Total Strain Amplitude Research Articles

Effect of solution annealing on low cycle fatigue of 304L stainless steel

The present study investigates low cycle fatigue behaviour of the metastable austenitic 304L steel in two variants: i) as-received and ii) after additional solution annealing at 1050 °C/30 min. The applied heat treatment resulted in a decrease of δ-ferrite volume fraction and slight grain coarsening. After the solution annealing, significantly prolonged fatigue life within the whole range of studied total strain amplitudes was observed. Such improvement is attributed to the larger grain size possessing better ductility and enhanced formation of deformation-induced martensite. The phase transformation led to a significant secondary cyclic hardening stage at high strain amplitude loading. The low cycle fatigue behaviour and principal fatigue life stages were characterized by the analysis of cyclic response. A vital supplementary data were obtained by the analysis of hysteresis loop shape carried out, for the first time on a phase-transforming material, by the generalized statistical theory. The analysis was able to follow the evolution of cyclic stress sources during the fatigue life, especially the increasing contribution of deformation-induced martensite. The identified features of cyclic plasticity were supported by electron channeling contrast imaging observations. Furthermore, electron backscatter diffraction revealed a distinct preferential localization of α'-martensite into macrobands parallel to rolling direction. Energy dispersive spectroscopy mapping identified pronounced chemical segregation of Cr and Ni which correlated well with the observed macrobands. These compositional fluctuations led to local austenite metastability which is enhanced further by the applied solution annealing.

Controllable Martensite Transformation and Strain-Controlled Fatigue Behavior of a Gradient Nanostructured Austenite Stainless Steel.

Gradient nanostructured (GNS) surface layer with a controllable martensite fraction has been synthesized on 316L austenitic stainless steel by means of surface mechanical rolling treatment (SMRT) with temperature being controlled. The mean grain size is in the nanometer scale in the near-surface layer and increases gradually with depth. In addition, the volume fraction of martensite decreases from ~85% to 0 in the near-surface layer while the SMRT temperature increases from room temperature to 175 °C. Fatigue experiments showed that the strain-controlled fatigue properties of the GNS samples are significantly enhanced at total strain amplitudes ≥0.5%, especially in those with a dual-phase surface layer of austenite and pre-formed martensite. Analyses on fatigue mechanisms illustrated that the GNS surface layer enhances the strength-ductility synergy and suppresses the formation of surface fatigue defects during fatigue. In addition, the dual-phase structure promotes the formation of martensite and stacking faults, further enhancing fatigue properties at high strain amplitudes.

An efficient simplified elastic–plastic analysis procedure using engineering formulae for strain-based fatigue assessment of nuclear safety class 1 piping system subjected to severe seismic loads

This paper proposes an efficient simplified elastic–plastic analysis procedure using engineering formulas to perform strain-based fatigue design considering the plasticity that occurs in nuclear safety class 1 piping systems during severe seismic loads, and then presents the application results of the procedure to a pressurizer surge line system. The total strain amplitudes, fatigue assessment results, and total calculation time were compared between the proposed procedure and the detailed dynamic finite element elastic-plastic analysis. The comparison confirmed that the proposed analysis procedure can efficiently derive reasonable and conservative results for nuclear safety class 1 piping systems under severe seismic loads.

The fatigue properties, microstructural evolution and crack behaviors of low-carbon carbide-free bainitic steel during low-cycle fatigue

