Fatigue Crack Nucleation Sites Research Articles

Fatigue Behavior of Al/Steel Dissimilar Friction Stir Welds and the Effect of Die‐Press Forming

ABSTRACT6016‐T4 aluminum (Al) alloy plate was butt welded to the cold‐rolled steel plate by a friction stir welding (FSW) technique, and the fatigue properties of Al/steel dissimilar welds were investigated. Some dissimilar welds were die‐press formed to the hat shape, and specimens were sampled from the corners of the hat shape, where severe plastic deformation occurred by the die‐press forming. The die‐press‐formed samples had better tensile strengths and hardness than the as‐welded ones because of the work hardening. It indicates that the die‐press forming is applicable for the Al/steel dissimilar welds. However, large voids were formed around the steel fragments dispersed into Al matrix by die‐press forming. Those voids acted as the fatigue crack nucleation sites, thus reducing the fatigue lives of the die‐press‐formed specimens. When the bottom side of the welds experienced tension plastic deformation, the fatigue strength was the lowest.

Preferential fatigue cracking at basal twist grain boundary (BTGB) in bimodal Ti-5Al-4V alloy: Dislocation activities and crack initiation

In recent years, (0001) twist grain boundaries (BTGBs) located in primary α grain clusters were identified as fatigue crack nucleation sites in different Ti alloys. In the present study, crack initiation was investigated in a bimodal Ti-5Al-4V alloy subjected to low-cycle fatigue and dwell-fatigue loadings at room temperature. The low fraction of primary α grains was not associated with a lack of sensitivity to BTGB cracking. Transmission electron microscopy and electron back-scattered diffraction were used to characterize BTGBs in the initial microstructure. The fatigue mechanisms were then analyzed with a focus on dislocation activity. αp grains adjacent to cracked BTGBs contained a high dislocation density. It was primarily composed of planar slip bands of <a> dislocations. In addition, <c+a> dislocations were noticed in the vicinity of cracked BTGBs. They supposedly pertain to crack tip plasticity during growth, and no evidence of a role of an incoming slip event in crack nucleation was obtained. Also, basal slip bands extending across adjacent grains were found to emerge from BTGBs. This feature provides an easier path for crack extension when growth along the grain boundary becomes difficult owing to a deviation from the basal plane. Atom probe tomography analyses evidenced V and Fe segregation at a grain boundary with a significant deviation from the BTGB configuration. This suggests a possible contribution of local solute segregation to the high cracking resistance of general αp / αp grain boundaries. This work provides new insights into the mechanisms involved in cracking of BTGB in Ti alloys subjected to cyclic loadings.

Material characterisation of anodising effects on small fatigue crack nucleation in AA7XXX alloys

The precursor cleaning steps in the anodising surface finish process for aluminium alloy aircraft parts are known to lead to etching of surface-breaking intermetallic particles and grain boundaries, which in turn leads to preferential sites for fatigue crack nucleation. Type 1C anodising per MIL-A-8625F, is a favoured aircraft aluminium part corrosion protection treatment meeting modern health and environmental requirements. Type 1C anodising uses electrolysis in a non-chromic acid bath (typically based on sulphuric, boric-sulphuric or phosphoric acid formulations) to develop a thick aluminium oxide surface layer. In previous studies the equivalent initial damage sizes of these nucleation sites was calculated from near surface fatigue crack growth measurements using quantitative fractography in both Type 1C anodised aluminium alloy 7050-T7451 and 7085-T7452. A notable difference was observed in the values for these two materials with AA7085-T7452 equivalent initial damage sizes being significantly smaller. Since these values are critical crack starting size assumptions in fatigue life analysis for aircraft fleets, the observed differences must be investigated and explained for notionally similar alloys under identical conditions.In this work, the material surrounding the population of crack nucleation sites in several Type 1C anodised fatigue tested specimens manufactured from AA7050-T7451 and AA7085-T7452 materials has been characterised using precise surface preparation methods and scanning electron microscopy techniques. It has been demonstrated that there is a statistically significant difference in the number, size, aspect ratio and distribution of surface breaking Al7Cu2Fe intermetallic particles beneath the anodising layer that, when etched out during the anodising process, are responsible for fatigue crack nucleation in 7050-T7451 over 7085-T7452 material. The increased size, angular shape and coverage of these intermetallics in AA7050 serves to increase their effectiveness as preferential locations for fatigue crack nucleation through two mechanisms, as a highly localised stress concentrating feature, as well as through their ability to sample more of the material's microstructural features ensuring a discontinuity is present in the most favourable orientation and location for fatigue crack nucleation.

