This thesis deals with some aspects of crack growth in the presence of cyclic loading, i.e. fatigue. The cyclic load cases studied here are primary of non-proportional mixed mode type. Under non-proportional loading the principal stress directions rotate and, generally, the ratio between the principal stresses vary. A new criterion has been presented for prediction of incipient crack path direction after changes in load from steady Mode I to non-proportional loading. The criterion is based on FE-simulations which are used to compute the actual elasto-plastic stress state in the vicinity of the crack tip. The predictions of the criterion capture several phenomena observed in the literature, which indicates that plasticity effects have to be included in a criterion for crack path predictions under non-proportional loading. The effects of Mode II overloads on subsequent Mode I crack growth have been studied relatively little in the literature. Also, the results deviates substantially. In the present thesis, this load case has been investigated in detail, both experimentally and analytically. The results show that the Mode I crack growth rate decreases after a single Mode II load, if the R-ratio is not as high as to keep the entire Mode I load cycle above the closure level. This is based on the fact, shown in this thesis, that the reduction is caused by crack closure due to tangential displacement of crack-surface irregularities. A new loading device is presented. With this device, it is possible to apply sequential loading in Mode I and Mode II in an automated way, without having to dismount the specimens. This loading device is used to study the influence of periodic Mode II loading on Mode I crack growth. The main parameters concerning the influence of periodic Mode II loading on Mode I crack growth are; (i) the Mode I R-ratio, (ii) the Mode II magnitude and (iii) the Mode II periodicity, M (number of Mode I loads for every Mode II load). The mechanisms involved are mainly RICC (Roughness-Induced Crack Closure) and a Mode II mechanism that increases the growth rate temporary at every Mode II load. Hence, the latter becomes more significant for low M-values. The higher the Mode I R-ratio the smaller is the reduction. / QC 20101004

Fatigue crack growth behavior of AA7050 T7451 aluminum alloy under mode II loading condition in two orientations was investigated. Compact shear specimens were prepared in TL and LT directions. A loading frame for mode II type of loading was manufactured. Using the loading frame and the specimen, KIIC values and mode II fatigue crack growth rates were calculated. Fractographic analysis of the fracture surfaces of both mode II fracture toughness test specimens and mode II fatigue crack growth test specimens were done to examine the effects of mode II load. KIIC values were measured between 1.3 and 1.5 times the KIC values for this alloy. As for mode II fatigue crack growth rates, TL orientation shows the highest mode II fatigue crack growth resistance.

The effect of different aging treatments on fatigue crack growth behavior of AA6013 aluminum alloy was investigated. C(T) (Compact Tension) specimens were prepared in L-T and T-L direction for fatigue crack growth tests. Samples were in T651 as received, T42 which is solution heat treated at 538 &ordm / C for 90 minutes, water quenched and aged in room temperature for 96 hours, and one group of samples were overaged at 245 &ordm / C for 12 hours after T42 condition was achieved. Hardness and conductivity measurements were achieved for all conditions after the heat treatments. Fatigue crack growth tests were performed at as received condition T651, T42 and 245 &ordm / C aged samples in laboratory air with sinusoidal loading of stress ratio R=0.1 and at a frequency of 1 Hz. The highest fatigue crack growth resistance is observed for T651 T-L and 245 &ordm / C overaged L-T condition.

Turbine engine blades are subjected to extreme conditions characterized by significant and simultaneous excursions in both stress and temperature. These conditions promote thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) crack growth which can significantly reduce component design life beyond that which would be predicted from isothermal/constant load amplitude results. A thorough understanding of the thermo-mechanical fatigue crack behavior in single crystal superalloys is crucial to accurately evaluate component life to ensure reliable operations without blade fracture through the use of "retirement for cause" (RFC). This research was conducted on PWA1484, a single crystal superalloy used by Pratt & Whitney for turbine blades. Initially, an isothermal constant amplitude fatigue crack growth rate database was developed, filling a void that currently exists in published literature. Through additional experimental testing, fractography, and modeling, the effects of temperature interactions, load interactions, oxidation and secondary crystallographic orientation on the fatigue crack growth rate and the underlying mechanisms responsible were determined. As is typical in published literature, an R Ratio of 0.7 displays faster crack growth when compared to R = 0.1. The effect of temperature on crack growth rate becomes more pronounced as the crack driving force increases. In addition secondary orientation and R Ratio effects on crack growth rate were shown to increase with increasing temperature. Temperature interaction testing between 649°C and 982°C showed that for both R = 0.1 and 0.7, retardation is present at larger alternating cycle blocks and acceleration is present at smaller alternating cycle blocks. This transition from acceleration to retardation occurs between 10 and 20 alternating cycles for R = 0.1 and around 20 alternating cycles for R = 0.7. Load interaction testing showed that when the crack driving force is near KIC the overload size greatly influences whether acceleration or retardation will occur at 982°C. Semi-realistic spectrum testing demonstrated the extreme sensitivity that relative loading levels play on fatigue crack growth life while also calling into question the importance of dwell times. A crack trajectory modeling approach using blade primary and secondary orientations was used to determine whether crack propagation will occur on crystallographic planes or normal to the applied load. Crack plane determination using a scanning electron microscope enabled verification of the crack trajectory modeling approach. The isothermal constant amplitude fatigue crack growth results fills a much needed void in currently available data. While the temperature and load interaction fatigue crack growth results reveal the acceleration and retardation that is present in cracks growing in single crystal turbine blade materials under TMF conditions. This research also provides a deeper understanding of the failure and deformation mechanisms responsible for crack growth during thermo-mechanical fatigue. The crack path trajectory modeling will help enable "Retirement for Cause" to be used for critical turbine engine components, a drastic improvement over the standard "safe-life" calculations while also reducing the risk of catastrophic failure due to "chunk liberation" as a function of time. Leveraging off this work there exists the possibility of developing a "local approach" to define a crack growth forcing function in single crystal superalloys.