The low-cycle fatigue properties, microstructural evolution and crack growth behaviors of a low-carbon carbide-free bainitic steel subjected to austempering at 300, 320 and 350 °C have been investigated. The results indicated that the fatigue lifetimes of the specimens increase with decreasing the austempering temperature at lower total strain amplitudes, but a comparable fatigue lifetime or even an opposite result is observed at higher total strain amplitudes. During fatigue loading, the blocky retained austenite with inhomogeneous carbon distribution partially transforms into martensite, and the transformation amount increases with the total strain amplitude, especially for the specimens austempered at high temperatures. The transformed martensite and the untransformed austenite satisfy a Kurdjumov-Sachs (K–S) orientation relationship, which can increase the cooperative deformation capacity between the both phases. However, with continuous cycling, more martensite is formed, and these newly formed martensite grains are more likely to form micro-voids/cracks due to their brittleness, which reduces the crack initiation lifetime, and become the fast path for crack propagation, which deteriorates the crack propagation lifetime. Alternatively, more crack branching, crack deflection and severely twisted bainitic ferrite laths are observed for the specimens austempered at high temperatures, which helps to delay/hinder crack growth and increase the crack propagation lifetime, especially at high total strain amplitudes. This suggests that the fatigue lifetime can be closely associated with the interactions of the crack initiation and propagation caused by mechanically-induced martensite from retained austenite.

Fatigue‐creep interaction performance of Incoloy 825 nickel‐based superalloy at 650 °C

AbstractThe fatigue‐creep interaction performance of Incoloy 825 nickel‐based superalloy at 650 °C was investigated through introducing the tensile, compressive, and tensile‐compressive strain hold time at the controlled total strain amplitude Δϵt = 0.3 %∼0.7 %. The results show that the Incoloy 825 nickel‐based superalloy exhibits the cyclic hardening behavior, the cyclic hardening behavior followed by cyclic softening behavior and the cyclic hardening behavior followed by cyclic stability during the cyclic deformation with tensile strain hold time, while the alloy exhibits the cyclic hardening behavior and the cyclic hardening behavior followed by the cyclic stability during the cyclic deformation with compressive and tensile‐compressive strain hold time. The relationship between both plastic and elastic strain amplitudes with reversals to failure for the alloy shows a single slope linear behavior, which can be described by the Coffin‐Manson and Basquin equations, respectively. The deformation mechanism of the alloy under three loading condition of fatigue‐creep interaction is mainly the planar slip. In addition, under three loading condition of fatigue‐creep interaction, the cracks initiate and propagate in the transgranular mode.

Surface relief evolution and fatigue crack initiation in René 41 superalloy cycled at room temperature

Surface relief evolution and fatigue crack initiation of René 41 superalloy was studied. The material was tested in two thermodynamical states: solutionised and aged. Cylindrical specimens were cycled at total strain amplitude 0.8% at room temperature. In order to study relevant mechanisms resulting in surface relief formation and eventually fatigue crack initiation, cycling was interrupted at definite number of elapsed cycles. After each interruption, the specimen surface was observed by means of scanning electron microscopy and thin lamellae were cut out of the surface and observed by means of transmission electron microscopy. Cyclic deformation was found to localise since the first cycle, causing the formation of persistent slip bands and persistent slip markings in the form of slip steps, extrusions and later intrusions as well. Continuous cycling led to the formation of new persistent slip markings as well as widening of the already existing ones. The role of persistent slip markings in fatigue crack initiation at room temperature was found to be crucial in this superalloy. The results were thoroughly discussed in relation to theoretical models of surface relief formation.

Universal Strain‐Life Curve Exponents for Thermoplastics and Elastomers under Tension‐Tension and Torsion

AbstractThe fatigue behavior of 28 amorphous and semi‐crystalline thermoplastic polymers and elastomers is tested under strain controlled sinusoidal tension‐tension (TT) and torsion (T) at room temperature and analyzed via strain‐life (total strain amplitude versus fatigue lifetime) and crack propagation rate versus total strain amplitude curves, analogous to Paris’ law. Investigating fatigue is extremely time‐ and resources consuming, so universal relationships between the exponents of the strain‐life power‐law and material properties are of high importance. For a brittle failure mechanism (I), the strain‐life curves are found to have fixed exponents of BTT,I = −0.27 and BT,I = −0.22, respectively, while the crack propagation versus strain amplitude in TT has an exponent of mda/dN,I = 4. For ductile failure (II), fixed strain‐life curve exponents in TT of BTT,II = −0.35 and in torsion of BT,II = −0.48 with mda/dN,II = 2.8 are obtained. In torsion, most semi‐crystalline polymers show brittle and ductile failure depending on the applied strain amplitude, so the strain‐life curve exponent changes accordingly. The universal exponents for strain‐life and crack growth‐strain amplitude curves offer a significant simplification to rapidly estimate, predict, and simulate the fatigue behavior of polymers.

