1 (20)
Fatigue crack propagation
Repetition Crack initiation and growth Small cracks Shear driven Interact with microstructure Mostly analyzed by continuum mechanics approaches Large cracks Tension driven Fairly insensitive to microstructure Mostly analyzed by fracture mechanics models
Stage II Tension driven crack (propagation)
Stage I Shear driven crack (initiation)
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
2 (20)
Stress intensity factors and fracture
In static loading, the stress intensity factor for a small crack in a large specimen can be expressed as KI = f ( , a ) where f depends on geometry If the stress is kept constant, we will get fracture for a certain crack length, a=aC , which will give K I =K IC . For a <aC( KI<K IC) the crack will not propagate (in theory) In dynamic loading , we will still get fracture if the stress intensity factor, for some instant of time, exceeds K I =K IC However, for K I <K IC , the crack may still propagate. Since this means that a (and KI ) will increase, we will eventually obtain fracture when a=aC.
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
3 (20)
Crack growth as a function of K
In experiments, crack propagation has been measured as a function of the stress intensity factor
da log dN
There exists a threshold value of K below which fatigue cracks will not propagate At the other extreme, K max will approach the fracture toughness K C, and the material will fail A l inear relationship between log da dN and K in region II
II
III
log K Kth
Solid Mechanics
KC
Note that K depends on the crack size. This is not shown in the plot
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
4 (20)
Crack growth in region I
For small K (region I), crack propagation is difficult to predict since it depends on microstructure and flow properties of the material Here, the growth may even come to an arrest Crack growth rate is sensitive to the size of the grains . Finer grains gives da log Closer spacing of grain boundaries, dN which the crack has to break through Increased yield stress (normally) I Decreased roughness of the crack Crack growth predicted by models of type da dN = f p , where p is plastic shear strain range Kth empirical adjustment of K - da dN curve
II
III
( )
log K
KC
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
5 (20)
Crack growth in region II and III
Region II For larger magnitudes of K (region II ), the crack growth rate will be governed by a power law (such as Paris law) The crack growth rate is fairly insensitive to the microstructure (however, the constants m and C are, of course, different for different materials) If region II includes the dominating part of the fatigue life, the fatigue life can be directly estimated by integrating Paris law Region III If the stress intensity ratio is increased even further (region III ), the crack growth rate will accelerate and finally fracture will occur The behavior of this fracture is rather sensitive to the microstructure and flow properties of the material.
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
6 (20)
Crack propagation laws introduction
It has been found that, for dynamic loading of a crack, the three most important factors determining the propagation (growth) of the crack are
K Kmax Kmin the stress intensity range R Kmin Kmax the stress intensity ratio H the stress history
Thus, the crack growth rate (i.e. growth per stress cycle) can be expressed as
da = f ( K , R, H ) dN
where da dN is the crack growth per stress cycle
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
7 (20)
Paris law
Paris law can be written as
da = CK m dN where C and m are material parameters
One of the first (1962) and most widely used fatigue crack propagation criteria
Algorithm 1. Find stress intensity factor for the current geometry 2. Find crack length corresponding to K max = KC 3. Check if the requirements for linear elastic fracture mechanics are fulfilled 4. Integrate Paris law 5. Solve for the number of stress cycles corresponding to failure Important If the stress intensity factor includes a geometric function of a, estimated (or analytic) values of this function has to be used
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
8 (20)
Paris law drawbacks
Compared to a general crack propagation criterion Paris law does not account for mean stress effects (described by the R -ratio) history effects (introduced by H) Further, Paris law is only valid in conditions with uniaxial loading long cracks LEFM-conditions We will have a closer look at short crack theory retardation models due to overloads crack closure effects crack propagation in multiaxial loading
Solid Mechanics
da = f ( K , R, H ) dN
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
9 (20)
Short cracks
So far
da = f ( K ) dN
where K depends on the amplitude of the normal stress (and geometry) But short cracks are shear stress driven also LEFM is not valid