Slip localization in Inconel 718: A three-dimensional and statistical perspective

The slip localization behavior of the polycrystalline nickel base superalloy Inconel 718 during monotonic tensile loading at room temperature, is investigated for the first time in relation to the 3D microstructure. Multi-modal data merging tools are used to recombine high resolution digital image correlation (HR-DIC) data with 3D electron back-scatter diffraction tomography (3D EBSD), over a wide region of interest. This procedure enables reconstruction of the slip band planes in the 3D microstructure. Statistical analyses conducted over 500 individual slip bands reveal strong correlations between their location and specific microstructure configurations. In particular, over half of the slip bands emanate from triple junction lines (3D lines defined by the junction of three crystals). Moreover, the most intense and longest slip bands, which would become critical fatigue crack nucleation sites during cyclic loading, are located close and parallel to particular annealing twin boundaries and are simultaneously connected to triple junction lines. Crystal plasticity finite elements calculations are performed on the experimental microstructure to identify the slip activity that results in the formation of high intensity slip bands (localized plasticity) or zones of high lattice rotation (non-localized plasticity) in these particular microstructure regions.

Crystal Plasticity Modeling of Laser Peening Effects on Tensile and High Cycle Fatigue Properties of 2024-T351 Aluminum Alloy

Abstract This study aims to model the effects of multiple laser peening (LP) on the mechanical properties of AA2024-T351 by including the material microstructure and residual stresses using the crystal plasticity finite element method (CPFEM). In this approach, the LP-induced compressive residual stress distribution is modeled through the insertion of the Eigenstrains as a function of depth, which is calibrated by the X-ray measured residual stresses. The simulated enhancement in the tensile properties after LP, caused by the formation of a near-surface work-hardened layer, fits the experimentally obtained tensile curves. The model calculated fatigue indicator parameters (FIPs) under the following cyclic loading application show a decrease in the near-surface driving forces for the crystal slip deformation after the insertion of the Eigenstrains. This leads to a higher high cycle fatigue (HCF) resistance and the possible transformation of sensitive locations for fatigue failure further to the depth after LP. Experimental observations on the enhancement in the HCF life, along with the relocation of fatigue crack nucleation sites further to the depth, reveal the improvement in the HCF properties due to the LP process and validate the numerical approach.

Fatigue strength of austempered ductile iron-to-steel dissimilar arc-welded joints

Nowadays, the use of different classes of materials in the same structure is increased to keep pace with innovation and high structural performances. In this context, structural components made of different materials need to be joined together and a possible solution is given by arc welding. Dissimilar welded joints must often be able to withstand fatigue loads; however, Design Standards provide fatigue strength categories only for homogeneous welded joints. The aim of the present paper is to compare the fatigue behaviour of EN-GJS-1050 austempered ductile iron-to-S355J2 steel dissimilar joints to the categories of the corresponding homogeneous steel welded joints, as suggested in International Standards and Recommendations. For this purpose, experimental fatigue tests were performed on a selection of dissimilar welded details. First, the microstructure was identified by metallographic analysis; micro-hardness measurements were collected and residual stress profiles were obtained by using the X-ray diffraction technique on a selection of joints. Misalignments were quantified for all specimens. Then, experimental fatigue tests have been performed on a number of joint geometries subject to axial or bending fatigue loadings and tested in the as-welded conditions. The fracture surfaces of the joints have been analysed to locate fatigue crack nucleation sites.