Role of deformation twinning in fatigue of CrCoNi medium-entropy alloy at room temperature

Cylindrical specimens of CrCoNi alloy with electropolished surfaces were subjected to constant total strain amplitude low cycle fatigue. The alloy exhibited an initial period of cyclic hardening followed by cyclic softening until failure occurred. At the end of hardening stage at the peak of cyclic stress, well-developed persistent slip markings (PSMs) consisting of extrusions and intrusions were associated with thin deformation twins. A sophisticated experimental workflow was designed to extract information from the surface and the bulk of tested material. A combination of SEM, EBSD, ECCI, FIB and HR-STEM was used to study the internal structure and the surface profiles around the deformation twins, which were produced during the initial period of cyclic loading. Furthermore, localized cyclic plastic strain and stress concentrations near deformation twins led not only to early, well-developed PSMs, but also to the activation of TWIP and TRIP plasticity even at low macroscopic stress amplitudes.

Advantageous Description of Short Fatigue Crack Growth Rates in Austenitic Stainless Steels with Distinct Properties

In this work two approaches to the description of short fatigue crack growth rate under large-scale yielding condition were comprehensively tested: (i) plastic component of the J-integral and (ii) Polák model of crack propagation. The ability to predict residual fatigue life of bodies with short initial cracks was studied for stainless steels Sanicro 25 and 304L. Despite their coarse microstructure and very different cyclic stress–strain response, the employed continuum mechanics models were found to give satisfactory results. Finite element modeling was used to determine the J-integrals and to simulate the evolution of crack front shapes, which corresponded to the real cracks observed on the fracture surfaces of the specimens. Residual fatigue lives estimated by these models were in good agreement with the number of cycles to failure of individual test specimens strained at various total strain amplitudes. Moreover, the crack growth rates of both investigated materials fell onto the same curve that was previously obtained for other steels with different properties. Such a “master curve” was achieved using the plastic part of J-integral and it has the potential of being an advantageous tool to model the fatigue crack propagation under large-scale yielding regime without a need of any additional experimental data.

Low-cycle fatigue performance of high-strength steel reinforcing bars considering the effect of inelastic buckling

A comprehensive experimental study was carried out to examine the low-cycle fatigue performance of ASTM A1035 Grade 690 rebars under cyclic-strain reversals with total strain amplitudes ranging from 1% to 4%. 12.7- and 15.8-mm diameter unmachined rebars were tested. To evaluate the effect of inelastic buckling on the low-cycle fatigue performance, bar unsupported length was varied between 6db and 15db in 3dbincrements, where db is the bar diameter. Rebar buckling was not completely prevented even in specimens with bar unsupported length of 6db, hence cyclic stress-strain responses were unsymmetrical for all the specimens. However, decreasing the strain amplitude and bar unsupported length generally increased the fatigue life and total energy dissipation of ASTM A1035 Grade 690 reinforcing bars. Existing strain and energy-based fatigue-life models’ constants were calibrated using the generated experimental fatigue data. The proposed models are applicable to ASTM A1035 Grade 690 rebars subjected to cyclic-strain reversals with total strain amplitude ranging from 1% to 4%. The results revealed that utilizing the previous fatigue-life models with constants calibrated using data obtained from tests on other types and grades of steel with nearly identical monotonic tensile stress-strain responses compared to that of ASTM A1035 Grade 690 steel would lead to inaccurate fatigue life predictions. The effect of inelastic buckling was incorporated into the proposed models by correlating their constants with a buckling parameter. Based on the proposed models’ predictions, ASTM A1035 Grade 690 reinforcing bars were found to have the potential to be used in reinforced concrete columns designed for a maximum target ductility demand of 2 provided that the center-to-center spacing between the transverse reinforcements is limited to 6db.

