Key Engineering Materials Vols. 577-578

Abstract: Using the asymmetric semi-circular bend specimen (ASCB) a set of mixed-mode fracture tests were carried out in the full range from pure mode I to pure mode II. The tests were conducted on two polyurethane materials characterized by different properties. The fracture parameters were obtained from experiments and are compared with the predictions based on the generalized MTS criterion (GMTS). The agreement between the experimental results and those predicted based on the GMTS criterion is discussed finally.

Abstract: The paper deals with the effects of variable loading on residual fatigue life of the railway wheelset. The railway wheelsets can include some cracks created during manufacturing process or during previous operation. Therefore, it is important to know how the existing cracks will behave during further service of the train. The experiments show that the fatigue crack growth rate depends not only on size of the load amplitudes in a loading spectrum, but it depends also on the sequence of load amplitudes. Taking into account interaction effects of overloading cycles requires use a method that calculates increments of crack length in each cycle, i.e. cycle-by-cycle. One of such methods represents generalized Willenborg model. This model was used for residual fatigue life time estimations of railway wheelset and results obtained were compared with classical approach, which did not take into account interaction effects. Results obtained can be used for establishing of service intervals of railway wheelsets.

Abstract: The present paper summarises an attempt of using the so-called Modified Wöhler Curve Method (MWCM) to estimate fatigue damage in pitted cast iron water pipes subjected to in-service variable amplitude multiaxial fatigue loading. In this setting, pits are treated as hemispherical/hyperbolic notches whose depth increases over time due to conventional corrosion processes taking places in buried cast-iron pipes. The validity of such an approach is proven by showing, through a case study, that, under particular circumstances, the combined effect of corrosion and fatigue can remarkably shorten the in-service lifetime of cast-iron pipes as observed in the case study.

Abstract: Results for stress concentration in short members for isotropic plates with centered circular holes have been reported in the literature. More recently the influence of length for orthotropic holed plates has been examined and published as well. However, important aspects of stress considerations were missing such as the influence of load direction vs. material orientation which happens to have a strong influence on stress concentrations. Additionally, implied important misleading inaccuracies were reported. This analysis is meant to provide essential corrections to the published material.

Abstract: The propagation characteristic of Lamb waves activated by Piezoelectric actuators and collected by sensors in a stiffened panel has been investigated. A network of actuators is used to scan the structure before and after the presence of damage. A diagnostic imaging algorithm has been developed based on the probability of damage at each point of the structure measured by the signal reading of sensors in the baseline and damaged structure. A damage localization image is then reconstructed by superimposing the image obtained from each sensor-actuator path. Three-dimensional finite element model with a transducer network is modelled. Damage is introduced as a small softening area in the panel. Applying the imaging algorithm, the damage location was predicted with good accuracy. The validity of the algorithm was tested for multiple damages.

Abstract: The applicability of the Monkman-Grant relationship was analyzed and validated for ultrafine-grained metallic materials under investigation. A special attention has been given to the creep damage tolerance factor which is defined as the ratio of the strain to fracture to the Monkman-Grant ductility and which describes the coupling between creep deformation and damage based on continuum creep damage approach. It was found, that ultrafine-grained materials generally obey the Monkman-Grant relationship, however, the relationship is especially suitable for materials exhibiting short secondary creep and long tertiary creep stages when dislocation-controlled creep is dominant.

Abstract: A method for the numerical modeling of mechanical behavior of nanocomposite materials reinforced with the carbon nanotubes, based on the computational homogenization as a multiscale method, is presented. The matrix reinforcement interactions, based on the weak van der Waals forces are incorporated into the multiscale model and are represented by the nonlinear rod elements. The reinforcements, i.e. carbon nanotubes, are modeled as a space frame structure, using beam finite elements. Computational homogenization and representative volume element (RVE) are the basis of the presented numerical model of the nanocomposites. Nanoscale model is based on beam and non-linear rod finite elements. An algorithm is developed for the analysis of the presented nanostructure, and for the purpose of the software verification, examples, i.e. models of the nanocomposite material are presented. Also, the nanocomposite model with various vacancy defects in the reinforcement, i.e. nanotube, has been prepared and the obtained results are compared and discussed.Keywords Nanocomposite materials · Carbon nanotubes · Multiscale modelling · Computational homogenization

Abstract: Fatigue tests of ultrafine grained (UFG) copper produced by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) showed negligible enhancement of fatigue strength in high-cycle fatigue regime. This was attributed to the thermal instability of UFG microstructure; a grain coarsening occurred during a large number of stress repetitions. Aiming at an enhancement of fatigue strength in the long-life field in excess of 10⁷ cycles, post-ECAP mild-annealing for improving thermal stability was conducted. Grains with sizes up to a few tens of micrometers surrounded by fine grains were formed after the annealing as a result of discontinuous recrystallization. The improved stability of post-ECAP annealed micrstrucvture was related to the 9% increased fatigue strength in long life fields. The effect of bimodal microstructure on surface damage formation and fatigue strength was discussed.

Abstract: Collaborative research has been conducted by the Japan Thermal Spray Society (JTSS) to establish a standard test method for evaluating the interfacial fracture toughness of thermal sprayed coatings, including thermal barrier coatings. The test method is based upon the indentation test method utilizing a conventional Vickers hardness test machine. In this committee, round robin tests were performed to check differences in the evaluated results among collaborators. This paper reports on the progress of such activity in Japan.

Abstract: Life assessment of Type 316H stainless steel (SS) is of great concern to industry due to the widespread use of this material in power plant components that often operate at a temperature of around 550 °C. An important issue to be understood and considered in the life assessment of 316H components is the creep deformation and crack growth behaviour of this material in short term and long term operation times. Due to the limited long term test data available in the literature (i.e. [1, ), a new technique have been recently developed to estimate uniaxial creep ductility trends and subsequently creep crack growth (CCG) behaviour of the material at low load levels [. In this new method the creep ductility trends have been estimated as a function of the applied stress normalised by the temperature dependent 0.2% proof stress of the material, σ/σ_0.2, to include the plasticity effects on the creep deformation behaviour of the material. These trends have been implemented in finite (FE) simulations to predict the CCG behaviour of 316H in intermediate and long term tests at 550 °C and provisional results are presented in [.