Notch fatigue behaviour of low-temperature gaseous carburised 316L austenitic stainless steel

ABSTRACT The influence of low-temperature gaseous carburisation on notch fatigue behaviour of 316L steel under cyclic axial loading was investigated. After carburisation, the carburised case was well distributed at the surface region and was not influenced by the notch geometry. Low-temperature carburisation considerably enhanced the notch fatigue performance, which led to 32% and 44% increase in the endurance limits for the specimens with stress concentration factors K t = 1.91 and 3.91, respectively. The notch sensitivity of 316L steel reduced after carburisation. Irrespective of the applied stress amplitude, the fatigue crack nucleation sites were always at the notch root surface for the untreated specimens. For the carburised specimens, fatigue cracks nucleation changed from surface at high-level stress to subsurface at low-level stress.

Effect of Salt Bath Nitrocarburizing and Post-Oxidation on Static and Fatigue Behaviours of a Construction Steel

Several surface modification technologies are typically applied to improve the mechanical properties of the material surface of structural components subjected to severe conditions of load, wear and chemical erosion of the surface. The nitrocarburizing and post-oxidation heat treatment, also known as quench-polish-quench (QPQ), improves the fatigue, wear and corrosion resistance properties of the material, since it increases the surface hardness and generates surface compressive residual stresses. In the present contribution, the effects of the salt bath nitrocarburizing and post-oxidation heat treatment on the static and fatigue behaviours of 39NiCrMo3 construction steel have been investigated by experimentally testing plain as well as notched specimens. For comparison purposes, 39NiCrMo3 construction steel, both untreated and treated, and X5CrNiCuNb 16-4 stainless steel have been tested. First, the microstructure of the untreated and treated steel has been identified by metallographic analysis; micro-hardness measurements have been collected and residual stresses profiles have been obtained by using the X-ray diffraction technique. Then, experimental static and fatigue tests have been performed. Finally, the fracture surfaces have been analysed to locate fatigue crack nucleation sites.

Two-way multi-scaling for predicting fatigue crack nucleation in titanium alloys using parametrically homogenized constitutive models

This paper develops a two-way (bottom-up or hierarchical and top-down) multi-scale modeling framework for predicting fatigue crack nucleation in structural components of Titanium alloys, e.g. Ti-7Al. Pure micromechanical analyses are deficient in this regard. A parametrically homogenized constitutive model (PHCM) and a parametrically homogenized crack nucleation model (PHCNM) are developed from computational homogenization of crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) simulation results performed on microstructural statistically equivalent RVEs or M-SERVEs. Image-based CPFE of the M-SERVEs predict time-dependent plastic deformation, as well as location and time-dependent fatigue crack nucleation in the microstructure. Micromechanical analysis data is utilized by a machine learning code to derive functional forms of PHCM and PHCNM coefficients. Macroscopic FE models for Ti-7Al test specimens are created next, by matching correlation functions of the micro-texture and other microstructural variabilities in EBSD scans. Macroscopic simulations of dwell and cyclic loading are performed and nucleation hotspots are identified by PHCNM. Top-down simulations of the local M-SERVEs are then used to probe microstructural fatigue crack nucleation sites and cycles. The multi-scale simulations predict sub-surface nucleation for a majority of dwell cracks, which is corroborated by fractography images. The computed nucleation cycles and spatial distributions across a range of loading conditions follow experimentally observed characteristics of dwell effect in Ti alloys.

Influence of ultrasonic rolling on surface integrity and corrosion fatigue behavior of 7B50-T7751 aluminum alloy

The surface integrity and corrosion fatigue (CF) performance of the 7B50-T7751 aluminum alloy treated by one (UR1), three (UR3), and six passes (UR6) of ultrasonic surface rolling process (USRP) were investigated in this paper. The results revealed that a modified surface layer with refined microstructure and increased microhardness was formed after the USRP, and a compressive residual stress (CRS) was induced. The CF life of all USRP-treated samples was improved, especially the life of the UR1 sample with an optimal surface integrity. The synergistic effect of surface layer microstructure refinement and CRS effectively have inhibited the occurrence and development of pitting and intergranular corrosion, prevented the initiation of CF cracks at the surface, thus led to the movement of the fatigue crack nucleation site toward the subsurface. Overall, the CRS has played a major critical role. The severe surface damage in the modified layer of the UR6 sample resulted in a partial relaxation of the CRS, in favor of secondary fatigue crack initiation, therefore when using the USRP treatment to improve the CF life of the 7B50 aluminum alloy, the effect of surface integrity should be fully considered.

Influence of ECAP Processing on Fatigue Crack Nucleation on ZK60A Magnesium Alloy

Low-cycle fatigue tests were conducted on ZK60A magnesium alloy that were processed by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) method. The ECAP processing was carried out on a hot-extruded ZK60A alloy at a die temperature of 473K. Total pass number was four and the processing route was Route Bc. One of the ECAPed sample was annealed at 573K to induce grain coarsening. The low-cycle fatigue tests were conducted under a constant plastic strain amplitude of εpl=2×10-3, in air at room temperature. A hysteresis loop shape during the low-cycle fatigue tests depended on the sample: a tension-compression asymmetric shape was recorded in the as-drawn specimen having the tensile axis parallel to the extruction direction, while a symetric shape was seen in case of the tensile axis perpendicular to the extrusion direction. Deformation twinning during fatigue was most probably attribute to the asymmetric hysteresis loop shape. Because the asymmetric hysteresis loop was absent in the ECAPed specimen, it is possible that grain refinement suppressed the deformation twinning in the fatigue test. In the as-drawin specimen having the tensile axis parallel to the extrusion direction, a small crack was observed near a deformation twin. By contrast, a fatigue crack in the as-ECAPed specimen was generated along a shear band that was inclined to the tensile axis at 45°. After the ECAPed specimen was annealed at 573K, an intense shear banding and a subsequent crack nucleation were moderated. Accordingly, it can be said that the low-temperature annealing on the ECAPed ZK60A magnesium alloy reduced the fatigue crack nucleation sites.

Microstructurally-sensitive fatigue crack nucleation in Ni-based single and oligo crystals

An integrated experimental, characterisation and computational crystal plasticity study of cyclic plastic beam loading has been carried out for nickel single crystal (CMSX4) and oligocrystal (MAR002) alloys in order to assess quantitatively the mechanistic drivers for fatigue crack nucleation.The experimentally validated modelling provides knowledge of key microstructural quantities (accumulated slip, stress and GND density) at experimentally observed fatigue crack nucleation sites and it is shown that while each of these quantities is potentially important in crack nucleation, none of them in its own right is sufficient to be predictive. However, the local (elastic) stored energy density, measured over a length scale determined by the density of SSDs and GNDs, has been shown to predict crack nucleation sites in the single and oligocrystals tests. In addition, once primary nucleated cracks develop and are represented in the crystal model using XFEM, the stored energy correctly identifies where secondary fatigue cracks are observed to nucleate in experiments. This (Griffith-Stroh type) quantity also correctly differentiates and explains intergranular and transgranular fatigue crack nucleation.

