Prediction of fatigue crack growth under constant amplitude loading and a single overload based on elasto-plastic crack tip stresses and strains

It is generally accepted that the fatigue crack growth (FCG) depends mainly on the stress intensity factor range (ΔK) and the maximum stress intensity factor (Kmax). The two parameters are usually combined into one expression called often as the driving force and many various driving forces have been proposed up to date. The driving force can be successful as long as the stress intensity factors are appropriately correlated with the actual elasto-plastic crack tip stress–strain field. However, the correlation between the stress intensity factors and the crack tip stress–strain field is often influenced by residual stresses induced in due course.A two-parameter (ΔKtot, Kmax,tot) driving force based on the elasto-plastic crack tip stress–strain history has been proposed. The applied stress intensity factors (ΔKappl, Kmax,appl) were modified to the total stress intensity factors (ΔKtot, Kmax,tot) in order to account for the effect of the local crack tip stresses and strains on fatigue crack growth. The FCG was predicted by simulating the stress–strain response in the material volume adjacent to the crack tip and estimating the accumulated fatigue damage. The fatigue crack growth was regarded as a process of successive crack re-initiations in the crack tip region. The model was developed to predict the effect of the mean and residual stresses induced by the cyclic loading. The effect of variable amplitude loadings on FCG can be also quantified on the basis of the proposed model. A two-parameter driving force in the form of: Δκ=Kmax,totpΔKtot(1-p) was derived based on the local stresses and strains at the crack tip and the Smith–Watson–Topper (SWT) fatigue damage parameter: D = σmaxΔε/2. The effect of the internal (residual) stress induced by the reversed cyclic plasticity manifested itself in the change of the resultant (total) stress intensity factors controlling the fatigue crack growth.The model was verified using experimental fatigue crack growth data for aluminum alloy 7075-T6 obtained under constant amplitude loading and a single overload.