Structural Engineering and Mechanics

Volume 59, Number 5, 2016, pages 885-899

DOI: 10.12989/sem.2016.59.5.885

Plastic energy approach prediction of fatigue crack growth

Sofiane Maachou, Abdelkader Boulenouar, Mohamed Benguediab, Mohamed Mazari and Narayanaswami Ranganathan

Abstract

The energy-based approach to predict the fatigue crack growth behavior under constant and variable amplitude loading (VAL) of the aluminum alloy 2024 T351 has been investigated and detailed analyses discussed. Firstly, the plastic strain energy was determined per cycle for different block load tests. The relationship between the crack advance and hysteretic energy dissipated per block can be represented by a power law. Then, an analytical model to estimate the lifetime for each spectrum is proposed. The results obtained are compared with the experimentally measured results and the models proposed by Klingbeil\'s model and Tracey\'s model. The evolution of the hysteretic energy dissipated per block is shown similar with that observed under constant amplitude loading.

Key Words

fatigue crack growth; variable amplitude; hysteretic energy; energy approach; aluminum alloy

Address

Sofiane Maachou, Abdelkader Boulenouar, Mohamed Benguediab, Mohamed Mazari: Materials and Reactive Systems Laboratory, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Sidi-Bel-Abbes, BP. 89, City Larbi Ben Mhidi, Sidi Bel Abbes 22000, Algeria Narayanaswami Ranganathan: School Polytechnic University of Tours, 7 Avenue Marcel Dassault 37004 Tours, France