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Analysis of fatigue crack growth in cylinder head bolts of gasoline engine based on experimental data

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Abstract

Engines cylinder head bolts failure from the thread location in cylinder block causes the problems during repairing time. Exact prediction of fatigue crack growth in bolts by experimental analysis and finite element method modeling can affect the Maintenance Planning and Scheduling Implementation. In this study, the fatigue analysis of cylinder head bolts of a four-cylinder gasoline engine imposed by premature failure is investigated. The bolts suffer a mechanical seizure on the threads about 2 × 108 cycles in service. For such aim, standard specimens are cut off from the bolts and examined to evaluate the mechanical properties and material chemical composition. Optical microscopes and scanning electron microscopy are employed to consider the microstructures, defects, fracture surface and failure cause. The morphology of the fracture surface shows the fatigue crack growth marks, including the beachmarks, the ratchet marks and the river cracks. The finite element analysis model is presented applying the elastic–plastic finite element analysis for the bolts under variable combustion pressure. The stress history is then used to calculate stress intensity factors and fatigue life of bolts. Numerical results show that crack existence to depth of 0.35 mm is the source of failure of premature fracture.

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Abbreviations

\( {\text{HV}} \) :

Vickers hardness (HV)

\( F_{G} \) :

Maximum gas force (N)

\( F_{\text{PT}} \) :

Pre-tightening force (N)

\( F_{T} \) :

Force generated by the engine heat (N)

\( A_{\text{Cyl}} \) :

Cylinder area (m2)

\( K_{I} \) :

Stress intensity factor (MPa.m0.5)

\( F_{I} \) :

Boundary correction factor (−)

\( B_{S} \) :

Applied tensile stress (MPa)

\( K_{ \rm{max} } \) :

Maximum mode I stress intensity factor (MPa.m0.5)

\( K_{\text{op}} \) :

Crack first opens (MPa.m0.5)

\( \Delta K_{\text{eff}} \) :

Effective stress intensity factor (MPa.m0.5)

\( C \) :

Material constant (m/cycle)

\( n \) :

Material constant (−)

\( k \) :

Nut factor

\( i \) :

Number of cylinder head bolts per any cylinder

\( N \) :

Fatigue life (cycle)

\( a_{0} \) :

Crack initial length (m)

\( a_{f} \) :

Crack final length (m)

\( \alpha \) :

Correction coefficient

\( \emptyset \) :

Parametric angle

\( \sigma \) :

Stress (Pa)

G :

Gas

Cyl:

Cylinder

f :

Final

tot:

Total

max:

Maximum

eff:

Effective

p :

Proposed

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to appreciate sincere cooperation of Mr. M. Esfidani (Materials Mechanical Properties Laboratory, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad) and Mr. D. Khademi (Electron Microscopy Research Core, FUM Central Laboratory).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Montazeri, Khorasan Razavi Branch, Technical and Vocational University (TVU), Mashhad, Iran

    Karim Aliakbari & Tohid Akbarpour Mamaghani

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  1. Karim Aliakbari
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  2. Tohid Akbarpour Mamaghani
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Correspondence to Karim Aliakbari.

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Technical Editor: João Marciano Laredo dos Reis.

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Aliakbari, K., Akbarpour Mamaghani, T. Analysis of fatigue crack growth in cylinder head bolts of gasoline engine based on experimental data. J Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci. Eng. 42, 244 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-020-02326-1

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