Influence of Si Content on Fatigue Life for Heat Treated Cast Al-Si-mg Alloy Using Different Quenching Technique

Al-Si-Mg aluminum alloy samples were subjected to solution heat treatment at the temperature of 520 °C for 2 h to attain T42 condition. The heat-treated samples were quenched further in air and water mediums. After quenching, the fatigue life was analyzed with the total strain amplitude (TSA) of 0.4% at the cyclic frequency of 0.3 Hz using a low cycle fatigue testing machine. Air quenched sample has higher life with 1286 cycles than heat-treated and water quenched sample, which were having a fatigue life of 836 cycles and 708 cycles. Tensile mean stress was observed in all samples due to residual stress. Due to fatigue striation, ripple formation was observed in the air quenched sample, and the ripple having the size of 2-3 μm observed under SEM fractography. XRD peaks of Mg2Si and Al3Fe precipitates confirm the proper dispersion during the solution heat treatment.

Enhancing low-cycle fatigue life of commercially-pure Ti by deformation at cryogenic temperature

In this study, the low-cycle fatigue behavior of a cryogenic-rolled commercially pure titanium alloy was investigated, and compared with those of undeformed and room-temperature rolled ones. The amounts of deformation twins increased to >69.8% after cryogenic temperature rolling, and to 27.5% after room temperature rolling. Strain-controlled low-cycle fatigue tests were performed at total strain amplitudes 0.4%≤Δεt2≤ 1.2%. The Coffin-Manson and hysteresis energy-based models confirmed that low-cycle fatigue resistance was remarkably improved with increasing the volume fraction of deformation twins by pre-deformation. As the proportion of deformation twins in the microstructure increased, the hysteresis loop area decreased, the striation spacing decreased, and the severity of crack-deflection behavior increased. At low Δεt2 = 0.4%, dislocation recovery was suppressed in the pre-deformed microstructure, so cyclic behavior was stable. However, at Δεt/2 ≥ 0.8%, the recovery became the predominant mechanism, so well-defined cell structures formed and cyclic softening occurred. The smaller dislocation cells formed in RTR and CTR were considered to cause more severe crack arrest than in AR.

A crucial impact of short-range ordering on the cyclic deformation and damage behavior of face-centered cubic alloys: A case study on Cu-Mn alloys

Cyclic deformation behavior and damage mechanisms of Cu-Mn alloys with high stacking fault energies (SFE) were systemically investigated at constant total strain amplitude in the range of 0.2% - 1.0% at room temperature in air. The results demonstrate that the cyclic hardening capacity and fatigue life of the alloy are notably improved with the increase of Mn content. Increasing Mn content significantly affects the damage behavior of the alloy, including a transition of cracking mode from concentrated intergranular cracking to slip band (SB)/intergranular mixed cracking and an enhanced resistance to crack propagation. All these features above are attributed to the transformation of cyclic deformation micromechanisms, i.e., the changes of slip mode from wavy- to planar-slip with increasing Mn content. The existence of short-range ordering (SRO) in Cu-Mn alloys is the essential reason for promoting slip planarity. Based on microstructural characterizations and analyses, the intrinsic connection between the SRO and the cyclic deformation and damage behavior was clarified. In brief, the present study opens another promising window to improve fatigue performance in face-centered cubic alloys especially with high SFE and SRO degree.

The Influence of Heat Treatment on Low Cycle Fatigue Properties of Selectively Laser Melted 316L Steel.

