Solid Mechanics EMM331

Dr. Feizal Yusof

Fatigue Lecture 4
Week 13-14 (6 hrs)

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 Topics for today
• Life estimate for constant amplitude loading

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 Life estimates for constant amplitude
loadings
1. Since 𝐾 increases with crack length during
constant amplitude stressing
Δ𝜎, and since the crack growth rate
𝑑𝑎/𝑑𝑁 depends on 𝐾, the growth rate is
not constant, but increases with crack
length.
2. In other words, the crack accelerates as it
grows, as shown in Fig. 1.
3. This situation of changing 𝑑𝑎/𝑑𝑁
necessitates the use of an integration
procedure to obtain the life required for
crack growth.

Fig. 1

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 Life estimates for constant amplitude
loadings
1. Crack growth rates da/dN for a given
combination of material and R-ratio
are given as a function of K by Eq.1
may be represented in general by
!"
= 𝑓(Δ𝐾, 𝑅) ---(7)
!#
where any effects of environment,
frequency, etc., are assumed to be
included in the material constants
involved.
2. The life in cycles required for crack
growth may be calculated by solving
this equation for dN and integrating
both sides:
! $ %$
∫! " 𝑑𝑁 = 𝑁" − 𝑁# = 𝑁#" = ∫$ " " &',) ---(8)
! !
3. This integral gives the number of
cycles required for the crack to grow
from an initial size 𝑎$ at cycle number
𝑁$ to a final size 𝑎% at cycle number
𝑁% . It is convenient to use the symbol
𝑁$% to represent the number of
elapsed cycles, 𝑁% − 𝑁$ .
4. The inverse of the growth rate, dN/da,
is the rate of accumulation of cycles, N,
per unit increase in crack length 𝑎.
From Eq. 7, this is given by
!# & &
= = ---(9)
!" !"/!# % (),+
5. Eq. (9) can also be written as
" !#
𝑁$% = ∫" " 𝑑𝑎 ---(10)
! !"

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 Life estimates: Closed-form solutions
1. Consider a situation where growth 2. Substituting this particular 𝑓(Δ𝐾, 𝑅)
rates are given by Eq. 6 into Eq. 8 and then substituting for
𝑑𝑎 𝑚 𝐾 gives:
= 𝐶 𝜎*$+ − 𝜎*#, 𝜋𝑎 𝑌 −−−(6) ""
𝑑𝑁 𝑑𝑎
and where 𝑌 = 𝑓(𝑎/𝑊) can be 𝑁$% = 8 ,
"! 𝐶 Δ𝐾
approximated as constant over the ""
𝑑𝑎
range of crack lengths 𝑎$ to 𝑎% =8 ,
"! 𝐶 Δ𝜎 𝜋𝑎 𝑌
!" , ""
= 𝑓 ΔK, R = C Δ𝐾 ---(11) 1 𝑑𝑎
!# =8
𝐶 Δ𝜎 𝜋 , , --(13)
and "! 𝑎/
Δ𝐾 = Δ𝜎 𝜋𝑎 ---(12) 3. Since 𝐶, 𝑌, Δ𝜎, and 𝑚 are all
The value of C used can include the constant, the only variable is 𝑎, and
effect of the ratio R = 𝜎,$- /𝜎,". , integration is straightforward, giving
&0,// &0,//
Assume that 𝜎,$- and 𝜎,". are 𝑎% − 𝑎$
𝑁$% = 𝑚 --(14)
constant, so that Δ𝜎 and R are also both ,
𝐶 Δ𝜎 𝜋 (1 − 2 )
constant.
for
𝑚≠2 5
 Life estimates: Closed-form solutions
4. If 𝑚 = 2, Eq. 14 is mathematically 8. When 𝐾,". reaches the fracture
indeterminate. toughness 𝐾1 for the material and
5. Additional closed-form solutions exist thickness of interest, failure is
that may be useful, such as one for expected at the length 𝑎1 that is
the case of 𝑚 = 2 and will be critical for brittle fracture:
discussed as problems in the 1 𝐾1 /
exercises later. 𝑎1 = --(15)
𝜋 𝜎,". 𝑌
6. In employing Eq. 14 to estimate crack
growth life, the final crack length 𝑎%
is often unknown and must be
determined before the equation can
be applied.
7. Under constant amplitude cyclic
loading, the value 𝐾,".
corresponding to 𝜎,". increases as
crack growth proceeds.

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 What did we learn today?
1. It has been shown that the possibility 4. It has also been found that fracture
of premature failure of a material by mechanics is a useful tool in
a fatigue mechanism is an extremely predicting fatigue life provided crack
important design consideration in growth data for the material is
situations where fluctuating stresses available.
are either applied directly or 5. Growth of microcracks
transmitted to the material. – Establish by Paris law
2. The majority of all failures which – Formed a semi-empirical law
occur in practice can be attributed to based on test of materials
fatigue and the greatest percentage
where
of these are caused by bad design,
usually ill-considered positioning and 𝑑𝑎 --(1)
= 𝐶 Δ𝐾 ,
/ or geometry of stress raisers such as 𝑑𝑁
holes, abrupt changes in section, while, crack growth can be
keyways etc. determined from the integration
3. Other factors which affect fatigue of eqn 3 for m ¹ 2:
&0,// &0,//
endurance are the level of the mean 𝑎% − 𝑎$ --(14)
stress, surface condition and nature 𝑁$% = 𝑚
of the environment. (refer to Benham 𝐶 Δ𝜎 𝜋 , (1 − )
2
and Crawford)
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 What did we learn today?
6. And the unstable region crack
length can be predicted using
1 𝐾1 /
𝑎1 = --(15)
𝜋 𝜎,". 𝑌

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 Example 1

Consider the statement

‘In a fatigue-loaded structure which may have hidden cracks, small

increases in loading on the structure may have large effects on fatigue
life’

Discuss briefly how the threshold stress intensity value 𝐾𝑡ℎ and the
stress index 𝑚 in the Paris Law are relevant to the statement.

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 Example 1
Consider the statement

‘In a fatigue-loaded structure which may have hidden cracks, small increases in loading on the structure may have large
effects on fatigue life’

Discuss briefly how the threshold stress intensity value Kth and the stress index m in the Paris Law are relevant to the
statement.

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 Example 2
A pressure vessel support bracket is to be designed so that it can withstand a tensile
loading cycle of 10-500 MN/m2 once every day for 20 years. Which of the following
steels would have the greater tolerance to intrinsic defects in this application:
i) A maraging steel (Mar_S) ;
ii) A medium-strength steel (Med_S).
Assuming linear elasticity applies.

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 Example 2-solution steps
• Sketch the problem • Derive the number of cycles to fail
equation:

• Determine af (uncontrollable crack

• Determine crack calibration factor, Y growth) using Irwin equation

• Calculate number of cycles of vessel

life, Nf

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Example 2 - Solution

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 Example 2 - Solution
• Solve ao for maraging steel and medium
strength steel.
• ao maraging steel = 77.9 micron
• ao medium strength steel = 552.6 micron
• Conclusion of solution:
– Med strength steel has a greater tolerance to
intrinsic defect because it can allow a longer
crack to exist in its material before the crack
starts to propagate.
– But the final crack length allowable is longer in
maraging steel compared to the medium
strength steel because the KIc for maraging
steel (82 MN/m3/2) is higher than medium steel
(50MN/m3/2) when the applied stress is
identical.

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Check out Topical test 3 on e-learning at week 14
- You have to do within 40 mins
- You need to submit your solution on power point and
provide a recorded voice to explain your answers to the
questions.

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