Advanced Materials Research Vols. 891-892

Abstract: Crack-growth-rate tests were conducted on compact, C(T), specimens made of 7075-T7351 aluminum alloy over a wide range of constant-amplitude loading (R = P_min/P_max = 0.1 to 0.9) to establish the baseline crack-growth-rate curve for life-prediction analyses. Both compression precracking and load-reduction methods were used. A crack-closure analysis was used to collapse the ΔK_eff-rate data into a fairly narrow band over many orders of magnitude in rates using an appropriate plane-strain constraint factor. Life predictions were made on C(T) specimens using the FASTRAN Version 5.42 life-prediction code. Some improvements had been made in the code and the predictions were made under cycle-by-cycle simulations. Life predictions under Christmas-Tree-type loading using the rainflow-on-the-fly methodology were very good. And the predicted results on three different aircraft spectrum loading histories (a modified Falstaff, modified Mini-TWIST (Level III), and a modified Wing-Gust-Maneuver spectrum), agreed to within 20% of the test data.

Abstract: In this work, a numerical method is pursued based on a cohesive zone model (CZM). The method is aimed at simulating fatigue crack growth as well as crack growth retardation due to an overload. In this cohesive zone model, the degradation of the material strength is represented by a variation of the cohesive traction with respect to separation of the cohesive surfaces. Simulation of crack propagation under cyclic loads is implemented by introducing a damage mechanism into the cohesive zone. Crack propagation is represented in the process zone (cohesive zone in front of crack-tip) by deterioration of the cohesive strength due to damage development in the cohesive element. Damage accumulation during loading is based on the displacements in the cohesive zone. A finite element model of a compact tension (CT) specimen subjected to a constant amplitude loading with an overload is developed. The cohesive elements are placed in front of the crack-tip along a pre-defined crack path. The simulation is performed in the finite element code Abaqus. The cohesive elements behavior is described using the user element subroutine UEL. The new damage evolution function used in this work provides a good agreement between simulation results and experimental data.

Abstract: Accurate quantification of crack tip stress intensity values is paramount in the analysis of damage tolerant structures. The present analytical investigation seeks to determine the stress intensity solutions for crack geometries outside the existing valid solution space and expand the analysts ability to capture representative crack growth behavior. The focus of this investigation is to calculate the stress intensity factors of single quarter-elliptical corner cracks emanating from centrally located holes in finite width plates under various loading conditions (remote tension, bending, and pin loading). Many of the available finite width corrections are singled valued and universally applied to all locations along the crack front. Early investigations into the validity of this application indicated that this correction procedure produces stress intensity values +/- 30% from new solutions. The crack depth to length ratio and depth to thickness ratio can also significantly influence the accuracy of historical finite width solutions and corrections. The analytical investigation utilizes the three dimensional virtual crack closure technique and well-structured, completely hexahedral, element meshes. Stress intensity values are generated for a wide range of ratios for crack depth to crack length, crack depth to sheet thickness, hole radius to sheet thickness, and sheet width to hole diameter. This effort is being executed under a US DoD Technical Corrosion Collaboration program.

Abstract: The high cycle fatigue life of machined parts is affected by the so-called surface integrity induced by the machining process. To model the high cycle fatigue behaviour of turned parts a probabilistic two-scale continuum damage model is developed. While the macroscopic behaviour of the material is assumed to remain elastic during the fatigue loading, the fatigue prediction is based on the incremental evolution of micro-plasticity and damage. The non-standard initial mechanical state of the material in the sub-surface, viz. the plastic strains and residual stresses fields induced by the machining process are taken into account via an initial step prior to the fatigue loading. As far as the micro-geometry of the surface is concerned, an initial micro-crack distribution depending on the depth and shape of the micro-defects observed is introduced.

