Željko Božić

Fatigue growth models for multiple long cracks in plates under cyclic tension based on ΔKI, ΔJ-integral and ΔCTOD parameter

This paper presents the implementation of fatigue crack growth power law equations based on ΔK, ΔJ-integral and ΔCTOD fracture mechanics parameters determined in an FE analysis, to plates with multiple site damage (MSD). Results of fatigue tests with constant amplitude tensile loading carried out on mild steel plate specimens damaged with a single central crack and with three collinear cracks are presented. A relatively larger plastic zone occurred in the crack tip region at higher fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR), from 10-7 to 10-6 m/cycle. The crack growth models based on the elastic-plastic fracture mechanics (EPFM) parameters describe better fatigue crack growth in this range as compared to the liner elastic models.

Numerical determination of Paris law constants for carbon steel using a two-scale model

For most engineering alloys, the long fatigue crack growth under a certain stress level can be described by the Paris law. The law provides a correlation between the fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR or da/dN), the range of stress intensity factor (ΔK), and the material constants C and m. A well-established test procedure is typically used to determine the Paris law constants C and m, considering standard specimens, notched and pre-cracked. Definition of all the details necessary to obtain feasible and comparable Paris law constants are covered by standards. However, these cost-expensive tests can be replaced by appropriate numerical calculations. In this respect, this paper deals with the numerical determination of Paris law constants for carbon steel using a two-scale model. A micro-model containing the microstructure of a material is generated using the Finite Element Method (FEM) to calculate the fatigue crack growth rate at a crack tip. The model is based on the Tanaka-Mura equation. On the other side, a macro-model serves for the calculation of the stress intensity factor. The analysis yields a relationship between the crack growth rates and the stress intensity factors for defined crack lengths which is then used to determine the Paris law constants.