The paper is a project continuation of the examination of the additive-manufactured 316L steel obtained using different process parameters and subjected to different types of heat treatment. This work contains a significant part of the research results connected with material analysis after low-cycle fatigue testing, including fatigue calculations for plastic metals based on the Morrow equation and fractures analysis. The main aim of this research was to point out the main differences in material fracture directly after the process and analyze how heat treatment affects material behavior during low-cycle fatigue testing. The mentioned tests were run under conditions of constant total strain amplitudes equal to 0.30%, 0.35%, 0.40%, 0.45%, and 0.50%. The conducted research showed different material behaviors after heat treatment (more similar to conventionally made material) and a negative influence of precipitation heat treatment of more porous additive manufactured materials during low-cycle fatigue testing.

Integrated TEM/transmission-EBSD for recrystallization analysis in nickel-based disc superalloy

Turbine discs in gas-turbine engines always experience high-temperature and high-stress environment. Extensive investigations have been performed towards achieving high performance. Deformation behaviors and degradation factors above normal service temperature are important to be comprehensively understood for further development and optimization of turbine disc superalloys. In this study, the low cycle fatigue behaviors were investigated under total strain amplitude control in U720Li disc superalloys. The results revealed that with the increasing strain, the number of dislocation increased and dislocation configuration transferred from pile-up at the matrix/γ′ precipitates interfaces to penetrating into γ′ precipitates. The great extent of recrystallization was found above the normal service temperature through transmission-EBSD combined with TEM analysis. The low cycle fatigue property above the normal service temperature was weakened to a large extent after recrystallization of small-angle grains formed by the dislocation substructures and movements. Large extent of local recrystallization could also provide much more sites for the crack initiation and propagation.

Tensile and cyclic deformation response of friction-stir-welded dissimilar aluminum alloy joints: Strain localization effect

Cyclic deformation behavior of friction-stir-welded dissimilar AA2024-T351 to AA7075-T65 aluminum alloy joints was evaluated via stepwise tests at different strain rates, along with transmission electron microscopy examinations to characterize the precipitates required to assess internal stresses. Electron backscatter diffraction was employed to observe the inhomogeneous microstructures of the FSWed joints. Strain localization appeared in the heat affected zone (HAZ) of AA2024 side. After cyclic deformation of 500 cycles at a total strain amplitude of 0.5 %, the strength of the dissimilar joints resumed basically to that of AA2024 base material. And the AA2024 HAZ was obviously hardened, which should be attributed to the introduced dislocations during cyclic deformation process. Cyclic hardening capacity of the joints increased with decreasing strain rate.

Effect of surface nanostructuring in solution treated and thermally aged condition on LCF life of AA7075

Low cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior of the AA7075 was studied in the solution treated-ultrasonic shot peened and the peak aged (ST-USSP-PA) condition and was compared with that of the peak aged and ultrasonic shot peened (PA-USSP) as well the peak aged-ultrasonic shot peened and stress relieved (PA-USSP-SR) condition, studied earlier. LCF tests were carried out under fully reversed axial strain control at different total strain amplitudes (Δεt/2) from ±0.38% to ±0.60%. LCF life was highest in the ST-USSP-PA followed by the PA-USSP and PA-USSP-SR conditions. It was found that nanostructure of comparable size (~22 nm) was developed up to a depth of ~50 μm in all the three conditions, however, there was much variation in the type, size, distribution and number density of the metastable of η precipitates in the three conditions. While the size of the strengthening precipitates η′ was ~20 nm in the ST-USSP-PA, it was much smaller (~10 nm) in the other two conditions. High resolution TEM examination revealed high density of dislocations in the matrix and also within the equilibrium η precipitates in the PA-USSP condition whereas dislocations were not observed in η precipitates of the PA-USSP-SR and ST-USSP-PA conditions. Highest fatigue life in the ST-USSP-PA condition is attributed to more homogeneous distribution, larger size and higher volume fraction of the strengthening precipitates η′ and consequent increase in the resistance against fatigue crack initiation.

