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The effect of microstructure on fatigue crack propagation in iron-carbon alloys

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Abstract

The dependence of fatigue crack growth rate on the cyclic stress intensity factor was determined for six iron-carbon alloys ranging in carbon content from 0.23 to 1.08 wt pct carbon. Both ferrite/pearlite and ferrite/free iron carbide microstructures were studied. Scanning electron microscope fractography studies correlated the fatigue mechanism with microstructure. It was found that when the predominant mode of crack growth was ductile, the crack growth rateda/dN could be related to the cyclic stress intensity factor ΔK by an equation of the formda/dN = (ΔK)m where andm are constants. The constantm was approximately equal to four when the crack growth mechanism presumably was the blunting and resharpening of the crack tip by slip processes. The constantm was greater than four when the crack growth mechanism was void coalescence in the interlamella ferrite of pearlite colonies. The preferred fatigue crack path through the pearlitic alloys was through the free ferrite phase.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gould Inc., 60008, Rolling Meadows, Ill.

    C. R. Aita (Senior Scientist at Gould Laboratories)

  2. Materials Science and Engineering Department and Materials Research Center and, Geological Sciences Department, Northwestern University, 60201, Evanston, Ill

    J. Weertman (Walter P. Murphy Professor of Materials Science, Professor)

Authors
  1. C. R. Aita
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  2. J. Weertman
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formerly Research Assistant at Materials Science and Engineering Department and Materials Research Center, Northwestern University.

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Aita, C.R., Weertman, J. The effect of microstructure on fatigue crack propagation in iron-carbon alloys. Metall Trans A 10, 535–544 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02658316

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