Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An examination of small fatigue crack morphology

  • Published:
International Journal of Fracture Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Test results for the growth of a small corner crack under cyclic loading are presented. The number of grains that are crossed by the crack front ranges from about three to ten during the crack advance. Crack path profile measurements on the adjacent corner faces are presented. Also, a microscopic examination of the crack path morphology of a polished and etched surface that is adjacent to the corner reveals the presence of complex branching mechanisms, and localized regions of intensive damage. Examination of sub-surfaces reveals that though branching and localized damage are present, they diminish with increasing depth of the subsurface. It is concluded that during early growth, the crack surface deviates substantially from an idealized planar surface model, and that Modes I, II, and III are all operative.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Carlson, R.L., Steadman, D.L., Dancila, D.S.and Kardomateas, G.A. (1996).An investigation of the growth of small corner cracks from small flaws in aluminum 6061-T651. Proc.Sixth International Fatigue Congress, (Edited by G. Lütjering and H. Nowack), 289-294.

  • Carlson, R.L., Steadman, D.L., Dancila, D.S.and Kardomateas, G.A. (1997). Fatigue growth of small corner cracks in aluminum 6061-T651. International Journal of Fatigue 19, 119-125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, R.L., Steadman, D.L. Dancila, D.S.and Kardomateas, G.A. (1998). An experimental investigation of the growth of small corner fatigue cracks in aluminum 6061-T651. Fatigue and Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures 21, 403-409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, R.L.and Halliday, M.D. (1998). A Consideration of Scatter in Small Fatigue Crack Growth. Low Cycle Fatigue and Elasto-Plastic Behaviour of Materials (Edited by K.T. Rie and P.D. Portella), Elsevier, 511-516.

  • Cox, B.N.and Morris, W.L. (1988). Monte Carlo simulations of the growth of small fatigue cracks. Engineering Fracture Mechanics 31, 591-610.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, P.R.and Newman Jr, J.C. (1990). An AGARD supplemental test program on the behavior of short cracks under constant amplitude and aircraft spectrum loading. Short Crack Growth in Various Aircraft Materials. AGARD REPORT 767.

  • Leis, B.N., Hopper, A.T., Ahmad, J., Brock, D.and Kanninen, M.F. (1986). Critical review of the fatigue growth of short cracks. Engineering Fracture Mechanics 23, 883-898.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liaw, P.K. and Logsdon, W.A. (1985). Crack closure: an explanation for small fatigue crack growth behavior. Engineering Fracture Mechanics 22, 115-121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murakami, Y.and Nemat-Nasser, S. (1983). Growth and stability of interacting flaws of arbitrary shape. Engineering Fracture Mechanics 17, 193-210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petit, J. (1992). Modeling of Intrinsic Fatigue Crack Propagation, Theoretical Concepts and Numerical Analysis of Fatigue (Edited by A.F. Blom and C.J. Beevers), Engineering Materials Advisory Services LTD., Warley, West Midlands, UK, 131-152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schijve, J. (1994). Fatigue predictions and scatter. Fatigue and Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures 17, 381-396.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, A.R. (1984). Plants, fractals and formal languages. Computer Graphics 18, 1-10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steadman, D.L., Carlson, R.L.and Kardomateas, G. A. (1998). Expert system model of small crack growth. Proc. 39th AIAA/ASME/AHS/ASC Structures and Materials Conf. Part 4, 3003-3013.

  • Suresh, S. (1991). Fatigue of Materials, Cambridge University Press, 182-189.

  • Torng, T.Y. and McClung, R.C. (1994). Probabilistic fatigue life prediction methods for small and large fatigue cracks. Proc. 35th SDM Conference, AIAA, 1514-1525.

  • Yang, J.N., Hsi, W.H. and Manning, S.D. (1985). Stochastic Crack Propagation with Applications to Durability and Damage Tolerance Analysis, AFWAL-TR-85-3062.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, 30332-0150, USA

    R.L. Carlson

  2. Dept. 572, Delta Airlines, P. O. Box 20706, Atlanta, Georgia, 30320-6001, USA

    D.L. Steadman

  3. School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, 30332-0150, USA

    G.A. Kardomaters

Authors
  1. R.L. Carlson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D.L. Steadman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G.A. Kardomaters
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carlson, R., Steadman, D. & Kardomaters, G. An examination of small fatigue crack morphology. International Journal of Fracture 108, 63–72 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007667017241

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007667017241

Search

Navigation