Experimental and theoretical study of multiscale damage-failure transition in very high cycle fatigue

Abstract

Multiscale mechanisms of failure of metals (Armco iron, titanium, aluminum) are studied for high cycle and very high cycle fatigue. By correlating with the results of structural studies, a theoretical approach is developed to describe fatigue crack kinetics in damaged material under high cycle and very high cycle fatigue loading conditions. Stages of crack nucleation and propagation are analyzed using the profilometry data from the fracture surface. The scale invariance of fracture surface roughness is established, which allows an explanation of the self-similar nature of fatigue crack kinetics under high cycle and very high cycle fatigue. Variation of elastic-plastic properties of Armco iron under very high cycle fatigue is studied using an acoustic resonance method. It is found that the material density decreases during fatigue damage accumulation, with the minimum of the material density in the bulk of the specimen.