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Comparison of fatigue crack propagation in Modes I and III

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6490466
The propagation behavior of fatigue cracks in Mode III (anti-plane shear), measured under cyclic torsion, is described and compared with more commonly encountered behavior under Mode I (tensile opening) loads. It is shown that a unique, global characterization of Mode III growth rates, akin to the Paris ''law'' in Mode I, is only possible if characterizating parameters appropriate to large-scale yielding are employed and allowance is made for crack tip shielding from sliding crack surface interference (i.e., friction and abrasion) between mating fracture surfaces. Based on the crack tip stress and deformation fields for Mode III stationary cracks, the cyclic crack tip displacement, (..delta..CTD/sub III/, and plastic strain intensity range ..delta..GAMMA/sub III/, have been proposed and are found to provide an adequate description of behavior in a range of steels, provided crack surface interference is minimized. The magnitude of this interference, which is somewhat analogous to crack closure in Mode I, is further examined in the light of the complex fractography of torsional fatigue failures and the question of a ''fatigue threshold'' for Mode III crack growth. Finally, micro-mechanical models for cyclic crack extension in anti-plane shear are briefly described, and the contrasting behavior between Mode III and Mode I cracks subjected to simple variable amplitude spectra is examined in terms of the differing role of crack tip blunting and closure in influencing shear, as opposed to tensile opening, modes of crack growth.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
6490466
Report Number(s):
LBL-19828; CONF-850679-3; ON: DE86002877
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English