Superior fatigue life of Fe-15Mn-10Cr-8Ni-4Si seismic damping alloy subjected to extremely high strain amplitudes

The fatigue life of a Fe-15Mn-10Cr-8Ni-4Si seismic damping alloy, undergoing cyclic deformation-induced martensitic transformation from face-centered-cubic austenite to hexagonal-close-packed martensite, is investigated at extremely high strain amplitudes at which common steels exhibit extremely low cycle fatigue (ELCF) with a fatigue life (Nf) less than 102 cycles. Hourglass-shaped specimens were subjected to diametral strain-controlled cyclic tension-compression loading at room temperature with axial strain amplitudes ranging from 4 × 10−2 to 1 × 10−1. The alloy exhibits superior Nf, for example, 112 cycles at the axial strain amplitude of 8 × 10−2, at which a carbon steel is reported to fail at less than 10 cycles. To the best of our knowledge, the Nf of the alloy is the highest ever among ferrous alloys and steels at extremely high strain amplitudes.