Fatigue striation spacing and equivalent initial flaw size in Al 2024-T3 riveted specimens

One of the main concerns of aeronautical structures is structural damage due to fatigue. This phenomenon is accentuated in areas of stress concentration, namely the connection of components. The fuselage is one of the most important structural elements where the connection of the fuselage panels is often done by riveting. Specimens with several geometric configurations are used to study these structures. This work is concerned with the study of one of these specimens, i.e., the lap splice with three rows of rivets and one rivet column. It is part of the IDMEC-Porto contribution to the European project ADMIRE. Stress versus number of cycles results and measurements of fatigue striation spacing along two perpendicular directions using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are presented. The fractographic reconstitution of fatigue crack growth was carried out. The value of equivalent initial flaw size (EIFS) is calculated using the back extrapolation technique and two models of fatigue crack growth. They consist of a model using the Paris law and another the strain energy density factor concept. The EIFS is used to predict the fatigue behaviour of this structural detail. It is intended to verify the applicability of empirical models based in experimental evidences.     

Fatigue properties of 2024-T3, 7075-T6 aluminum alloys modified using plasma-enhanced ion beams

This paper presents experimental results on the application of Microsecond Plasma Opening Switch (MPOS) technology to Al alloy surface modification. The main objective of the experiments presented here was to study the change in the tensile and fatigue properties of the MPOS-treated Al2024, Al7075 alloy samples. The bending fatigue test was carried out both in air and in corrosive media. The measurements indicate significant improvement of fatigue properties for the treated 7075 alloy in corrosive media (1.5 times higher in fatigue limit). For the 2024 alloy the enhancement in fatigue lifetime for higher stresses was measured. Anodic polarization curve measurements were carried out at various values of fatigue cycles.     

Mixed mode fatigue crack growth in test coupons made from 2024-T3 aluminum

In this paper, two different fracture criteria are applied to determine the crack trajectory or angle of crack propagation in test specimens containing inclined cracks emanating from open holes. Also, different crack growth rate models are assumed for each criterion. The maximum principal stress criterion is used with a crack growth-rate equation based on an effective stress intensity factor. The strain energy density criterion is used with a crack growth-rate equation corresponding to an effective strain energy density factor. The crack growth-rate models for each criterion were constructed using unpublished fatigue crack growth data for 2024-T3 aluminum.     

Local mechanical properties of the 6061-T6 aluminium weld using micro-traction and instrumented indentation

The local mechanical properties of a weld zone, in a 6061-T6 aluminium alloy subjected to the modified indirect electric arc technique have been studied. The mechanical properties of the base metal, the weld metal and the heat affected zone were determined by means of usual and instrumented indentation testing, as well as micro-traction testing. To analyse the heat input effect resulting from the welding process, the evolution of the weld zone size was evaluated by means of classical indentation under a constant applied load. The results were presented using a Vickers hardness map representation. This allows monitoring exact hardness variation while leading to the identification of the different zones of the welded joint. Instrumented indentation testing was carried out to determine the local mechanical properties, such as the yield stress, the bulk modulus and the strain-hardening exponent. Obtained results are compared to those derived from tensile tests conducted on micro-specimen cuts taken from the weld zone. It was observed that yield stress values are directly comparable for indentation and micro-traction experiments. As for the elastic properties, no comparison was possible since the bulk modulus is measured by indentation, whereas it is the Young’s modulus by tensile test. The micro-traction testing seems to be more sensitive to represent the work hardening of a material since the corresponding exponent is found to be constant by instrumented indentation.     

Deformation and dissipated energies for high cycle fatigue of 2024-T3 aluminium alloy

During the high cycle fatigue of aluminium alloys, an energy dissipation occurs. This dissipation is hard to be estimated because of the high diffusivity of such alloys and the importance of the thermoelasticity effects in comparison with others standard metallic materials (e.g., steels). Nevertheless the study of the energy balance gives valuable information about the nature of deformation mechanisms facilitating the construction of constitutive models associated with the microplasticity and damage of the aluminium alloy. In this work, the different energies involved in the energy balance were deduced from two complementary imaging techniques. The dissipation and thermoelastic sources were derived from an infrared thermography system, while the deformation energy was estimated from a digital image correlation system. Three tests with various loading blocks were carried out and a comparison between deformation and dissipation energies was systematically performed.     