Abstract: The Smith-Watson-Topper (SWT) parameter was originally suggested and is still widely used to account for mean stress effects in fatigue life analysis. It is well recognized however, that the SWT parameter might be non-conservative for cyclic loads that involve relatively large compressive mean stresses. Such large compressive mean stresses can develop in notches after overloads. An energy interpretation of the SWT parameter is presented first. Based on analogy with the Neuber’s rule a new deviatoric formulation of the SWT_D parameter is proposed. It is found that for positive mean stresses and moderate negative mean stresses the original SWT parameter and the proposed deviatoric SWT_D parameter yield similar results. At large compressive mean stresses and non-proportional biaxial fatigue, the deviatoric SWT_D parameter demonstrates a fairly good correlation to test data while the original SWT parameter results in wide scatter.

Abstract: Shiploaders are used to load bulk material onto vessels. They can experience a large number of loading cycles during their design life. As a consequence, fatigue damage is an important consideration when assessing the useful life of an existing shiploader. This paper presents the results of the fatigue assessment of an existing shiploader. The shiploader is used to load coal onto bulk carriers; it is over 30 years old and the operator wishes to continue to use the facility for at least another 25 years. The results from the fatigue assessment form part of the decision making process for replacement or refurbishment of the shiploader. This assessment includes data from finite element analysis, strain gauging and measurements from on-board monitoring equipment. The results from the fatigue assessment were used to calculate the probability of fatigue damage for continued use.

Abstract: Fatigue testing was conducted on AZ31B-H24 magnesium alloy in strain-control condition. An unusual asymmetric shape of the hysteresis loop was the key feature of the cyclic behavior. A continuum-based cyclic plasticity model was developed to follow the asymmetric hardening behavior of wrought magnesium alloys. The proposed model was implemented in a UMAT subroutine to run with Abaqus/Standard. It was demonstrated that the UMAT was able to follow the cyclic hardening behavior of AZ31B under uniaxial loading. An energy-based damage parameter was proposed for estimating the fatigue crack initiation life. The developed UMAT along with the proposed damage parameter were used for fatigue modeling of an automotive substructure made of magnesium. It was shown that the proposed asymmetric model was more promising than a symmetric model.

Abstract: The aim of this study is to analyse the influence of both the microstructure and defects on the high cycle fatigue behaviour of the 316L austenitic stainless steel, using finite element simulations of polycrystalline aggregates. High cycle fatigue tests have been conducted on this steel under uniaxial (push-pull) and multiaxial (combined in-phase tension and torsion) loading conditions, with both smooth specimens and specimens containing artificial semi-spherical surface defects. 2D numerical models, using a cubic elastic constitutive model, are created to determine the degree of heterogeneity of the local stress parameters as a function of the defect size. This has been done for one microstructure using several orientation sets generated from the initial texture of the material. The grains are explicitly modelled and the anisotropic behaviour of each FCC crystal is described by the generalized Hookes law with a cubic elasticity tensor. From the simulations carried out with different defect sizes and orientation sets that are representative of the real texture of the tested material, statistical information regarding mesoscopic mechanical fields provides useful insight into the microstructural dependence of the driving forces for fatigue crack nucleation at the mesoscopic scale (or the scale of individual grains). The results in terms of the stress fields and fatigue crack initiation conditions are determined at both the mesoscopic and macroscopic scales. The results from these FE models are used along with an original probabilistic mesomechanics approach to quantify the defect size effect. The resulting predictions, which are sensitive to the microstructure, include the probability distribution of the high cycle fatigue strength.

Abstract: This paper presents the energy based approaches developed to describe different aspects of fatigue. Different topics covered include fatigue crack initiation, crack initiation at a notch, multiaxial fatigue and fatigue crack propagation. Specific examples treated include, crack initiation at a notch, cracking at solder joint in electronic application, fatigue life estimation in a synthetic rubber and fatigue crack propagation in a metallic material.

Abstract: The concepts of structural safety embedded in recognised international standards for the fatigue design of bolted joints, such as VDI 2230 Part 1, are examined and challenged. This is done by means of theoretical investigation of the behaviour of bolted joints using non-linear finite element analysis. Potential differences between actual bolted joint parameters and behaviour, and implicit design assumptions, are reviewed and their effect on the structural safety of bolted joints in operating equipment examined. An approach to the fatigue design of bolted joints is presented which incorporates alternative concepts of structural safety and uses advanced CAE methods as part of the standard design process.