependent. It should be pointed out that the damage mechanisms identified in this paper can reasonably explain the life law under uniaxial isothermal fatigue loading with and without dwell time, uniaxial and multiaxial thermo-mechanical fatigue loadings.

Multiaxial thermo-mechanical fatigue life prediction based on notch local stress-strain estimation considering temperature change

The modified incremental multiaxial Neuber rule by considering the temperature change was firstly proposed, which combined with the Chaboche viscoplastic constitutive model to approximately compute the notch local stress and strain under multiaxial thermo-mechanical loading. Based on the proposed method, a life prediction method that can take into account fatigue, oxidation, and creep damage was developed, which can quickly predict notch fatigue failure lifetime under variable amplitude multiaxial thermo-mechanical loading. The proposed method was verified by the coupled thermal-structural nonlinear FEA and the experimental life results for the tenon joint structure specimens under eight thermo-mechanical loading paths. The comparison of computed and analyzed stress-strain history showed that a good agreement can be obtained. Comparing with experimental life data, all predicted lives fall in a 2-factor scatter band.

Bending theory for laminated composite cantilever beams with multiple embedded shape memory alloy layers

In this article, a new analytical model is proposed for laminated composite cantilever beams consisting of multiple alternating superelastic shape memory alloy and elastic layers. The model is based on the Zaki–Moumni model for shape memory alloys combined with Timoshenko’s beam theory. The Zaki–Moumni model accounts for solid phase transformation as well as detwinning and reorientation of martensite under multiaxial thermomechanical loading conditions. Mathematical formulas are first derived to characterize the evolution of the solid phase structure within the beam with a prescribed load at the tip during loading and unloading. Analytical moment–curvature and shear force–shear strain relations are then obtained following the strength of materials approach. The present work is the first to fully develop the nonlinear expressions of the axial stress in terms of the distance from the neutral plane and to allow the description of the phase distribution in both the longitudinal and the transverse directions in the beam as the load evolves. The proposed model is validated against finite element analysis and high-accuracy numerical solutions. The influence of temperature and the number of shape memory alloy layers on the superelastic behavior of the laminate is also investigated.

Life prediction approach based on the isothermal fatigue and creep damage under multiaxial thermo-mechanical loading

Based on the isothermal fatigue and creep damage, a life prediction approach under multiaxial thermo-mechanical loading was proposed in this investigation. In the proposed method, the multiaxial thermo-mechanical fatigue damage during one cycle period was divided into the isothermal fatigue damage and the creep damage. In order to evaluate conservatively, the isothermal fatigue damage during one cycle period was calculated by using multiaxial fatigue damage model at the maximum temperature during the whole period, and the creep damage during one cycle period was calculated by accumulating the creep damage of all portions originated from the divided time history for the axial load component and temperature history. The life prediction results by the proposed model showed a good agreement with experimental data for nickel-base alloy GH4169 and cobalt-base Haynes188 under axial-torsional thermo-mechanical loading.

A micromechanics-inspired constitutive model for shape-memory alloys that accounts for initiation and saturation of phase transformation

A constitutive model to describe macroscopic elastic and transformation behaviors of polycrystalline shape-memory alloys is formulated using an internal variable thermodynamic framework. In a departure from prior phenomenological models, the proposed model treats initiation, growth kinetics, and saturation of transformation distinctly, consistent with physics revealed by recent multi-scale experiments and theoretical studies. Specifically, the proposed approach captures the macroscopic manifestations of three micromechanial facts, even though microstructures are not explicitly modeled: (1) Individual grains with favorable orientations and stresses for transformation are the first to nucleate martensite, and the local nucleation strain is relatively large. (2) Then, transformation interfaces propagate according to growth kinetics to traverse networks of grains, while previously formed martensite may reorient. (3) Ultimately, transformation saturates prior to 100% completion as some unfavorably-oriented grains do not transform; thus the total transformation strain of a polycrystal is modest relative to the initial, local nucleation strain. The proposed formulation also accounts for tension–compression asymmetry, processing anisotropy, and the distinction between stress-induced and temperature-induced transformations. Consequently, the model describes thermoelastic responses of shape-memory alloys subject to complex, multi-axial thermo-mechanical loadings. These abilities are demonstrated through detailed comparisons of simulations with experiments.

A thermodynamically-consistent 3 D constitutive model for shape memory polymers

The ever increasing applications of shape memory polymers have motivated the development of appropriate constitutive models for these materials. In this work, we present a 3D constitutive model for shape memory polymers under time-dependent multiaxial thermomechanical loadings in the small strain regime. The derivation is based on an additive decomposition of the strain into six parts and satisfying the second law of thermodynamics in Clausius–Duhem inequality form. In the constitutive model, the evolution laws for internal variables are derived during both cooling and heating thermomechanical loadings. The viscous effects are also fully accounted for in the proposed model. Further, we present the time-discrete form of the evolution equations in the implicit form. The model is validated by comparing the predicted results with different experimental data reported in the literature. Finally, using the finite element method, we solve two boundary value problems e.g., a 3D beam and a medical stent made of shape memory polymers.