铝合金材料AA-6061-T6和AA-6061-OA的动态拉伸力学性能(英文)

铝合金材料蜂窝夹层板结构具有在较低体重情况下的高硬度和高抗冲击性能力。近年来许多关于其在低应变率下冲击能量吸收性质的文献纷纷涌现,但是对于其在高应变率下的能量吸收力学性能的研究却非常贫乏。为了更好地研究铝合金材料蜂窝夹层板结构在高应变率下的能量吸收力学性能,其结构组成材料本身的动态力学性能必须首先得到充分研究。本文介绍和总结了铝合金材料AA-6061的两种热处理成品,T6与OA,在室温(24℃)与低温( -170℃)下的动态拉伸力学性能。在本研究中,霍普金生拉伸杆被应用,拉伸应变率为103每秒。     

铝合金材料AA-6061-T6和AA-6061-OA的动态拉伸力学性能

铝合金材料蜂窝夹层板结构具有在较低体重情况下的高硬度和高抗冲击性能力。近年来许多关于其在低应变率下冲击能量吸收性质的文献纷纷涌现，但是对于其在高应变率下的能量吸收力学性能的研究却非常贫乏。为了更好地研究铝合金材料蜂窝夹层板结构在高应变率下的能量吸收力学性能，其结构组成材料本身的动态力学性能必须首先得到充分研究。本文介绍和总结了铝合金材料AA-6061的两种热处理成品，T6与OA，在室温（24℃）与低温（-170℃）下的动态拉伸力学性能。在本研究中，霍普金生拉伸杆被应用，拉伸应变率为10^3每秒。     

Pressure-shear waves in 6061-T6 aluminum and alpha-titanium

Thepressure-shear plate impact technique is used to study material behavior at high rates of deformation. In this technique, plastic waves of combined pressure and shear stresses are produced by impact of parallel plates skewed relative to their direction of approach. Commercially pure alpha-titanium and 6061-T6 aluminum are tested under a variety of pressure and shear tractions by using different combinations of impact velocities and angles of inclination. A laser interferometer system is used to monitor simultaneously the normal and transverse components of motion of a point at the rear surface of the target plate. The experimental results are compared with numerical solutions based on an elastic/viscoplastic model of the material. Both isotropic and kinematic strain hardening models are used in the computations. The results indicate that unlike the normal velocity profiles, the transverse velocity profiles are sensitive to the dynamic plastic response and, thus, can be used to study material behavior at high strain rates. For the materials tested the results suggest that the flow stress required for plastic straining increases markedly with increasing strain rate at strain rates above 10⁴s^?1. Hydrostatic pressure of the order that exists in the tests (up to 2 GPa) does not affect the plastic flow in 6061-T6 aluminum and appears to have at most a minor effect on the deformation of the titanium.     

Fatigue crack growth behavior of Al7050-T7451 attachment lugs under flight spectrum variation

This paper discusses an analytical and experimental investigations of the fatigue crack growth behavior in attachment lugs subjected to a randomized flight-by-flight spectrum. In the analysis, the stress intensity factors for through-the-thickness cracks initiating from lug holes were compared by weight function method, boundary element method (BEM), the interpolation of Brussat’s solution. The stress intensity factors of a corner crack at a transition region were obtained using two parameter weight function method and correction factors. Fatigue life under a load spectrum was predicted using stress intensity factors and Willenborg retardation model considering the effects of a tensile overload. Experiments were performed under a load spectrum and compared with the fatigue life prediction using the stress intensity factors by different methods. Changes of fatigue life and aspect ratio according to the clipping level of the spectrum were discussed through experiment and prediction. Effect of the spectrum clipping level on the fatigue life was experimentally evaluated by using beach marks of fractured surface.     

CT试样三维疲劳裂纹扩展数值模拟

在循环载荷下疲劳裂纹的裂纹形貌在稳定扩展区近似为半椭圆形状,因此通过Paris方法根据疲劳裂纹表面尖端点应力强度因子的变化幅值(△K)得到扩展速率与真实的裂纹速率会有误差.为了更好的研究疲劳裂纹的性质,本文通过分析紧凑拉伸(CT)试样的疲劳裂纹扩展后的三维形貌,采用Jiang-Sehitoglu循环塑性模型和疲劳准则以...     