An HR-EBSD and computational crystal plasticity investigation of microstructural stress distributions and fatigue hotspots in polycrystalline copper

High resolution EBSD studies on a deformed copper polycrystal have been carried out to quantify the microstructural residual stress distributions, and those of stress state including triaxiality of importance in defect nucleation studies. Crystal plasticity analysis of a representative, similarly textured, model polycrystal has been carried out showing that the experimental distributions of microstructural residual stress components, effective stress, hydrostatic stress and stress triaxiality are well captured.The crystal model enables point-wise microstructural Schmid factors to be calculated both globally (ie with respect to the macroscopic remote loading) and locally from full knowledge of the grain-level stress state. Significant differences are demonstrated such that global Schmid analysis tends to overestimate slip activity and the frequency of high Schmid factors, indicating that the local microstructural heterogeneity is significant and caution is necessary in interpreting polycrystal behaviour using global Schmid factors.A stored energy criterion for fatigue crack nucleation indicates that preferential sites for fatigue crack nucleation are local to grain boundaries (as opposed to triple junctions), and that hard-soft grain interfaces where high GND densities develop are preferable.

A review of the use of the asymptotic framework for quantification of fretting fatigue

We review the representation of fretting fatigue crack nucleation sites by simple asymptotic forms and show that the multipliers on these fields produce very satisfactory quantifiers of the tendency of any contact (but particularly incomplete ones) to nucleate a crack. A procedure is suggested to adopt simplified contact geometries, easily tested under carefully controlled conditions in a laboratory, to assess the likelihood of the avoidance of all failure or to estimate the time needed for crack initiation. The results found are true material properties which may then easily be used to solve a wide range of practical problems.

Role of machining defects and residual stress on the AISI 304 fatigue crack nucleation

AbstractMachining defects as rebuilt material and dislodgement were often induced by cutting of difficult to machining AISI 304 stainless steel. Their density increases with a decreasing of cutting speed. The effect of these defects on surface topography and residual stress was evaluated by roughness and X‐ray diffraction measurements coupled with numerical simulation. The role of the rebuilt material on the distribution of fatigue crack nucleation sites was investigated by scanning electron microscope examination of post fatigue samples loaded at different imposed strain amplitudes. The association of machining defects and fatigue crack nucleation sites was attributed to the contribution of additional tensile residual stresses induced by rebuilt material rather than local stress concentration. Moreover, the fatigue crack coalescence is promoted by increasing the rebuilt material density. When the machining defect density increases from 5 to 60 particles/mm2, the fatigue life decreases from −22% to −65% with respect to the electropolished surface.

Grain refinement and fatigue strengthening mechanisms in as-extruded Mg–6Zn–0.5Zr and Mg–10Gd–3Y–0.5Zr magnesium alloys by shot peening

This paper studies the fatigue properties and fracture behavior of as-extruded Mg–6Zn–0.5Zr and Mg–10Gd–3Y–0.5Zr alloys before and after shot peening. Compared to Mg–6Zn–0.5Zr alloy, Mg–10Gd–3Y–0.5Zr alloy shows higher optimal Almen intensity, and possesses a broader process window. The stress-controlled rotating bending fatigue property improvement for Mg–10Gd–3Y–0.5Zr alloy by shot peening is significantly superior to that of Mg–6Zn–0.5Zr alloy. With the increase in peening (Almen) intensity, the fatigue crack nucleation site of Mg–6Zn–0.5Zr alloy under stress control shifted from the surface to subsurface, and then back to the surface again. Meanwhile, a significantly higher number of fatigue crack initiation sites can be seen as a consequence of overpeening. However, the fatigue cracks of the peened Mg–10Gd–3Y–0.5Zr alloy initiated subsurface at all Almen intensities, showing unchanged crack initiation location with the increase in Almen intensity. The observed phenomenon is related to differences between the two alloys both in the deformation mechanisms during shot peening and the residual stress relaxation mechanisms during subsequent fatigue process. Namely, at present test conditions such as Almen intensity range and high cycle fatigue stress, in the Mg–6Zn–0.5Zr alloy twinning dominates deformation during shot peening and detwinning during fatigue. Comparatively, dislocation slip dominates deformation in both shot peening and fatigue process in the Mg–10Gd–3Y–0.5Zr alloy.

