Crack growth rate under cyclic bending in the explosively welded steel/titanium bimetals

The paper presents the results of the tests on fatigue crack growth in a steel/titanium composite under oscillatory bending. Two kinds of specimens of rectangular cross sections were tested. In the tested specimens, the ratio of heights of basic and overlaid materials was h1:h2 = 2.5:1 and 1:1. In the specimens, the fatigue crack growth was parallel to the applied loading and its direction changed at the interface line. Next, the crack growth along the interface line or the crack growth passing through the interface line were observed. When the crack growth passed along the interface line, decrease of the crack growth rate took place. The specimens have the uniform crack growth at both sides of lateral surfaces. At the composite fractures in the steel and titanium, transcrystalline cracks are dominating.

► The results of the tests on fatigue crack growth in a steel/titanium composite under oscillatory bending.
► Hardness of both joined materials in all their section is higher than hardness of the materials before cladding.
► The main crack propagated in the direction parallel to the loading action and they did not include secondary cracks.
► When the crack growth was being passed along the interface line, decrease of the crack growth rate took place.