Yielding of 6061-T6 aluminum tubings under dynamic biaxial loadings

A test vehicle described herein has been developed for applying biaxial, tension-internal pressure, loading to thinwalled tubular specimens over a range of loading rates. The dynamic responses, as well as static initial and subsequent yield surfaces of a number of specimens made of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, are presented. The stress path obtained in a dynamic biaxial test was reporduced statically. The corresponding stress-strain curves have been compared and found significantlky different. It is found that the dynamic initial yielding occurs at a higher state of biaxial stress depending on the loading rate than that of static yielding.     

Thermal/mechanical damage of 6061-T6 aluminum tensile specimen

As a 6061-T6 aluminum coupon specimen is stretched, energy is being converted from mechanical work to heat. This irreversible process of material damage is detected experimentally by measuring the change in surface temperature. Contrary to the ordinary notion that the material would heat up when loaded, it actually cools before returning to the ambient condition. The recovery time was approximately 26 sec for a displacement rate of 8.467·10⁻⁵ m/sec and 200 sec when the displacement rate is reduced by one of magnitude. Cooling and heating is a rate dependent process. Three sets of temperature data were obtained for each of the displacement rates and they coincide with those prediced from the energy density theory that accounts for the nonhomogeneous dissipation of energy at every location in the specimen.Unlike any classical theories in mechanics, the energy density theory determines the stress and strain response of each element in the specimen only from a knowledge of the initial material stiffness and the displacement time rate. This is necessary because the local strain rates for elements near the center and edge of the specimen can differ by a wide margin. The so-called uniaxial stress and strain curve is then obtained by taking the average of all the elements. The results agreed extremely well with those measured experimentally for the 6061-T6 aluminum. Obtained analytically are also the thermal conductivity coefficients that are loading rate dependent and anisotropic in character due to stretching in the longitudinal direction. Their values tend to stabilize beyond the cooling/heating period.     

6061-T6铝合金动态拉伸本构关系及失效行为

采用HMH-206高速材料试验机开展了6061-T6铝合金在0.001～100 s-1应变率范围内的静、动态拉伸力学性能实验,分析了其应力-应变响应特征和应变率敏感性,讨论了应变率对6061-T6铝合金流动应力和应变率敏感性指数的影响,并基于实验结果对Johnson-Cook本构模型进行了修正。结合缺口试件的实验结果和模拟数据,得到了材料的Johnson-Cook失效模型参数,并对模型的准确性和适用性进行了验证。结果表明,在拉伸载荷作用下,6061-T6铝合金表现出明显的应变硬化特征和应变率敏感性,其流动应力随应变率的升高而提高,修正的Johnson-Cook本构模型可以描述材料的动态塑性流动行为,建立的Johnson-Cook失效模型能够表征材料的断裂失效行为。     

CTOA and crack-tunneling measurements in thin sheet 2024-T3 aluminum alloy

The stable tearing behavior of 2.3-mm thick sheets of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy was experimentally investigated for middle crack tension specimens having initial flaws that were: (a) flat fatigue cracks (low fatigue stress) and (b) 45-deg through-thickness slant cracks (high fatigue stress). The critical CTOA values during stable tearing were measured by two independent methods, optical microscopy and digital-image correlation. Results from the two methods agree well.The CTOA measurements and observations of the fracture surfaces have shown that the initial stable tearing behavior of low and high fatigue stress tests is significantly different. The cracks in the low fatigue stress tests underwent a transition from flat-to-slant crack growth, during which the CTOA values were high and significant crack tunneling occurred. After crack growth equal to about the thickness (a>B), CTOA reached a constant value of 6 deg and after crack growth equal to about twice the thickness (a>2B), crack tunneling stabilized. The cracks in the high fatigue stress tests reach the same constant CTOA value after crack growth equal to about the thickness, but produced only slightly higher CTOA values during initial crack growth. The amount of tunneling in the high fatigue stress tests was about the same as that in the low fatigue stress tests after the flat-to-slant transition.This study indicates that stress history has an influence on the initial portion of the stable tearing behavior. The initial high CTOA values, in the low fatigue crack tests, coincided with large three-dimensional crack front shape changes due to a variation in the through-thickness crack-tip constraint. The measured CTOA reached a constant value of 6 deg for crack growth of about the specimen thickness. This coincided with the onset of 45-deg slant crack growth and a stabilized, slightly tunneled (about 20 percent of the thickness) crack-front shape. For crack growth on the 45-deg slant, the crack front and local field variables are still highly three dimensional.     

