Fatigue Crack Propagation and Fatigue Life Prediction under the Mixed Mode Loading

초록

The applications of fracture mechanics have traditionally concentrated on crack growth problems under the modeⅠ loading condition. However, many service failures have been occurred by the growth of cracks subjected to mixed mode loading conditions. This paper investigates the initiation and propagation behavior of the fatigue crack of the SUS304 specimens under plane mixed mode loading conditions. It is found, firstly, by comparing the maximum tangential stress (MTS) theory with experimental results, that MTS theory is suitable to predict the direction of fatigue crack initiation. Secondly, the fatigue crack propagation behaviors under mixed mode loading conditions for SUS304 predicted by Tanaka's equation agree relatively well with the experimental outcomes.