Experimental studies into short crack growth

This paper examines short crack growth in two quite different materials, viz: 7050-T7451 aluminium alloy and a head hardened rail steel. The experimental data reveals that the so called short crack effect associated with 7050-T7451 aluminium alloy arises as a consequence of attempting to relate da/dN to the range of the stress intensity factor (ΔK). We also find that, in both cases, cracking crack growth conforms to the Generalised Frost–Dugdale model.