The objective of this study is to develop crack growth analysis methods for functionally graded materials under mode I cyclic loading by using finite element technique. The study starts with the analysis of test specimens which are given in ASTM standard E399. The material properties of specimens are assumed to be changing along the thickness direction according to a presumed variation function used for the modeling of functionally graded materials. The results of the study reveal the influence of different material variation functions on the crack growth behavior. In the second part, the growth of an elliptical crack which is a common case in engineering applications is analyzed. First, mode I cycling loading is applied perpendicular to the crack plane and crack growth profiles for a certain number of cycles are obtained for homogeneous materials. Then, the code is extended for the analysis functionally graded materials. The material properties are assumed to vary as an exponential function along the major or minor axis direction of the crack. The results can be used to examine the crack profile and material constants&rsquo / influence for a certain number of cyclic loading.

Les pales d’hélicoptère sont des structures composites soumises à un chargement cyclique multiaxial, et leur criticité impose de porter une attention particulière à la tolérance aux dommages. Leur revêtement peut potentiellement présenter des criques suite à certains évènements (impact, défaut, foudre). Ces travaux se focalisent sur un matériau de revêtement donné (tissu de verre) et concernent l’étude de la propagation de coupure (crique) sous chargement cyclique. Les sollicitations de service ont amené à considérer la traction et le cisaillement plan. Une étude expérimentale a été menée afin d’étudier les modes d’endommagement du matériau et sa résistance à la propagation de coupure pour différentes sollicitations (en traction et en cisaillement) et pour les drapages les plus courants. Elle a permis de dégager les mécanismes d’endommagement mis en jeu, et a fourni un ensemble important de propriétés matériau et de données quantitatives de vitesse de propagation. Elle a par ailleurs guidé vers une modélisation par éléments finis adaptée à l’architecture du matériau, et la manière dont il se dégrade en fatigue. Ce modèle repose sur un maillage à l’échelle de la mèche, et la prédiction de la propagation est obtenue par l’utilisation d’une courbe de fatigue S-N. La simulation a été évaluée par comparaison des faciès de rupture, des vitesses de propagation et de l’étendue des zones d’endommagement avec les essais réalisés sur éprouvettes. / Helicopter blades consist of composite structures which have to sustain multi-axial cyclic loading. Because of their criticality, damage tolerance has to be considered carefully. Their skin is subjected to environmental events like impact, flaw, lightning which can cause through-thethickness cracks. The present work focuses on one given skin material (woven glass fabric) and concerns the study of the through-the-thickness crack growth under cyclic loading. In-flight loading lead to consider tension and shear. An experimental study has been carried out to study damage in the material and its crackgrowth resistance under different loadings (tension and shear) and for usual stacking sequences. It highlighted damage mechanisms and provided an important set of material data and crack growth speeds. Besides, this led to a finite element approach adapted to the woven fabric architecture, anddamage feature under fatigue loading. This modeling is based on a bundle scale mesh, a semidiscrete damage modeling and an S-N curve to predict fiber failure. Numerical simulations of crack growth tests were carried out, and results were compared with experiments in terms of crack direction, crack growth speed, and size of damaged area.

No description available.

A austenita retida está sempre presente na microestrutura de camada cementada de aços, em maior ou menor quantidade. Como é uma fase dúctil comparada à martensita, sua presença tem sido alvo de muita controvérsia. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre a influência da austenita retida na propagação de trincas curtas por fadiga em camada cementada de aço SAE 8620. Foram feitos ensaios de fadiga por flexão em quatro pontos, a temperatura ambiente, em corpos de prova sem entalhe com três níveis de amplitude de tensão e razão de tensões de 0,1. Através de diferentes ciclos de cementação e tratamentos térmicos, foram obtidas camadas cementadas com quatro níveis de austenita retida na microestrutura. O teor de austenita retida foi medido através da técnica de difração de Raios-X. Trincas superficiais foram monitoradas por meio da técnica de réplicas de acetato. Como resultados foram obtidos tamanho de trinca em função do número de ciclos e taxa de crescimento de trincas curtas. Corpos de prova com maiores níveis de austenita retida apresentaram maior vida em fadiga. / The retained austenite is always present in case carburized steel microstructure in small or high percentages. Since it is a ductile phase, its presence has long been a controversial subject. The influence of retained austenite on short fatigue crack propagation in case carburized SAE 8620 steel was studied in this work. Four-point-bend fatigue tests were carried out at room temperature in specimens without notch using three levels of stress range and a stress ratio of 0.1. Four different amount of retained austenite in the case carburized microstructure were obtained through different cycles of carburizing and heat treating. The retained austenite content was measured by X-ray technique, and the surface short crack growth was monitored by means of acetate replication technique. Crack length versus number of cycles and crack growth rate versus mean crack length were obtained as results. Specimens with higher levels of retained austenite in the carburized case showed longer fatigue life.

<p>QC 20110523</p>

No description available.