Controlling fatigue crack paths for crack surface marking and growth investigations

While it is well known that fatigue crack growth in metals that display confined slip, such as high strength aluminium alloys, develop crack paths that are responsive to the loading direction and the local microstructural orientation, it is less well known that such paths are also responsive to the...

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Main Authors: S. Barter, P. White, M. Burchill
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Gruppo Italiano Frattura 2015-12-01
Series:Fracture and Structural Integrity
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Online Access:https://212.237.37.202/index.php/fis/article/view/1637
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author S. Barter
P. White
M. Burchill
author_facet S. Barter
P. White
M. Burchill
author_sort S. Barter
collection DOAJ
description While it is well known that fatigue crack growth in metals that display confined slip, such as high strength aluminium alloys, develop crack paths that are responsive to the loading direction and the local microstructural orientation, it is less well known that such paths are also responsive to the loading history. In these materials, certain loading sequences can produce highly directional slip bands ahead of the crack tip and by adjusting the sequence of loads, distinct fracture surface features or progression marks, even at very small crack depths can result. Investigating the path a crack selects in fatigue testing when particular combinations of constant and variable amplitude load sequences are applied is providing insight into crack growth. Further, it is possible to design load sequences that allow very small amounts of crack growth to be measured, at very small crack sizes, well below the conventional crack growth threshold in the aluminium alloy discussed here. This paper reports on observations of the crack path phenomenon and a novel test loading method for measuring crack growth rates for very small crack depths in aluminium alloy 7050-T7451 (an important aircraft primary structural material). The aim of this work was to firstly generate short- crack constant amplitude growth data and secondly, through the careful manipulation of the applied loading, to achieve a greater understanding of the mechanisms of fatigue crack growth in the material being investigated. A particular focus of this work is the identification of the possible sources of crack growth retardation and closure in these small cracks. Interpreting these results suggests a possible mechanism for why small fatigue crack growth through this material under variable amplitude loading is faster than predicted from models based on constant amplitude data alone.
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spelling doaj-art-252c742c9c8b4404be95fc37c46beaa32025-01-03T00:39:50ZengGruppo Italiano FratturaFracture and Structural Integrity1971-89932015-12-011035Controlling fatigue crack paths for crack surface marking and growth investigationsS. BarterP. WhiteM. BurchillWhile it is well known that fatigue crack growth in metals that display confined slip, such as high strength aluminium alloys, develop crack paths that are responsive to the loading direction and the local microstructural orientation, it is less well known that such paths are also responsive to the loading history. In these materials, certain loading sequences can produce highly directional slip bands ahead of the crack tip and by adjusting the sequence of loads, distinct fracture surface features or progression marks, even at very small crack depths can result. Investigating the path a crack selects in fatigue testing when particular combinations of constant and variable amplitude load sequences are applied is providing insight into crack growth. Further, it is possible to design load sequences that allow very small amounts of crack growth to be measured, at very small crack sizes, well below the conventional crack growth threshold in the aluminium alloy discussed here. This paper reports on observations of the crack path phenomenon and a novel test loading method for measuring crack growth rates for very small crack depths in aluminium alloy 7050-T7451 (an important aircraft primary structural material). The aim of this work was to firstly generate short- crack constant amplitude growth data and secondly, through the careful manipulation of the applied loading, to achieve a greater understanding of the mechanisms of fatigue crack growth in the material being investigated. A particular focus of this work is the identification of the possible sources of crack growth retardation and closure in these small cracks. Interpreting these results suggests a possible mechanism for why small fatigue crack growth through this material under variable amplitude loading is faster than predicted from models based on constant amplitude data alone.https://212.237.37.202/index.php/fis/article/view/1637Fatigue crack growthCrack closureCrack paths
spellingShingle S. Barter
P. White
M. Burchill
Controlling fatigue crack paths for crack surface marking and growth investigations
Fracture and Structural Integrity
Fatigue crack growth
Crack closure
Crack paths
title Controlling fatigue crack paths for crack surface marking and growth investigations
title_full Controlling fatigue crack paths for crack surface marking and growth investigations
title_fullStr Controlling fatigue crack paths for crack surface marking and growth investigations
title_full_unstemmed Controlling fatigue crack paths for crack surface marking and growth investigations
title_short Controlling fatigue crack paths for crack surface marking and growth investigations
title_sort controlling fatigue crack paths for crack surface marking and growth investigations
topic Fatigue crack growth
Crack closure
Crack paths
url https://212.237.37.202/index.php/fis/article/view/1637
work_keys_str_mv AT sbarter controllingfatiguecrackpathsforcracksurfacemarkingandgrowthinvestigations
AT pwhite controllingfatiguecrackpathsforcracksurfacemarkingandgrowthinvestigations
AT mburchill controllingfatiguecrackpathsforcracksurfacemarkingandgrowthinvestigations