Cyclic Deformation Behavior of A Heat-Treated Die-Cast Al-Mg-Si-Based Aluminum Alloy.

The purpose of this investigation was to study the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior of a newly developed high-pressure die-cast (HPDC) Al-5.5Mg-2.5Si-0.6Mn-0.2Fe (AlMgSiMnFe) alloy. The effect of heat-treatment in comparison with its as-cast counterpart was also identified. The layered (α-Al + Mg2Si) eutectic structure plus a small amount of Al8(Fe,Mn)2Si phase in the as-cast condition became an in-situ Mg2Si particulate-reinforced aluminum composite with spherical Mg2Si particles uniformly distributed in the α-Al matrix after heat treatment. Due to the spheroidization of intermetallic phases including both Mg2Si and Al8(Fe,Mn)2Si, the ductility and hardening capacity increased while the yield stress (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) decreased. Portevin–Le Chatelier effect (or serrated flow) was observed in both tensile stress–strain curves and initial hysteresis loops during cyclic deformation because of dynamic strain aging caused by strong dislocation–precipitate interactions. The alloy exhibited cyclic hardening in both as-cast and heat-treated conditions when the applied total strain amplitude was above 0.4%, below which cyclic stabilization was sustained. The heat-treated alloy displayed a larger plastic strain amplitude and a lower stress amplitude at a given total strain amplitude, demonstrating a superior fatigue resistance in the LCF regime. A simple equation based on the stress amplitude of the first and mid-life cycles (, ) was proposed to characterize the degree of cyclic hardening/softening (D): where the positive sign “+” represents cyclic hardening and the negative sign “−“ reflects cyclic softening.

Cyclic deformation and lattice strain distribution of high Nb containing TiAl alloy

Low cycle fatigue of lamellar TiAl with 8.5 at.-%Nb was studied with a total strain amplitude of 0.28% at three temperatures: room temperature, 750°C and 900°C. At room temperature, the material exhibited cyclic hardening and the fracture mode was mainly interlamellar. At 750°C and 900°C, the material showed cyclic softening and the fracture mode was translamellar. The lattice strain in γ phase was almost tensile and larger tensile lattice strain in γ phase seems detrimental. Besides, the opposite direction of {201}γ and {100}α2 lead to crack propagation along α2/γ interfaces. B2/βo phase always suffered compressive lattice strain in the tests. The destruction of lamellar microstructure was the reason for colony refinement at 750°C and 900°C.

Low cycle fatigue and dwell-fatigue of diffusion coated superalloy Inconel 713LC at 800 °C

The charm of diffusion coatings is mainly in their protective function of the surface of gas turbine components, which are often subjected to fatigue-creep loading in extremely hostile environments. Their impact gains in importance with the increasing time that the components are exposed to high temperatures and aggressive environments. This motivates the authors to study the low cycle fatigue behaviour of Al-Cr coated nickel-based superalloy Inconel 713LC. Polycrystalline diffusion Al-Cr coating was produced by out-of-pack Cr-modified aluminising chemical vapour deposition technique on the surface of cylindrical fatigue specimens manufactured by investment casting. Continuous low cycle fatigue (CLCF) tests and dwell-fatigue (DF) tests where a 10-minute tensile dwell was included in each cycle were conducted in strain control mode with constant total strain amplitude at 800 °C. The fatigue behaviour was characterised by cyclic hardening/softening curves, cyclic stress-strain curves and fatigue life curves. The Al-Cr coating provided excellent protection against surface oxidation of Inconel 713LC, especially during dwell-fatigue tests. The substrate as well as the Al-Cr coating were examined in as-coated conditions and after fatigue loading through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Dislocation arrangement in the substrate material was investigated in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The microstructural observations and the discussion on the degradation mechanisms of surface-treated superalloy have been provided for both regimes of cycling.