We propose a new approach to the experimental estimation of local strains at the tip of a concentrator. The approach is based on the measurement of displacement of certain points in the vicinity of the tip of a notch, which is further associated with the effective radius of the notch. Various concentrators in structures are simulated within a wide range of variation in radii of notches (p = 0.1-6.5 mm ) and in the geometry of specimens. We establish the main dependences between the value of the range of local strains Ae* and the period N i prior to the nucleation of a fatigue macrocrack. Thus, by using the experimental quantity Ae*, we can estimate the period N i prior to the nucleation of a fatigue crack of length a i = ae for structural elements of a complicated geometry.As is known, the problem of fatigue fracture of materials is an actual problem of modern materials science and fracture mechanics of materials [ 1,2]. In solution of this problem, investigation of the nucleation of macrocracks near stress concentrators in structural elements plays an important role. For this purpose, the force (stress), strain, and energetic parameters of the stress-strain state of the material are mainly used. The force approach to solution of the problem was earlier considered in [2]. Owing to the difficulty of calculations of stresses (force parameters) in the vicinity of various concentrators in structural elements during their service, especially with regard for elastoplastic strains of material and the action of the environment (working medium), it is necessary to search for the most simple approaches to solution of the problem. To a certain extent, this can be realized by using the strain parameters, because strains can not only be calculated but measured directly on members as well.Local strains can be determined, for example, in terms of relative displacements of the lips of a notch [1-3] or a crack [6][7][8][9][10][11]. In particular, this was corroborated by numerous attempts (during the last 5-10 years) to use strain criteria on the basis of the characteristics of the relative displacement 8 in analysis of the kinetics of cracks in a deformable body. Among them, for example, the COD and CTOD [6,7], COA and CTOA [8], ASef f [9], and ~5 [I0] approaches as well as the method of marks [11] should be mentioned. Note that, contrary to the previously known methods regulated by BS (British Standards) [6], the estimation of the value of 8 immediately in the vicinity of the tip of a crack [10] or near the tip of a notch [4,5] is considered now as the main problem.In this work, we present the results of investigation of the possibility of use of strain criteria in determination of the period N i prior to the nucleation of fatigue macrocracks near stress concentrators in certain steels and aluminum alloys. In our investigations, we employ the concept [2] that the main parameters of the process of nucleation of a macrocrack are the range Ae* of local elastoplastic strains near the tip of a notch and the characteristic size a t* ...
