Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

In-situ investigation on the fatigue crack propagation behavior in ferrite-pearlite and dual-phase ferrite-bainite low carbon steels

  • Published:
Science China Technological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the roles of microstructure types and grain boundary characteristics in fatigue crack propagation behavior in ferrite-pearlite steel and ferrite-bainite steel. The ferrite-bainite dual-phase steel was obtained by intermediate heat treatment conducted on ferrite-pearlite low carbon steel. This paper presents the results from investigation using constant stress-controlled fatigue tests with in-situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) and fatigue fractography analysis. Microscopic images arrested by in-situ SEM showed that the second hard bainite phase distributed in the soft ferrite matrix had a significant effect on preventing the cracks opening compared with pearlite, and that the cracks in ferrite-bainite steel were “locked” in the second hard bainite phase while the crack propagation path in ferrite-pearlite steel was more tortuous. Moreover, the fatigue fracture surface analysis and the coincidence site lattice (CSL) obtained by EBSD indicated that low-Σ CSL grain boundaries in ferrite-bainite steel distributed more uniformly, which has a more significant effect on the resistance of crack propagation. It was revealed that ferrite-bainite dual-phase microstructures could inhibit the fatigue crack propagation more effectively than ferrite-pearlite microstructures.

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

  1. Li Y X, Lin Z Q, Jiang A Q, et al. Use of high strength steel sheet for lightweight and crashworthy car body. Mater Des, 2003, 24(3): 177–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Nie W J, Wang X M, Wu S J, et al. Stress-strain behavior of multi-phase high performance structural steel. Sci China Tech Sci, 2012, 55(7): 1791–1796

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Sun X J, Li Z D, Yong Q L, et al. Third generation high strength low alloy steels with improved toughness. Sci China Tech Sci, 2012, 55(7): 1797–1805

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Shimizu T, Aoyagi N. TS780MPa grade hot rolled sheet steels with high fatigue strength. Kawasaki Steel Giho, 1999, 31(3): 185–189

    Google Scholar 

  5. Akay S K, Yazici M, Bayram A, et al. Fatigue life behaviour of the dual-phase low carbon steel sheets. J Mater Process Technol, 2009, 209(7): 3358–3365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Okayasu M, Sato K, Mizuno M, et al. Fatigue properties of ultra-fine grained dual phase ferrite/martensite low carbon steel. Int J Fatigue, 2008, 30(8): 1358–1365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Sankaran S, Subramanya S V, Padmanabhan K A, et al. High cycle fatigue behaviour of a multiphase microalloyed medium carbon steel: A comparison between ferrite-pearlite and tempered martensite microstructures. Mater Sci Eng A, 2003, 362(1–2): 249–256

    Google Scholar 

  8. Mutoh Y, Korda A A, Miyashita Y, et al. Stress shielding and fatigue crack growth resistance in ferritic-pearlitic steel. Mater Sci Eng A, 2007, 468–470(0): 114–119

    Google Scholar 

  9. Zhang W, Liu Y. Investigation of incremental fatigue crack growth mechanisms using in situ SEM testing. Int J Fatigue, 2012, 42: 14–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Hu Z G, Zhu P, Meng J. Fatigue properties of transformation-induced plasticity and dual-phase steels for auto-body lightweight: Experiment, modeling and application. Mater Des, 2010, 31(6): 2884–2890

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Sankaran S, Subramanya S V, Padmanabhan K A. Low cycle fatigue behavior of a multiphase microalloyed medium carbon steel: Comparison between ferrite/pearlite and quenched and tempered microstructures. Mater Sci Eng A, 2003, 345(1–2): 328–335

    Google Scholar 

  12. Chakraborti P C, Mitra M K. Microstructural response on the room temperature low cycle fatigue behaviour of two high strength duplex ferrite-martensite steels and a normalised ferrite-pearlite steel. Int J Fatigue, 2006, 28(3): 194–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Sun S J, Pugh M. Properties of thermomechanically processed dual-phase steels containing fibrous martensite. Mater Sci Eng A, 2002, 335(1–2): 298–308

    Google Scholar 

  14. Hu Z Z, Ma M L, Liu Y Q, et al. The effect of austenite on low cycle fatigue in three-phase steel. Int J Fatigue, 1997, 19(8–9): 641–646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Oliver S, Jones T B, Fourlaris G. Dual phase versus TRIP strip steels: Microstructural changes as a consequence of quasi-static and dynamic tensile testing. Mater Charact, 2007, 58(4): 390–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. LePera F S. Improved etching technique for the determination of percent martensite in high-strength dual-phase steels. Metallography, 1979, 12(3): 263–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Schijve J. Fatigue of Structures and Materials. New York: Springer, 2008

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kocańda S. Fatigue Failure of Metals. Alphen aan den Rijn: Sijthoff & Noordhoff International Publishers, 1978

    Book  Google Scholar 

  19. Zhai T, Wilkinson A J, Martin J W. A crystallographic mechanism for fatigue crack propagation through grain boundaries. Acta Mater, 2000, 48(20): 4917–4927

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Wolf D, Yip S. Materials interfaces: Atomic-level structure and properties. 1st ed. New York: Chapman & Hall, London, 1992

    Google Scholar 

  21. Guo N, Liu Q, Xin Y, et al. The application of back-scattered electron imaging for characterization of pearlitic steels. Sci China Tech Sci, 2011, 54(9): 2368–2372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Yu H. Influences of microstructure and texture on crack propagation path of X70 acicular ferrite pipeline steel. J Univ Sci Technol Beijing, Miner Metal Mater, 2008, 15(6): 683–687

    Google Scholar 

  23. Chen S, Yu H. Investigation on martensitic steel using a quenching-partitioning-tempering process via electron backscatter diffraction analysis. Sci China Tech Sci, 2012, 55: 646–651

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Schaef W, Marx M. A numerical description of short fatigue cracks interacting with grain boundaries. Acta Mater, 2012, 60(5): 2425–2436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Kobayashi S, Hirata M, Tsurekawa S, et al. Grain boundary engineering for control of fatigue crack propagation in austenitic stainless steel. Procedia Eng, 2011, 10: 112–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Palumbo G, Aust K T, Lehockey E M, et al. On a more restrictive geometric criterion for “special” csl grain boundaries. Scripta Mater, 1998, 38(11): 1685–1690

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Cheung C, Erb U, Palumbo G. Application of grain boundary engineering concepts to alleviate intergranular cracking in Alloys 600 and 690. Mater Sci Eng A, 1994, 185(1–2): 39–43

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China

    MingFei Guan & Hao Yu

Authors
  1. MingFei Guan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hao Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hao Yu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Guan, M., Yu, H. In-situ investigation on the fatigue crack propagation behavior in ferrite-pearlite and dual-phase ferrite-bainite low carbon steels. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 56, 71–79 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-012-5047-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-012-5047-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation