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The effect of tempering temperature on near- threshold fatigue crack behavior in quenched and tempered 4140 steel

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Abstract

Fatigue crack growth in compact tension samples of high purity 4140 steel quenched and tempered to various strength levels was investigated. Tempering temperatures of 200, 400, 550, and 700 °C produced yield strengths from 1600 to 875 MPa, respectively. Crack propagation and crack closure were monitored inK-decreasing tests performed underR = 0.05 loading conditions in laboratory air. Results indicated that as the yield strength increased the crack growth rate increased at a given ΔK and ΔKth decreased. Threshold values varied from 2.8 MPa m1/2 (200 °C temper) to 9.5 MPa m1/2 (700 °C temper). Cracks in the 200 °C tempered samples grew by an intergranular mechanism following prior austenite grain boundaries probably caused by hydrogen embrittlement or tempered martensite embrittlement. Tempering above 200 °C produced transgranular fatigue crack growth. The level of crack closure increased with tempering temperature and with crack propagation in a given tempered condition. Crack closure was caused by a combination of plasticity-induced and oxide-induced mechanisms. The use of an effective stress intensity range based on crack closure consolidated the fatigue crack growth curves and the threshold values for all tempering temperatures except 200 °C.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. McDonnell Douglas Research Laboratories, 63166, St. Louis, MO

    B. London (Research Scientist)

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, 94305, Stanford, CA

    D. V. Nelson (Associate Professor)

  3. Failure Analysis Associates, Palo Alto, CA

    J. C. Shyne

Authors
  1. B. London
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  2. D. V. Nelson
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  3. J. C. Shyne
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Formerly Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

Formerly Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

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London, B., Nelson, D.V. & Shyne, J.C. The effect of tempering temperature on near- threshold fatigue crack behavior in quenched and tempered 4140 steel. Metall Trans A 19, 2497–2502 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02645477

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02645477

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