Influence of hot corrosion on low cycle fatigue behavior of nickel base superalloy SU 263

The influence of hot corrosion on low cycle fatigue behavior is studied by conducting fatigue tests at 800°C in air on bare and salt-coated (90%Na2SO4+10%NaCl) specimens. This was followed by extensive scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examinations. Significant reduction in fatigue life is observed across all values of Δεt/2 for the salt-coated specimens in comparison with bare specimens. SEM examination reveals that the fused salt mixture sporadically removes the protective chromium oxide layer and exposes the substrate. Subsequent SEM analysis reveals that severe grain boundary oxidation leads to grain boundary cracking and provides numerous sites for fatigue crack nucleation and growth.

The role of elastic anisotropy, length scale and crystallographic slip in fatigue crack nucleation

Fatigue crack nucleation in polycrystal ferritic steel is investigated through experimental observation of multiple large-grained, notched, four-point bend tests combined with explicit microstructural representation of the same samples using crystal plasticity finite element techniques in order to assess fatigue indicator parameters, together with the roles of elastic anisotropy and length scale effects in slip development, and hence in crack nucleation.Elastic anisotropy has been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in the distribution and magnitude of polycrystal slip relative to observed crack nucleation sites in the context of constrained cyclic microplasticity. Length scale effects were found not to alter substantively the distributions or magnitudes of slip relative to the observed crack nucleation site, but in detailed analyses of an experimental sample, the location of highest magnitude of geometrically necessary dislocations was found to coincide precisely with the position of predicted peak plasticity and the experimentally observed crack nucleation site.The distributions of microplasticity within polycrystal samples were found to change quite significantly between the first yield and after multiple cycles. As a result, the effective plastic strain per cycle was found to be a better indicator of fatigue crack nucleation than peak effective plastic strain. In nine independently tested and analysed polycrystal samples, the cyclic effective plastic strain and crystallographic system peak accumulated slip were found to be good indicators of a fatigue crack nucleation site.

Studies on laser peening of spring steel for automotive applications

Present experimental laser shock peening study on SAE 9260 spring steel, performed with an in-house developed 2.5 J/7 ns pulsed Nd:YAG laser, aimed to evaluate laser shock peening process as a possible alternative to existing shot peening practice for enhancing fatigue life of leaf springs. In the investigated range of process parameters, laser shock peening yielded largely comparable magnitude of surface compressive stress and shallower compressed surface layer than those achieved with existing shot peening practice. In contrast to considerably rougher shot peened surface with numerous defects, laser shock peening produced largely unaltered surface finish without peening-induced defects. With respect to shot peening, laser shock peening brought about significant increase in fatigue life. Improved fatigue performance of laser shock peened specimens is attributed to their better surface finish without peening-induced surface defects, which were potential fatigue crack nucleation sites in shot peened specimens.

Effects of Ultrasonic Deep Rolling on Fatigue Performance of Pre-Corroded 7A52 Aluminum Alloy

The effects of ultrasonic deep rolling (UDR) on the fatigue behavior of pre-corroded 7A52 aluminum alloys were investigated. By means of X-Ray diffraction stress measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), residual stress and fractograph of 7A52 aluminum alloys with and without UDR treatment were analyzed. The results indicated that the UDR produced compressive residual stresses with depth approaching 1mm. UDR treatment can extend the fatigue life of the pre-corroded 7A52 specimens to a large extent, depending on the level of corrosion and UDR parameter. For the slightly corrode specimens, the UDR treatment changed the fatigue crack nucleation site from surface to the transition zone between the compressive residual stresses and tensile stresses, resulted in a much longer fatigue life. For the severely corrode specimens, the crack still nucleated by intergranular cracking, however, due to the compressive residual stresses introduced and the closure of the corrosion pits and corrosion micro-crocks, UDR treatment still improved fatigue performance of the pre-corroded 7A52 aluminum alloy substantially.