Measurements of Forces and Temperature Fields in High-Speed Machining of 6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy

This study focuses on experimental modeling of dry high-speed machining at 30 m/s cutting velocity using 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. A modified Hopkinson bar apparatus is employed to simulate orthogonal machining, a focused array of mercury–cadmium–tellurium infrared detectors is used to measure the temperature distribution around the tool tip, and a three-component quartz force transducer is utilized in measuring the cutting and feed forces. The resulting measurements confirm the assumption of steady-state cutting and allow for estimation of the partition of cutting work into heating, shear, and momentum changes in the chip. In an earlier study, measurements of temperature distributions showed little heating of the finished surface. Therefore, a study of the temperature fields generated during machining with a cutting tool that has a wear-land was performed. The wear-land contributes significantly to the heating of the workpiece and, at this speed, is the most likely mechanism for the generation of residual stresses and a temperature rise on the finished surface.     

Experimentally Observed Strain Distributions Near Circular Discontinuities of AA6061-T6 Extrusions During Axial Crush

An experimental investigation to determine the strain distribution and collapse behaviour for AA6061-T6 square cross-sectional extrusions with and without circular discontinuities under quasi-static axial compressive loading was completed. Three-dimensional digital image correlation (DIC) was utilized for strain assessment. In order to validate the results of the optical strain measurement system, tensile tests were first conducted employing both the DIC technique and a traditional extensometer. Strain observations from both methods were found to be very consistent prior to strain localization in the test specimen. Quasi-static axial crushing tests were then conducted. Extrusions considered for the present research had a nominal side width, wall thickness and length of 38.1 mm, 3.15 mm, and 200 mm, respectively. A centrally-located circular hole with diameter of either 14.29 mm, 10.72 mm or 7.14 mm was incorporated into the extrusion. Square tubes without any discontinuities were also considered in the experimental testing program. Testing results showed that the collapse mode of the extrusion altered from global bending to a cutting and splitting deformation mode with the presence of the circular discontinuity. Strain localization occurred near the vicinity of the holes for all specimens. For discontinuities sized 14.29 mm and 10.72 mm the location of strain localization and the initiation of material fracture was at the edge of the discontinuity while the location for extrusions with a 7.14 mm hole was found to occur at the intersection of the extrusion side walls. Maximum values of the effective strain were found to vary from approximately 60% to 100%. The region of strain localization was consistent with the location where material fracture initiated.     

Fatigue crack growth of surface cracks in the rail web

The analytical prediction of surface cracks in the rail web is investigated by two different approaches. The first approach uses engineering fracture mechanics principles with elementary beam theory (i.e., one dimensional) stress analysis. The second approach applies the strain energy density criterion to a three dimensional finite element stress analysis of the rail web. Results are presented in terms of crack size as a function of accumulated tonnage for variations in loading (tangent or curved track), support conditions (foundation modulus), and assumed levels of residual stress. The results of both models are consistent in that the predicted growth rates are fairly slow when compared to other types of rail defects (for example, the detail fracture in the rail head).     

Fatigue crack growth studies in rail steels and associated weld metal

Fatigue crack growth studies in rail steels and associated weld metal have shown that (a) deformed rail steel exhibited fatigue crack growth rates that are slightly faster than undeformed rail steel and (b) weld metal growth data are appreciably faster than rail steel growth results and exhibit growth rate plateaux that reside above the upper bound reported for rail steel fatigue crack growth.In rail steel microstructures at low ΔK levels fatigue crack extension occurred by a ductile striated growth mechanism. However at K_max values approaching 40 MPa √m transgranular cleavage facets initially formed and their incidence increased with K_max until final fast fracture. The average cleavage facet size agreed well with pearlite nodule dimensions of 60–100 μm.The weld metal microstructure was much coarser than the rail steel and contained highly directional columnar grain growth. At all ΔK levels the dominant fracture mode was transgranular cleavage containing small isolated regions of ductile striated fatigue crack growth. The cleavage facet size varied from 150 to 600 μm; such a large variation was explained by the fact that in general crack extension tended to occur in association with the proeutectoid ferrite phase.     

Fatigue crack-tip deformation,crack growth and life prediction in polycarbonate

Low-cycle fatigue fracture of polycarbonate is investigated. Local strain in the vicinity of the notch root and crack tip has been measured in real time by using a fine-grid method. The relationships among the local strain, crack initiation from the notch root and crack propagation of the crack tip are studied, and a method for more precise life estimation is suggested. Paper was presented at the 1992 SEM Spring Conference on Experimental Mechanics held in Las Vegas, NV on June 8–11.