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Fatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum loading X.P. Huang a, * , J.B. Zhang a , W.C. Cui b , J.X. Leng b a School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China b China Ship Scientific Research Center, P.O. Box 116, Wuxi, China Abstract Load cycle interactions can have a very significant effect in fatigue crack growth under variable amplitude loading. Studying of fatigue crack growth rate and fatigue life calculation under spectrum loading is very important for the reli- able life prediction of engineering structures. In this paper, a fatigue life prediction model under various load spectra, using the strain energy density factor approach and the plastic zone size near crack tip as main parameters in calculating effective strain energy density factor, has been proposed. The present model is validated with fatigue crack growth test data provided by Ray under various variable amplitude and spectrum loading in 7075-T6 and 2024-T3 aluminum alloy, respectively. Predictions of present model are compared with those of the state-space model, FASTRN and AFGROW codes. The results show that the predicted results agree well with the test data. Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Spectrum loading; Crack opening ratio; Effective SEDF range; Fatigue life prediction 1. Introduction Many engineering structures are subjected to random loading in service. The fatigue growth life will be affected by load sequence. Neglecting the effect of cycle interaction in fatigue calculations under variable amplitude loading can lead to com- pletely invalid life predictions. However, for design purposes it is particularly difficult to generate an algorithm to quantify these sequence effects on fa- tigue crack propagation, due to the number and to the complexity of the mechanisms involved in this problem [1]. One of the theories to explain these load sequence effect is that the plasticity induced fatigue crack closure is the primary mechanism [2]. There are many calculating models of crack propagation life under spectrum loading, such as Wheeler model, Willenborg et al. model, based on plastic zone correction theory in the vicinity of crack tip [3–5], the U R model based on the concept of effective stress intensity factor range [6–13] and the model based on strain energy den- sity factor [14–16]. 0167-8442/$ - see front matter Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.tafmec.2005.06.001 * Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (X.P. Huang). Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115 www.elsevier.com/locate/tafmec

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Page 1: Fatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum · PDF fileFatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum loading X.P. Huang a,*, J.B. Zhang a, W.C. Cui b, J.X. Leng b ... FASTRN

Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115

www.elsevier.com/locate/tafmec

Fatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum loading

X.P. Huang a,*, J.B. Zhang a, W.C. Cui b, J.X. Leng b

a School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, Chinab China Ship Scientific Research Center, P.O. Box 116, Wuxi, China

Abstract

Load cycle interactions can have a very significant effect in fatigue crack growth under variable amplitude loading.Studying of fatigue crack growth rate and fatigue life calculation under spectrum loading is very important for the reli-able life prediction of engineering structures. In this paper, a fatigue life prediction model under various load spectra,using the strain energy density factor approach and the plastic zone size near crack tip as main parameters in calculatingeffective strain energy density factor, has been proposed. The present model is validated with fatigue crack growth testdata provided by Ray under various variable amplitude and spectrum loading in 7075-T6 and 2024-T3 aluminum alloy,respectively. Predictions of present model are compared with those of the state-space model, FASTRN and AFGROWcodes. The results show that the predicted results agree well with the test data.� 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Spectrum loading; Crack opening ratio; Effective SEDF range; Fatigue life prediction

1. Introduction

Many engineering structures are subjected torandom loading in service. The fatigue growth lifewill be affected by load sequence. Neglecting theeffect of cycle interaction in fatigue calculationsunder variable amplitude loading can lead to com-pletely invalid life predictions. However, for designpurposes it is particularly difficult to generate analgorithm to quantify these sequence effects on fa-

0167-8442/$ - see front matter � 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reservdoi:10.1016/j.tafmec.2005.06.001

* Corresponding author.E-mail address: [email protected] (X.P. Huang).

tigue crack propagation, due to the number and tothe complexity of the mechanisms involved in thisproblem [1]. One of the theories to explain theseload sequence effect is that the plasticity inducedfatigue crack closure is the primary mechanism[2]. There are many calculating models of crackpropagation life under spectrum loading, such asWheeler model, Willenborg et al. model, basedon plastic zone correction theory in the vicinityof crack tip [3–5], the U � R model based on theconcept of effective stress intensity factor range[6–13] and the model based on strain energy den-sity factor [14–16].

ed.

