Name – Mohit Kumar Meena
Roll No. – 21CE10035
Extended Abstract
Fatigue Strength and Fracture Mechanics: A General Perspective
Authors: Uwe Zerbsta, M. Madiaa, M. Vormwaldb, and H.Th. Beierb
a
Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), D-12205 Berlin, Germany
b
Technische Universität Darmstadt, Materials Mechanics Group, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
Email:
[email protected]This research provides a comprehensive perspective on fatigue strength and fracture mechanics,
particularly in the context of weldments and structural components subjected to cyclic loads.
Traditional methods, like S-N curves, focus on fatigue limits for long cracks but often exclude
the behavior of short cracks, multiple crack propagation, and crack closure effects. This study
bridges these gaps using a fracture mechanics-based approach to analyze fatigue strength and
life, emphasizing the roles of crack size, material defects, and stress gradients.
Introduction
Fatigue strength refers to a material's ability to withstand cyclic loading without failure. While S-
N curves effectively describe fatigue limits for many materials, challenges arise in handling short
crack behavior, which is influenced by elastic-plastic deformation and crack closure effects. This
paper extends the Kitagawa-Takahashi (KT) diagram and integrates cyclic R-curve analysis to
predict crack arrest and non-propagation thresholds in both short and long crack regimes.
Methodology
The study evaluates fatigue strength through several fracture mechanics tools:
1. Stress Intensity Factor (KK):
Long cracks are analyzed using the da/dN-ΔK diagram,
2. Cyclic J-Integral (ΔJ\Delta J):
For short cracks, the cyclic J-integral is utilized to assess the elastic-plastic energy release
rate, defined as:
3. Kitagawa-Takahashi Diagram and Cyclic R-Curve:
The KT diagram determines crack arrest limits for small cracks. The cyclic R-curve
complements this by accounting for crack closure effects and intrinsic fatigue thresholds
(ΔKth,eff ).
Results
• Short Crack Behavior: Elastic-plastic deformation governs the growth of short cracks.
Crack closure effects, including plasticity- and roughness-induced closure, play a crucial
role in limiting crack propagation.
• Long Crack Behavior: Long cracks follow the Paris Law, with propagation thresholds
(ΔKth) defining non-propagation limits.
• Material Defects and Geometrical Irregularities: Non-metallic inclusions, corrosion
pits, and surface roughness act as crack initiation sites. Their dimensions determine initial
crack sizes (ai) for fracture mechanics analysis.
• Multiple Cracking: In weldments, multiple cracks interact and coalesce, influencing
fatigue life predictions.
Conclusion
This study successfully integrates fracture mechanics into fatigue strength evaluations,
addressing both short and long crack propagation. The KT diagram and cyclic R-curve provide
complementary tools for predicting fatigue limits and crack arrest conditions. Future research
should focus on refining these models, incorporating real-world loading conditions, and
exploring advanced materials for improved fatigue performance.
