Influence of load frequency and ageing heat treatment on fatigue crack propagation rate of as-extruded AZ61 alloy

Samples prepared from as-extruded AZ61 plates were utilized in an axial fatigue crack propagation test. An investigation on fatigue crack propagation (FCP) behavior of as-extruded magnesium alloy AZ61 was made. The influences of the artificial ageing heat treatment or microstructure and loading frequency on FCP rates were discussed. The results demonstrated that the FCP rates of the AZ61 alloys were significantly affected by the microstructure and loading frequencies as well.