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106 X.P. Huang et al. / Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115

In this paper, a feasible study towards the crackpropagation law under various spectra loading hasbeen carried out based on effective strain energydensity factor. A crack growth life predictionmodel under spectrum loading is provided. Predic-tions of present model are compared with testdata, those of the state-space model, FASTRNand AFGROW codes under various variableamplitude and spectrum loading.

2. Fatigue crack growth under spectrum loading

2.1. Fatigue crack propagation rate

It is difficult to give a crack growth life calcula-tion model which can consider all the effect factorssuch as plastic induced closure, residual stressesand strain, strain hardening, crack face roughness,and oxidation of the crack face, et al. The resultsof experimental study on fatigue over the past sev-eral decades provide a knowledge base, and theprimary mechanism under many conditions isplasticity. The purpose of this paper is to addresshow to characterize the effect of load sequence infatigue crack propagation under variable ampli-tude loading.

The fatigue crack propagation will be decreasedor arrested after experiencing overload one ormore times. This phenomenon can be explainedby crack opening ratio U. When it is overloaded,the increased rmax and unchanged rmin lead tothe decrease of stress ratio R = rmin/rmax and U

is accordingly decreased. When it is underloaded,stress ratio R changes similarly while U proves toincrease unexpectedly [10]. How to take accountof the effect during the load cycles after overload-ing and underloading is the main problem.

Paris crack growth law is widely used to calcu-late the fatigue crack propagation life in engineer-ing structures. The expression may not beadequate to analyze the crack growth behaviorof cracked structures under spectrum loading forthe equation dose not involve the mean stress leveland the equation is restricted to cracks propagatednormal to the applied load [16]. The strain energydensity factor (SEDF) approach has been used toanalyze fatigue crack growth behavior of cracked

structures [14,17]. After the effect of load sequencewas discussed by Schijive and Broek and the effec-tive stress intensity factor was proposed by Elber[5], the crack fatigue growth rate was expressedda/dN versus DKeff. A number of load-interactionmodel have been developed to correlate fatiguecrack growth rates and to predict crack growthunder variable amplitude loading during the pastthree decades. In this paper, the effective strainenergy density factor range is used in the crackgrowth rate equation. The crack growth rate canbe expressed as:

dadN

¼ BðDSeffÞm ð1Þ

DSeff ¼ C � DS ð2Þ

where da/dN is the crack growth rate, DS is thestrain energy density factor (SEDF) range, DSeff

is the effective strain energy density factor range,B and m are material constants, C is a correctioncoefficient of plastic zone size in the vicinity ofcrack tip.

2.2. Strain energy density factor

The strain energy density factor S takes the fol-lowing form:

S ¼ a11K21 þ 2a12K1K2 þ a22K2

2 þ a33K23 ð3Þ

in which K1, K2 and K3 are the stress intensityfactors (SIF) to tensile, in-plane shear, and out-of-plane shear loads, aij (i, j = 1,2,3) are the coeffi-cients. In this study, K2 = K3 = 0 and the directionof the crack growth is found by taking oS/oh = 0which gives h = 0. The strain energy density factorS in the case of plane strain is given by

S ¼ ½ð1� 2mÞ=4G� � K21 ð4Þ

The strain energy density factor range is given by

DS ¼ 1� 2m4G

ðK21;max � K2

1;minÞ

¼ 1� 2m4G

ðK1;max þ K1;minÞDK1 ð5Þ

where m is Poisson�s ratio and G is the shearmodulus.

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X.P. Huang et al. / Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115 107

2.3. Calculation of the effective strain energy

density factor range

Investigations indicate that crack opening ratiocan also be affected bymaximum stress intensity fac-tor and the constrained state of the crack tip. Megg-iolaro pointed out that the crack closure concept

Table 1Geometry parameters and material properties of the specimens

Specimen material ry (MPa) ru (MPa) B

7075-T6 aluminum alloy 520 575 9.92024-T3 aluminum alloy 327.9 473.3 5.08

0

20

40

60

80

100

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

p cycles

q cycles

One block of loading

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

0 50 100 150 200 250 3000

20

40

60

80

100

120

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=120.66MPa=68.95MPa

p=29, q=1

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

σ2σ1

Fig. 1. Comparison of predicted values with test data and those of staratios).

