Fatigue characteristics of sand-cast AZ91D magnesium alloy

The fatigue characteristics of the AZ91D-T6 alloy samples taken from engine blocks have been investigated at 20 °C and elevated temperature (150 °C). The fatigue strength and cyclic stress amplitude of the alloy significantly decrease with the increase of the test temperature, although cyclic hardening occurs continuously until failure for both temperatures. With the increase of the temperature, the decreased fatigue life of the alloy tested at the same stress amplitude is mainly attributed to the decreased matrix strength and the increased hysteresis energies. Fatigue failure of the engine blocks made of AZ91D-T6 alloy is mainly controlled by casting defects. For the defect-free specimens, the crack initiation behavior is determined by the single-slip (20 °C) and by environment-assisted cyclic slip (150 °C) during fatigue, respectively. The low-cycle fatigue lives of the alloy can be predicted using the Coffin-Manson relation and Basquin laws, the three-parameter equation and the energy-based concepts, while the high-cycle fatigue lives of the alloy fitted well with the developed long crack life model and MSF life models.