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Numerical and experimental method for the prediction of the propagation life of fatigue crack on metallic materials

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Abstract

A prediction method for the propagation life of fatigue crack for cracked components was provided and verified in this study to predict the propagation life of fatigue cracks on components in engineering applications conveniently and directly. In the simulation aspect, a finite element (FE) model of cracked specimen was created to obtain the stress intensity factor range ΔK. The FE model was verified by comparing simulated ΔK to a formulary calculated one. The simulated ΔK could be used for studying the relationship with crack size. In the experimental aspect, the fatigue crack propagation test was conducted on three specimens. The material coefficients C and m were fitted according to Paris’ law. The load cycles with different crack depths were recorded in the testing process. The propagation life of fatigue cracks of specimen was predicted via the relationship between ΔK and crack size a according to Paris’ law. The comparison between predicted life and experimental life of specimens indicated the feasibility of the method. The proposed prediction method in this study for the propagation life of fatigue cracks can be used in engineering applications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Chen Ni & Zhikui Ma

  2. Hubei Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Automotive Components, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Chen Ni, Lin Hua, Xiaokai Wang, Zhou Wang & Zhikui Ma

  3. School of Automotive Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Lin Hua, Xiaokai Wang & Zhou Wang

Authors
  1. Chen Ni
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  2. Lin Hua
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  3. Xiaokai Wang
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  4. Zhou Wang
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  5. Zhikui Ma
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lin Hua.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Yang Zheng

Chen Ni received her M.S. degree in Materials Processing Engineering from Wuhan University of Technology, China in 2012. She is currently a Ph.D. student of Wuhan University of Technology, China. Her current research interests include nondestructive testing and fatigue life evaluation.

Lin Hua received his M.S. degree in Pressure Processing from Wuhan University of Technology, China in 1985. He then received his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Xi’an Jiaotong University, China in 2000. Dr. Hua is currently a Professor at the School of Automotive Engineering at Wuhan University of Technology in Wuhan, China. He is also the Dean of the Hubei Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Automotive Components in China. His research interests include fatigue and nondestructive testing.

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Ni, C., Hua, L., Wang, X. et al. Numerical and experimental method for the prediction of the propagation life of fatigue crack on metallic materials. J Mech Sci Technol 32, 4183–4190 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-018-0816-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-018-0816-2

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