dominated by stress ratio cannot provide rationalexplanation on certain conditions (e.g. crack propa-gation retardation or arrest under high stress ratio)[1]. Thus, in this model, a correction coefficient ofplastic zone size in the vicinity of crack tip due tooverloading or underload is introduced. The effec-tive strain energy density factor range is expressed as

m n t (mm) w (mm)

· 10�4 2.07 0.5 4.1 305· 10�4 2.04 0.5 4.1 229

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 1400

20

40

60

80

100

120

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

=76.54MPa=68.95MPa

p=29, q=1

Cycle N X103(cycles)

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

0 50 100 150 200 2500

20

40

60

80

100

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=137.90MPa=68.95MPa

p=29, q=1

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

σ2σ1

σ2σ1

te-space, FASTRN and AFGROW codes (at different overload

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108 X.P. Huang et al. / Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115

DSeff ¼ C � DS ¼ C1� 2m4G

ðK21;max � K2

1;minÞ

¼ 1� 2m4G

ðK1;max þ K1;minÞCDK1 ð6Þ

Lots of research works on retardation responseof overloading, based on the correction of yieldzone vicinity of crack tip, have been reported [3].A fatigue life prediction model, which consideringthe constrain states of the crack tip depend on theapplied stress, yield strength of material and thespecimen thickness, under spectrum loading wasreported in literature [4]. In this paper, the modelin literature [5] is employed and modified that theeffect of underload is included in the present model.A physical explanation of crack retardation due toenlarged plastic zone is presented below.

0 50 100 150 200 2500

20

40

60

80

100

120

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=103.43MPa=68.95MPa

p=29, q=1

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 4000

20

40

60

80

100

120

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=103.43MPa=68.95MPa

p=300, q=1

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

σ2σ1

σ2σ1

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Fig. 2. Comparison of predicted values with test data and those of

The plastic zone size is relatively small underconstant amplitude loading, while the resultingplastic zone becomes larger when a single overloadis applied. Provided that crack length is a (aOL)and the applied stress is rmax ðr�

maxÞ correspondingpresent load and (overload) respectively. A plasticzone with size of ry ðr�OLÞ will appear in the vicinityof crack tip. The size of plastic zone, ry, can be cal-culated using Eqs. (8) and (10) which consideringplate thickness and yield strength given by Voor-wald et al. [4]. Wheeler assumes that overload re-sponse will effect if only a + ry does not exceedthe range of aOL þ r�OL during the stress cycles afterexperiencing an overload. The overload responsewill disappear when a + ry reaches to or exceedaOL þ r�OL due to crack propagation or stressincrease.

0 50 100 150 200 250 3000

20

40

60

80

100

120

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=103.43MPa=68.95MPa

p=50, q=1

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 4500

20

40

60

80

100

120

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=103.43MPa=68.95MPa

p=1000, q=1

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

σ2σ1

σ1

σ2

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

state-space, FASTRN and AFGROW codes (at different p).

Page 5: Fatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum · PDF fileFatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum loading X.P. Huang a,*, J.B. Zhang a, W.C. Cui b, J.X. Leng b ... FASTRN

X.P. Huang et al. / Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115 109

In the contrast to a single-cycle overload, asingle-cycle underload makes the reverse plas-tic flow and depletion of the resulting plasticzone. The increment of yield zone size caused by

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

p cycles q cycles

One block of loading

σ1

σ2

103.43

51.72

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

0 20 40 60 80 100 1200

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=155.14MPa=5.17MPa

p=50,q=1

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

σ2σ1

0 20 40 60 80 100 1200

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=134.45MPa=5.17MPa

p=50, q=1Cra

ck le

ngth

(mm

)

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

σ2σ1

Fig. 3. Comparison of predicted values with test data and those of staat different load ratios).

underload can be quantitively calculated byEq. (9). The correction coefficient of plastic zonesize can be calculated using the following ex-pressions:

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=103.43MPa=5.17MPa

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

No overload only underload p=50, q=1

0 20 40 60 80 100 1200

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=155.14MPa=31.03MPa

p=50, q=1

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

σ2σ1

σ2σ1

0 20 40 60 80 1000

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=134.45MPa=31.03MPa

p=50, q=1

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

σ2σ1

te-space, FASTRN and AFGROW codes (overload–underload

Page 6: Fatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum · PDF fileFatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum loading X.P. Huang a,*, J.B. Zhang a, W.C. Cui b, J.X. Leng b ... FASTRN