TMF–LCF life assessment of a Lost Foam Casting A319 aluminum alloy

The LFC (Lost Foam Casting) process affects the microstructure, the mechanical properties, the damage mechanisms and the fatigue failure of the materials. The first purpose of this paper is to study the cyclic mechanical behaviors, damage and lifetime of the A319 aluminum alloy manufactured by the LFC process used in the automotive industry under TMF (Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue) and LCF (Low Cycle Fatigue) conditions. A second objective is to select an effective fatigue criterion which should be easy to apply for the design of structures submitted to complex multiaxial thermo-mechanical loadings. In this way, several energy-based criteria are used to predict fatigue failure. Good agreement between predicted fatigue lifetimes and experimental results was obtained for different TMF and LCF loading conditions.

Behavior, damage and fatigue life assessment of lost foam casting aluminum alloys under thermo-mechanical fatigue conditions

The purpose of this paper is to define a thermomechanical fatigue criterion in order to predict the failure of the cylinder heads issued with the lost foam casting process. The microstructure of the materials (A356-A319) is affected by the lost foam casting process which can directly affect the mechanical properties, the damage mechanisms and thefatigue failure of the materials. The major problem in defining a predictive fatigue criterion in this case is the fact that it should be on one side applicable for the structure which is submitted to complex multiaxial thermomechanical loadings and on the other side should take into account the microstructural effects of casting process.

Biaxial thermomechanical fatigue on a 304L-type austenitic stainless steel*

Abstract Various components of nuclear power plants are submitted to very sharp multiaxial thermomechanical loadings, due for instance to the incomplete mixing of flows at different temperatures. As an example, thermal fatigue damage has been detected in auxiliary loops of the primary cooling circuits of Pressurized Water Reactors. In particular, crack networks were observed in in-service pipes submitted to thermomechanical loading resulting from cyclic temperature gradients across the wall-thickness of components in 304 L type austenitic stainless steel. The thermal fatigue behaviour of AISI 304 L type steel has been studied using a specific thermal fatigue test, called Splash, developed in order to reproduce experimentally such thermomechanical biaxial loading in the thickness of parallelepipedic specimens. All tests have been performed at a maximum temperature of 320°C, but with different minimum temperatures. First, the morphological characteristics of the growing networks were analysed, in surface and in depth. Crack initiation is multiple and occurs on sliding lines or at material defects. Crack network stabilization is observed after 400 000 cycles at a temperature of 150°C. The maximum depth is 2.5 mm. Secondly, the stability of the thermal-fatigue cracknetworks previously obtained was investigated under additional isothermal mechanical loading (four-point bend tests). Selection mechanisms of a dominating crack are observed, showing a great influence of shielding effects, branching and tortuous path. Comparison of the dominating crack behaviour with one having a single crack initiated at a notch tip reveals a significant delay effect.

Defect evolution in thermal barrier coating systems under multi-axial thermomechanical loading

In service, gas turbine components with thermal barrier coatings experience high cyclic mechanical and thermal loading. Important, but not yet considered sufficiently, are the multi-axial stresses arising from thermal gradients. In this study, multi-axial stresses were simulated in laboratory experiments using a specially designed test rig. Cyclic thermomechanical fatigue experiments with radial thermal gradients (TGMF) were performed on tubular specimens consisting of a directionally densified super-alloy substrate, a NiCoCrAlY bond coat, and a ceramic thermal barrier coating (TBC). The test setup enables surface temperatures of 1000 °C, temperature differences over the whole wall thickness of the specimen of about 170 °C, and high heating and cooling rates. The resultant defects have specific features consisting of cracks parallel to the bond coat/TBC interface. They are located within the bond coat close to this interface. Weakening thus this interface, the defects enhance TBC spallation. Finite element analyses, calculating stress distributions during the quasi-stationary condition of the TGMF test cycle at high temperature and the transient stress distributions during cooling, were used to discuss the evolution of these specific defects.

An energetic approach in thermomechanical fatigue for silicon molybdenum cast iron

The purpose of this paper is to define a low cycle fatigue criterion in order to predict the failure of engineering structures. The major problem in defining a predictive fatigue criterion is that it should be applicable for structures submitted to complex multiaxial thermo-mechanical loadings but should be identifiable from simple experiments on specimens. After a short critical review of the principal criteria used in low cycle fatigue it will be shown that the dissipated energy per cycle permits a correlation of isothermal and anisothermal results obtained on silicon molybdenum cast iron in the case of specimens and also on structures.

An energetic approach in thermomechanical fatigue for silicon molybdenum cast iron

The purpose of this paper is to define a low cycle fatigue criterion in order to predict the failure of engineering structures. The major problem in defining a predictive fatigue criterion is that it should be applicable for structures submitted to complex multiaxial thermo-mechanical loadings but should be identifiable from simple experiments on specimens. After a short critical review of the principal criteria used in low cycle fatigue it will be shown that the dissipated energy per cycle permits a correlation of isothermal and anisothermal results obtained on silicon molybdenum cast iron in the case of specimens and also on structures.