Crack Speed
1 > 2 a1 < a2
Short Crack Theory
Two types of short cracks mechanically short cracks propagate faster than large cracks with same K microstructurally short cracks interact closely with the microstructure and grow fast
Solid Mechanics
Microstructural Threshold
Crack Length
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
10 (20)
Variable amplitude loading (H)
Y
Loading
Unloading
crack Plastic zone (tension)
crack
Plastic zone
(compression)
A (tensile) overload will introduce (compressive) residual stresses These residual stresses will influence K and thus the rate of crack propagation
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
11 (20)
The Wheeler model
The Wheeler model is used to define the reduction of the crack growth rate due to an overload The reduction factor is defined as
d0
a + dc R = d0
crack
The reduced crack growth rate is then calculated as
da = da R dN R dN
dc
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
12 (20)
Variable Amplitude Loading, contd
The Wheeler model is appropriate for single overloads The reduction of crack growth rate acts only as long as the cracks current plastic zone is within the plastic zone from the overload Multiple overloads or stochastic loads Cycle-by-cycle integration crack of Appropriate crack growth law that takes Retardation/acceleration effects into account Normal crack propagation laws are usually conservative
Fatigue crack propagation
Solid Mechanics
Anders Ekberg
13 (20)
Crack closure (R)
Elber, in 1970, discovered that crack closure exists in cyclic loading, even for loads that are greater than zero This crack closure will decrease the fatigue crack growth rate by reducing the effective stress intensity range The stress intensity rate
K Kmax Kmin
Kmin = max[ Kmin , 0]
Crack closure att K =K op gives
Keff Kmax Kop
m C K = dN eff
Paris law using effective stress intensity rate
da
Empirical relation
Kop = ( R) Kmax
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
( R) = 0.25 + 0.5 R + 0.25 R2 1 R 1
Solid Mechanics
14 (20)
Crack closure and arrestment
Kmax Keff K Kop Kmin Crack closure
If the crack is closed throughout the stress cycle , the crack will arrest This is not the only mechanism of a crack to arrest!
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
15 (20)
Crack closure and arrestment II
10 8 6
Kop Kmin
KParis
KElber
KParis
Kop and Kmin
4 2 0
Smallest magnitude of Kmin in Paris law
The only difference when using Elber correction is in a new, higher Kmin
-2 -4 -6 -8
-10 1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
Using Elber correction in Paris law is conservative (predicts a longer fatigue life)
Anders Ekberg
R
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
16 (20)
Crack arrestment
m K da = CK m = C eff K eff K dN m Kmax Kop K = C K m K Kmax op K C = Kmax Kmin K
For
Kop 1 =0 1 R K
we get and
K = Kop (1 R) = Kth da =0 dN
Kop 1 K = C Kmax Kmin K K K max max m K 1 op = C K 1 R K
Solid Mechanics
For
we get
Kop 1 =1 1 R K 1 K = Kop 1 R
Anders Ekberg
Fatigue crack propagation
17 (20)
Crack growth treshold
By taking crack closure into account (using Elber correction), we can model a R-ratio dependence compressive mid stress slower crack propagation tensile mid stress faster crack propagation
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
18 (20)
Crack arrest at different scales
A The load magnitude is below the fatigue limit we will not initiate any (macroscopic cracks)
log log e
The applied load gives a stress intensity below the Fatigue fatigue threshold stress failure intensity macroscopic cracks will not continue to grow
No fatigue failure B No propagation KI,th = U a log a
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
19 (20)
Cracks in mixed mode loading
+ +
Cracks that are loaded in mixed mode, will normally tend to propagate in pure mode I One exception is when a crack propagates along a weak zone ( e.g. a weld). In this case, an effective stress intensity factor can be employed
Keff = KI2 + (0.8 KII )
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
20 (20)
Crack propagation summary
Under one dimensional, elastic conditions and constant load range Paris law, can predict fatigue life of large cracks Under variable amplitude loading, plastic residual stress fields mostly gives a decrease in crack growth rate. Microstructurally small cracks interact closely with microstructure. Mechanically small cracks propagate faster than long cracks. Closure effects of large cracks can give a pronounced effect. Its one mechanism behind crack arrestment In multiaxial loading, most cracks tend to propagate in pure mode I Less mature areas Cases where LEFM is not applicable The propagation of short, especially microstructurally short, cracks Cases where crack closure and crack friction has a profound effect Conditions of variable amplitude loading Multiaxial loading conditions
Solid Mechanics
Fatigue crack propagation
Anders Ekberg