110 X.P. Huang et al. / Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115

C¼ry

aOLþ r�OL�a� rD

� �n

ðaþ ry < aOLþ r�OL� rDÞ

1 ðaþ ry P aOLþ r�OL� rDÞ

8<:

ð7Þ

ry ¼bKmax

ry

� �2

ð8Þ

rD ¼ bDKmax

r�y

!2

ð9Þ

1

6pðtP 2.5ðKmax=ryÞ2Þ

1

pt6

1

pðKmax=ryÞ2

� �1

6pþ 5

6p2.5� tðKmax=ryÞ�2

2.5�p�1

!

1

pKmax

ry

� �2

< t< 2.5Kmax

ry

� �2 !

8>>>>>>>>>>>>><>>>>>>>>>>>>>:

ð10Þ

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

p cycles q cycles

One block of loading

σ1

σ2

103.43

51.72

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

0 30 60 90 120 1500

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=155.14MPa=30.03MPa

p=50,q=1

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

σ2σ1

Fig. 4. Comparison of predicted values with test data and those of staat different load ratios).

DKu ¼ Mffiffiffiffiffiffipa

pðri�1

min � riminÞ ð11Þ

where a, aOL are crack length at present and atprior overloading, ry, r�OL are yield zone size underpresent maximum stress and under maximumstress of prior overloading, rD is increment of yieldzone size caused by underloading, t is plate thick-ness, ry; r�

y are tensile, compressive yield stress,Kmax is maximum stress intensity factor in everyload cycle, ri�1

min; rimin are minimum stresses in load

cycle i � 1 and i, n is material constant determinedby test. n = 0 when load sequence effect can beneglected.

Substituting K�max and Kmax corresponding

to the prior overload and present load respec-tively into Eq. (8), r�OL and ry are determined.Parameter rD is used to consider the effect ofunderload.

0 20 40 60 80 100 1200

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=155.14MPa=5.17MPa

p=50,n=q

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

0 30 60 90 120 1500

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Cycle N X103(cycles)

=134.45MPa=5.17MPa

p=50,q=1

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

σ2σ1

σ1

σ2

te-space, FASTRN and AFGROW codes (underload–overload

Page 7: Fatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum · PDF fileFatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum loading X.P. Huang a,*, J.B. Zhang a, W.C. Cui b, J.X. Leng b ... FASTRN

X.P. Huang et al. / Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115 111

From present model and the correlativeparameters, the overloading retardation res-

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

One block of loadingProgram

Program

Program

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

One block loading

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

One block loading

Fig. 5. Comparison of predicted values with test data and those of sblock loading.

ponses can be expressed by above equations.These effect parameters including maximum and

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 1400

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cycle N X103(cycles)

Present model FASTRN State Space Porter Data AFGROW

P1

P2

P3

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 1400

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cycle N X103(cycles)

Present model FASTRN State Space Test Data AFGROW

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cycle N X103(cycles)

Present model FASTRN State Space Test Data AFGROW

tate-space, FASTRN and AFGROW codes under six types of

Page 8: Fatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum · PDF fileFatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum loading X.P. Huang a,*, J.B. Zhang a, W.C. Cui b, J.X. Leng b ... FASTRN

0

20

40

60

80

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

One block of loading0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cycle N X103(cycles)

Present model FASTRN State Space Test Data AFGROW

Program P4

Program P5

Program P6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

One block of loading0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cycle N X103(cycles)

Present model FASTRN State Space Test Data AFGROW

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

One block of loading0 50 100 150 200 250

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cycle N X103(cycles)

Present model FASTRN State Space Test Data AFGROW

Fig. 5 (continued)

112 X.P. Huang et al. / Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115

minimum stresses of a cycle, yield strength ofmaterial and the plate thickness are consideredin the effective stress intensity factor range cal-culation.

3. Model validation

The fatigue crack propagation model undervariable amplitude loading is presented above.

