For elastic-dominated strains

at high cycles, adapt

Basquins equation:

Intercept on strain axis of extrapolated
elastic line = o
f
/E.
High cycle = elastic strain control:
slope (in elastic regime) = b = -n/(1+5n)
The high cycle fatigue strength, o
f
, scales
with the yield stress high strength good in
high-cycle
o
a
= E
Ac
e
2
= ' o
f
2N ( )
b
Cyclic Strain control: high cycle
Total strain (plastic+elastic) life
Low cycle, high strain = plastic control: slope = c
Add the elastic and plastic strains.



Cross-over between elastic and plastic control is
typically at N
f
= 10
3
cycles.
Ductility useful for low-cycle and high strain
Strength for high cycle and low strain
Examples of Maraging steel for high cycle
endurance, annealed 4340 for low cycle fatigue
strength.
A
2
=
Ac
el
2
+
Ac
pl
2
=
' o
f
E
2N
f
b
+ ' c
f
2N
f
c
c
The fatigue life at which the transition occurs
is

When mean stress is not zero


) /( 1
'
'
2
c b
f
f
t
E
N

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
o
c
( )( )
b
m f a
N 2
'
o o o =
Strain amplitude - cycles
Structural changes during fatigue
Crack initiation: early development of fatigue
damage
Slip-band crack growth: deepening of initial
crack on high shear planes- stage I crack
growth
Crack growth on planes of high tensile stress:
crack growth normal to the max tensile stress-
stage II crack growth
Ultimate ductile failure
Fatigue crack stages
Stage 1
Stage 2
Fatigue Crack Propagation
Crack Length := a.
Number of cycles := N
Crack Growth Rate := da/dN
Amplitude of Stress Intensity := K = oa.
Define three stages of crack growth, I, II and III,
in a plot of da/dN versus K.
Stage II crack growth: application of linear elastic fracture
mechanics.
Can consider the crack growth rate to be related to the applied
stress intensity.
Crack growth rate somewhat insensitive to R (if R<0) in Stage II
Environmental effects can be dramatic, e.g. H in Fe, in increasing
crack growth rates.
Fatigue Crack Propagation
Three stages of crack
growth, I, II and III.
Stage I: transition to a
finite crack growth rate
from no propagation
below a threshold value
of K.
Stage II: power law
dependence of crack
growth rate on K.
Stage III: acceleration of
growth rate with K,
approaching catastrophic
fracture.
da/dN
K
K
th

K
c

I
II
III
Non-propagating
fatigue crack
p
( )
p
K A
dN
da
A =
U
n
s
t
a
b
l
e

c
r
a
c
k

g
r
o
w
t
h