a b s t r a c tFatigue-crack-growth tests were conducted on compact, C(T), specimens made of D16Cz (clad) aluminum alloy under constant-amplitude loading, a single spike overload, and simulated aircraft spectrum loading. Constant-amplitude tests were conducted to generate crack-growth-rate data from threshold to near fracture over a wide range of stress ratios (R = P min /P max = 0.1-0.75) using the new compression pre-cracking test methods. Comparisons were made between test data generated on the C(T) specimens with test data from the literature on middle-crack-tension, M(T), specimens machined from the same sheet. A crack-closure analysis was used to collapse the rate data from both specimen types into a narrow band over many orders of magnitude in rates using proper constraint factors. The constraint factors were established from constant-amplitude (CA) and single-spike overload tests. The life-prediction code, FASTRAN, which is based on the strip-yield model concept, was used to calculate crack-length-against-cycles under CA loading and a single-spike overload (OL) test, and to predict crack growth under simulated aircraft spectrum loading tests on C(T) specimens. The calculated crack-growth lives under CA loading were generally within about ±25% of the test results, but slower crack growth under the double-shear fatigue mode, unlike the single-shear mode (45 o slant crack growth), may be the reason for some of the larger differences. The predicted results under the single-spike overload and the Mini-Falstaff+ spectrum were within 10% of the test data.

The 7050 aluminum alloy is used in many aerospace structural applications. Previous studies have identified that fatigue cracks develop very rough crack-suiface profiles, which cause very high crack-closure levels due to a combination of plasticity, roughness and debris. Previotisly, tests were conducted on compact, C(T), specimens to generate crack-growth-rate data from threshold to near fracture over a wide range in stress ratios (R). New threshold testing methods, based on compression precracking, were used to generate the data in the near-threshold regime. The plasticity-induced crack-closure model, FASTRAN, was used to correlate the data over a wide range in stress ratios and crack-growth rates from threshold to near fracture. To account for the very high crackclosure levels, a very low constraint factor, like plane-stress conditions, had to be used in the model. In addition, the crack-opening loads were measured during these tests using a local strain-gauge method to generate another AK^,ff-rate curve. These two curves differed only in the near-threshold regime. Herein, fatigue-crack-growth tests were conducted on C(T) specimens under spike overloads and simulated aircraft spectrum loading. Fatigue tests were also conducted on single-edge-notch bend (SEN(Bj), specimens over a wide range in loading conditions (constant amplitude and three aircraft spectra). All specimens were machined from a single forged block of7050-T7451. However, no residual stresses were measured in both the SEN(B) and C(T) specimens. Two European standard spectra were used, but modified to have only tension-tension loading. The purpose of this paper was to evahtate the two different effective stress-intensity factor curves for making crack-growth and fatigue-life predictions. Small-crack theory was used to make fatigue-life predictions using inclusion-particle sizes from the literature. Fatigue predictions on the SEN(B) specimens agreed fairly well (±30%) using a 12micrometer semicircular initial flaw located at the semicircular-edge notch under all loading conditions, except the model was unconservative (factor of three) on one of the severe aircraft spectra (Mini-TWIST-^, Level 1). For the C(T) specimens subjected to single-spike overloads, the life-prediction code also produced much more retardation than observed in the tests. However, the predicted crack-length-against-cycles under the Mini-Falstaff-\-spectrum were only about 15% longer than the tests. The discrepancy under the single-spike overloads and the severe aircraft spectra was suspected to be caused by the low constraint factor and/or crack paths meandering around overload plastic zones. Ideally, a roughness-induced crack-closure model: in addition to the plasticity model, would be needed to obtain more reasonable results."plasticity-induced" crack closure, other closure mechanisms have been identified, such as roughness-, fretting-product-, and oxide-debris-induced closure. These mechanisms have greatly improved our understanding of the complex interactions that occur dur...

The 7050 aluminum alloy is used in many aerospace structural applications. Previous studies have identified that fatigue cracks develop very rough crack-surface profiles, which cause very high crack-closure levels due to a combination of plasticity, roughness and debris. Previously, tests were conducted on compact, C(T), specimens to generate crack-growth data from threshold to near fracture over a wide range in stress ratios (R). New threshold testing methods, based on compression precracking, were used to generate the data in the near-threshold regime. The plasticity-induced crack-closure model, FASTRAN, was used to correlate the data over a wide range in stress ratios and crack-growth rates from threshold to near fracture. To account for the very high crack-closure levels, a very low constraint factor, like plane-stress conditions, had to be used in the model. In addition, the crack-opening loads were measured during these tests using a local strain-gage method to generate another ΔKeff-rate curve. These two curves differed only in the near-threshold regime. Herein, fatigue-crack-growth tests were conducted on C(T) specimens under spike overloads and simulated aircraft spectrum loading. Also, fatigue tests were conducted on single-edge-notch bend, SEN(B), specimens over a wide range in loading conditions (constant amplitude and three aircraft spectra). All specimens were machined from a single forged block of 7050-T7451. However, no residual stresses were measured in both the SEN(B) and C(T) specimens. Two European standard spectra were used, but modified to have only tension-tension loading. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the two different effective stress-intensity factor curves for making crack-growth and fatigue-life predictions. Small-crack theory was used to make fatigue-life predictions using inclusion-particle sizes from the literature. Fatigue predictions on the SEN(B) specimens agreed fairly well (± 30%) using a 12-micrometer semi-circular initial flaw located at the semicircular-edge notch under all loading conditions, except the model was unconservative (factor of 3) on one of the severe aircraft spectra (Mini-TWIST+, Level 1). For the C(T) specimens subjected to single-spike overloads, the life-prediction code produced much more retardation than observed in the tests. However, the predicted crack-length-against-cycles under the Mini-Falstaff+ spectrum were only about 15% longer than the tests. The discrepancy under the single-spike overloads and the severe aircraft spectra was suspected to be caused by the low constraint factor and/or crack paths meandering around overload plastic zones. Ideally, a roughness-induced crack-closure model, in addition to the plasticity model, would be needed to obtain more reasonable results.

Accurate characterization and understanding of the fatigue crack growth behaviour of components in jet turbine engines is critical for successfully using a damage tolerant design method to maximise safety and efficiency. The hot section components experience changing loads and temperatures, and hence, fatigue crack growth rates are typically studied under thermomechanical loading. One question that remains unclear is the role of the compressive holds that are often part of an aircraft loading‐temperature spectrum. This experimental study was undertaken to investigate a turbine disk alloy, Inconel 718, subjected to different cycling and temperature profiles considering different lengths of hot compressive holds to determine its effect on the fatigue crack growth rate. It was found that the addition of a compressive hold at temperatures from 650 to 725 °C has no significant impact on the fatigue crack growth rate when compared with a cycle without a compressive hold. Fractographic analysis shows that crack growth is primarily transgranular in all cases studied suggesting that grain boundary oxidation, often observed during hot tensile holds, is insignificant.

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