Page 9: Fatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum · PDF fileFatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum loading X.P. Huang a,*, J.B. Zhang a, W.C. Cui b, J.X. Leng b ... FASTRN

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

One block of loading0 50 100 150 200 250 300

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cycle N X103(cycles)

Present model FASTRN State Space Test Data AFGROW

Program P7

Program P8

Program P9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

One block of loading0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Present model FASTRN State Space Test Data AFGROW

Cycle N X103(cycles)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

One block loading0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Cycle N X103(cycles)

Present model FASTRN State Space Test Data AFGROW

Fig. 5 (continued)

X.P. Huang et al. / Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115 113

For demonstrating the validation of the model,predictions of present model are compared withtest data, those of the state-space model, FASTRNand AFGROW codes given in Ref. [11].

Porter provided some fatigue test data ofthrough thickness center-cracked 7075-T6 alumi-num alloy plate specimens under variable ampli-tude loading. The geometry parameters and

Page 10: Fatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum · PDF fileFatigue crack growth with overload under spectrum loading X.P. Huang a,*, J.B. Zhang a, W.C. Cui b, J.X. Leng b ... FASTRN

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

Stre

ssσ

(MPa

)

One block of loading0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Cycle N X103(cycles)

Cra

ck le

ngth

a (m

m)

Present model FASTRN State Space Test Data AFGROW

Program P10

Fig. 5 (continued)

114 X.P. Huang et al. / Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115

material properties of the specimens are listedin Table 1. Fig. 1 illustrates the cyclic stressexcitation and the comparisons of predicted valueswith Porter data and those of the state-spacemodel, FASTRN and AFGROW codes underdifferent overload ratios (r2/r1 = 76.54/68.95,120.66/68.95 and 137.9/68.95 respectively). Presentmodel can give better prediction at high stressratio. Fig. 2 shows comparisons of predictedvalues with Porter data, those of the state-spacemodel, FASTRN and AFGROW codes, underdifferent number of p (q = 1, p = 29, 50, 300 and1000 respectively). Fig. 3 shows comparisons ofpredicted values with test data and those ofstate-space, FASTRN and AFGROW codesunder overload–underload at different load ratios.Fig. 4 shows comparisons of predicted values withtest data and those of state-space, FASTRN andAFGROW codes under underload–overload atdifferent load ratios. From these comparisons, itcan be seen that the predicted values are in goodagreement with test data.

The model has also been used to predict thefatigue test results on center-cracked 2024-T3aluminum alloy specimens under program loadinggiven by Ray [11]. The geometry parameters andmaterial properties of the specimens are presentedin Table 1. The load spectra and the schematiccomparisons of predicted values with test dataand those of state-space, FASTRN and AFGROWcodes are presented in Fig. 5. It can be seen fromthe comparisons that the predicted values under

10 different program loadings agree well with testdata. It is clear that neglecting the effect of loadsequence in fatigue calculations under variableamplitude loading can lead to completely invalidlife predictions. The present model has beenproved to be rationally applicable for crack prop-agation under variable amplitude loading.

4. Summary and conclusions

Fatigue crack closure is the most used mecha-nism to explain load cycle interactions such as de-lays in or arrests of the crack growth afteroverloads. In fact, neglecting crack closure inmany fatigue life calculations can result in overlyconservative predictions, increasing maintenancecosts by unnecessarily reducing the period betweeninspections. Many models based on effective stressintensity factor take the stress ratio as the main ef-fect factor in considering the effect of load se-quence. It has long been proved to satisfactorilyexplain plane stress crack retardation effects. Butin the procedure based on SEDF, the effect ofmean stress is included in SEDF. For better pre-dicting the delay of the overload, a correction coef-ficient of plastic zone size in the vicinity of cracktip is introduced.

A crack growth life calculation model based oneffective strain energy density factor under variableamplitude loading is presented in this paper. Inthis model, the effect of mean stress is included

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X.P. Huang et al. / Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 44 (2005) 105–115 115

in strain energy density factor and the overloadretardation is corrected by the plastic zone size inthe vicinity of crack tip. Thus the model has dis-tinct advantage to deal with problem of overloadresponse and is appropriate to characterize crackpropagation under variable loading. The modelis used to predict the fatigue crack propagationtest data and compared with those of state-space,FASTRN and AFGROW codes under severaltypes of spectrum loadings. The comparisonsshow that the present model has satisfactoryaccuracy.

Acknowledgement

The authors greatly appreciate Professor G.C.Sih who gave us some useful suggestions andcomments.

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