On the growth of small fatigue cracks in aluminum-lithium alloy 2090

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Scr. Metall.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6186872

Venkatesward-Rao, K T; Yu, W; Ritchie, R O

It is the objective of this article to examine the behavior of small (2 to 1000 ..mu..m) fatigue cracks in a commercial Al-Li-Cu-Zr alloy, and to compare results with those determined on conventional long (greater than or equal to 20 mm) crack samples. The development of ultra-lightweight aluminum-lithium alloys has aroused much interest in the aerospace industry with the prospect of the design of aircraft with alloys of lower density and increased modulus. Moreover, although Li additions can cause low ductility and toughness properties, Al-Li-X alloys generally show far superior fatigue crack growth resistance to traditional aluminum alloys, such as 2124 and 7050. However, the latter observations are based exclusively on long (greater than or equal to 10 mm) crack studies; to date little information is available on the behavior of small fatigue cracks in these alloys.

• Research Organization: Center for Advanced Materials, Lawrence Berkeley Lab., and Dept. of Materials Science and Mineral Engineering, Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 6186872
• Journal Information: Scr. Metall.; (United States), Journal Name: Scr. Metall.; (United States) Vol. 20:10; ISSN SCRMB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103* -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
AIRCRAFT
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
COPPER ALLOYS
CRACK PROPAGATION
DENSITY
DUCTILITY
FATIGUE
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
INDUSTRY
LITHIUM ALLOYS
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
TENSILE PROPERTIES
TESTING
WEIGHT
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS