Fatigue fracture of the Björk-Shiley heart valve strut and failure diagnosis from acoustic signatures

Repeated loading of the outer strut leg of the Björk-Shiley 60° convexo-concave (BSCC) valve results in fatigue crack propagation, with a duration from a few months to a few years. Sound and vibration analysis emitted from the strut of the BSCC valve due to impact is used to monitor the propagation of the fatigue crack before it would lead to the failure of one or both legs of the outlet strut. Analytical and experimental results established that the range of the fundamental natural frequency is 4000-8000 Hz. Analysis of sound emitted from the strut of the valve due to impact may be used to monitor the propagation of the fatigue crack before it would lead to the failure of the one or both legs of the outlet strut.     

Fatigue crack initiation life of fine grain brass H62

Fine grain alloys possess excellent properties entailing high strength and toughness. Fine brass H62 is made by re-crystallization with grain size ranging from 5 to 10 μm. Fatigue initiation life is investigated from specimens tested on Instron 1341 machine a frequency of 30 Hz. Furthermore fatigue crack initiation life of this fine brass H62 is predicted by the energetic approach. It is found that: (1) the finer the grain size, the longer the fatigue life, which is due to its higher toughness; (2) intergranular cracking is the main mechanism of fatigue failure. Concave pits were found in the zone of fatigue crack propagation; and (3) the energetic approach gave acceptable fatigue crack initiation life estimation.     

Rate dependent critical strain energy density factor of Huanglong limestone

Critical strain energy density of rock can be defined as a fundamental parameter in rock fracture mechanics, an intrinsic material property related to resistance to crack initiation and propagation. By means of the three-point bending experiments, the critical strain energy density factor of Huanglong limestone was measured over a wide range of loading rates from 8.97 × 10⁻⁴ MPam^1/2 s⁻¹ to 1.545 MPam^1/2 s⁻¹. According to the approximate relationship between static and dynamic critical strain energy density factor of Huanglong limestone, relationship between the growth velocity of crack and magnitude of load is obtained. The main conclusions are summarized as follows: (1) when the loading rate is higher than 0.0279 MPam^1/2 s⁻¹, the critical strain energy density factor of rock increased markedly with increasing loading rate. However, when loading rate is lower than 0.0279 MPam^1/2 s⁻¹, the critical strain energy density factor slightly increased with an increase in loading rate. It is found from experimental results that the critical strain energy density factor is linear proportional to the exponential expression of loading rate, (2) for Huanglong limestone, when the growth velocity of crack is lower than 100 m/s, value of the maximum load was nearly a constant. However, when the growth velocity of crack is higher than 1000 m/s, value of the maximum load dramatically increases with increasing the crack growth velocity, and (3) the critical SED of Huanglong limestone is higher as the loading rate is higher.     

CTS试件中复合型疲劳裂纹扩展

针对复合型循环载荷作用下的金属构件中的裂纹扩展问题进行了实验分析和理论建模. 首先 采用紧凑拉剪试件(CTS)和 Richard研制的复合型载荷加载装置，对承受复合型循环载荷的裂纹进行了实验研究. 实验选择了两种金属材料试件，分别承受3种形式的复合型循环载荷的作用，在裂纹尖端具 有相同的初始应力场强度的条件下考察复合型循环载荷对裂纹扩展规律的影响. 实验结果表明，疲劳裂纹的扩展速率与加载角度有关. 对于同样金属材料的试件，当裂尖处 初始应力场强度相等时，载荷越接近于II型，裂纹增长速率越快. 采用等效应力强度 因子(I型和II型应力强度因子的组合)、裂纹扩展速率及复合强度等参数，以实验数据为 基础，建立了一个疲劳裂纹扩展模型，用来预测裂纹在不同模式疲劳载荷作用下的扩展速率. 为验证其有效性，该模型被应用于钢制试件的数值模拟计算中. 实验结果与模拟计算曲线保 持一致，表明该模型可以用来估算带裂纹金属构件的寿命.     

Fatigue crack growth induced by domain switching under electromechanical load in ferroelectrics

Reliability calls for a better understanding of the failure of ferroelectric ceramics. The fracture and fatigue of ferroelectric ceramics under an electric field or a combined electric and mechanical loading are investigated. The small-scale domain-switching model is modified to analyze failure due to fracture and fatigue. Effects of anisotropy and electromechanical load coupling are taken into account. Analytical expressions are obtained for domain-switching regions near the crack tip such that of 90° domain switching can be distinguished from 180° domain switching in addition to different initial poling directions. The crack tip stress intensity variation of ferroelectric ceramics due to the domain switching is analyzed. A positive electric field tends to enhance the propagation of an insulating crack perpendicular to the poling direction, while a negative field impedes it. Fatigue crack growth under various coupling loads and effects of the stress field and electric field on near field stress intensity variation are analyzed. Predicted crack growth versus cyclic electric field agrees well with experiment.     

Experimental study and BEM analysis of fatigue crack growth in a cracked heterogeneous body

A model for analysing a soft-hard heterogeneous body with a crack in the hard region is presented in this paper. The result of fatigue experiments shows that mechanical heterogeneity affects the rate of propagation of fatigue crack. Meanwhile the results computed by BEM for cracked heterogeneous bodies under cycling loading indicate that the smaller the distance between the crack and the interface of hard and soft regions is, the smaller the amplitude of crack opening displacement, COD and ofJ-integral as well at the same step during the fatigue crack growth will be. The effect of heterogeneity on the rate of fatigue crack propagation is shown by the variation of J. The smaller the distance of the crack to the interface is, the smaller the rate of fatigue crack growth will be.     

Crack growth under alternating loading

Crack propagation under alternating loading is investigated. Relations between the growth rate of a fatigue defect and loading parameters and the expression for the stress intensity factor are derived for compression of a cracked solid taking into account the possible contact of the crack faces. A model for the deformation of a small region near the crack tip is proposed which allows one to formulate the conditions of residual opening of a growing fatigue crack. The experimental data obtained in tests of steel samples are compared with the results of calculation using the developed procedure. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 49, No. 5, pp. 190–198, September–October, 2008.     

A STUDY OF CRACK CLOSURE IN ELECTRIC-FIELD-INDUCED FATIGUE IN FERROELECTRIC CERAMICS

Considering the influence of the domain switching near the tip of a crack and apply-ing the idea of multiscale singularity fields in piezoelectric fracture,we have obtained an empiricalcriterion for the crack closure.Based on the domain switching in the electric yield region,referringto Yang's results on the small scale yield model for the electrical fatigue crack,a model of thecrack closure during electric-field-induced fatigue is developed to analyze the crack growth.Interms of the model we have obtained the formula of the rate of the crack growth under cyclicelectric loading.Finally we compare the theoretical predictions with the results given by Cao andEvans experimentally.It should be pointed out that the model proposed is empirical and needsto be verified by more experimental results.     

Real-time Measurement of Ultrasonic Waves at Bolted Joints under Fatigue Testing

The real-time measurement of the surface acoustic wave (SAW) was carried out during the fatigue testing of the bolted joints of aluminum alloy plates with a frequency of 0.001 Hz. SAW distributions in the bolted region were compared with those obtained by the synchronized measurement, in which the ultrasonic wave was generated in synchronization with a loading cycle in the fatigue testing with a frequency of 10 Hz. At different numbers of fatigue cycles, the intensity of the reflection from the fatigue crack obtained by the real-time measurement was in good agreement with that obtained by the synchronized measurement. In the real-time measurement, the reflection intensity and profile changed with the stress level in a loading cycle, which were in good agreement with those obtained by the synchronized SAW measurement. From these results, it was confirmed that the SAW distributions obtained by the synchronized measurement is coincident with ones obtained by the real-time measurement in one loading cycle, and is not influenced by the measurement conditions.     

Effect of weld size on fatigue crack growth behaviour of cruciform joints by strain energy density factor approach

The effect of weld size on fatigue crack growth behaviour of cruciform joints containing lack of penetration defect has been analysed by using the strain energy density factor concept. Load carrying cruciform joints were fabricated from ASTM 517‘F' grade steel. Fatigue crack growth experiments were carried out in a mechanical resonance vertical pulsator (SCHENCK 200 kN capacity) with a frequency of 30 Hz under constant amplitude loading (R=0). It was found that the crack growth rates were relatively lower in the larger welds fabricated by multipass welding technique than the smaller welds fabricated by the single pass welding technique.     

Fatigue characterization of tire rubber

An investigation of the fatigue behavior of tire rubber was undertaken. The tire rubber used in this work is a blend of natural rubber and polybutadiene. It is vulcanized and filled with carbon black. Fatigue tests were conducted on edge-notched prismatic specimens subjected to tension–tension loading in a displacement-controlled machine. The maximum strain was 8% and the minimum strain was 0.8%. The waveform of the fatigue cycle was sinusoidal at a frequency of 10 Hz. Initial cracks of various lengths were cut into the edge of the rubber specimens with a sharp razor blade. The tearing energy was calculated during the test. A power law relation between the crack growth rate and tearing energy was obtained. The fatigue life of tire rubber was estimated based on the integration of the power law relations and the tearing energy versus fatigue cycles curves in conjunction with the value of the critical tearing energy at crack growth initiation.     

Dynamic fracture of concrete – compact tension specimen

The behavior of concrete structures is strongly influenced by the loading rate. Compared to quasi-static loading concrete loaded by impact loading acts in a different way. First, there is a strain-rate influence on strength, stiffness, and ductility, and, second, there are inertia forces activated. Both influences are clearly demonstrated in experiments. Moreover, for concrete structures, which exhibit damage and fracture phenomena, the failure mode and cracking pattern depend on loading rate. In general, there is a tendency that with the increase of loading rate the failure mode changes from mode-I to mixed mode. Furthermore, theoretical and experimental investigations indicate that after the crack reaches critical speed of propagation there is crack branching. The present paper focuses on 3D finite-element study of the crack propagation of the concrete compact tension specimen. The rate sensitive microplane model is used as a constitutive law for concrete. The strain-rate influence is captured by the activation energy theory. Inertia forces are implicitly accounted for through dynamic finite element analysis. The results of the study show that the fracture of the specimen strongly depends on the loading rate. For relatively low loading rates there is a single crack due to the mode-I fracture. However, with the increase of loading rate crack branching is observed. Up to certain threshold (critical) loading rate the maximal crack velocity increases with increase of loading rate, however, for higher loading rates maximal velocity of the crack propagation becomes independent of the loading rate. The critical crack velocity at the onset of crack branching is found to be approximately 500 m/s.     

狭长缺口根部萌生的小裂纹扩展分析

根据伴随着小裂纹延展过程中不同力学参数相互作用的分析研究基础之上,我们就疲劳小裂纹的扩展特性进行了分析,根据不扩展裂纹性质对小裂纹的长度范围进行了讨论,探讨了狭长缺口根部萌生的小裂纹扩展速率, 并研究了不扩展裂纹形成机理,推演出不扩展裂纹长度计算方法,发展出一种预测小裂纹扩展行为的方法,借助这种方法可以实现裂纹萌生寿命的预测,与疲劳设计相结合可以进一步提高构件安全性与可靠性．不扩展小裂纹的长度可以通过计算定量得到,它与材料的疲劳极限、裂纹门槛值及缺口尺寸等参数紧密相关．以理论数据为依据,可以设计出针对一定材料及尺寸的试样,使其在一定荷载条件下不扩展裂纹长度达到宏观可观测的范围,进而降低小裂纹测量方面的技术难度,进一步验证不扩张裂纹形成机理．     

A phenomenological model of fatigue crack growth in perfectly plastic infinite plates under completely reversed uniaxial loading

The fatigue failure of a thin infinite center-cracked plate under completely reversed uniaxial loading is considered. A two-stage fatigue crack model including the incubation and crack propagation stages is constructed. The stress distribution in the vicinity of the crack tip is described using the concept of a conventional elastic crack. The crack-tip plastic zone is simulated by a Dugdale thin plastic zone, and the condition for the movement of the failure front is given by criteria of damage mechanics. It is shown that the fatigue crack growth rate in perfectly plastic materials with a plastic zone of constant length is a power-law function of the stress intensity factor range. This relationship is quadratic when the length of the plastic zone is not constant Published in Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 41, No. 12, pp. 116–127, December 2005.     

Micromechanical fatigue testing

This paper describes the design, modeling, and experimental test results of a single crystal silicon micromechanical device developed to evaluate fracture and fatigue of silicon based micromechanical devices. The structure is a cantilever beam, 300 microns long, with a large silicon plate and gold inertial mass at the free end. Torquing and sensing electrodes extend over the plate, and with associated electronics, drive the structure at resonance. Fatigue crack propagation is measured by detecting the shift in the natural frequency caused by the extension of a preexisting crack introduced near the fixed end of the cantilever. Experimental data are presented demonstrating time-dependent crack growth in silicon. Crack extensions of 10 to 300 nm have been measured with a resolution of approximately 2.5 nm, and crack tip velocities as low as 2.1×10⁻¹⁴ m/s. It is postulated that static fatigue of the native surface silica layer is the mechanism for crack growth. The methodology established here is generic in concept, permitting sensitive measurement of crack growth in larger fatigue specimens as well.     

Fatigue life prediction of welded cruciform joints using strain energy density factor approach

The influences of two welding processes, namely, shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) and flux cored arc welding (FCAW), on fatigue life of cruciform joints containing lack of penetration (LOP) defects have been analyzed by using the strain energy density factor (SEDF) approach. Load carrying cruciform joints were fabricated from ASTM 517 ‘F’ grade steel. Fatigue crack growth experiments were carried out in a mechanical resonance vertical pulsator (SCHENCK 200 kN capacity) with a frequency of 30 Hz under constant amplitude loading (R=0). It was found that the fatigue lives of the cruciform joints fabricated by SMAW process were relatively higher than the FCAW counterpart. Moreover, fracture mechanics equations have been developed to predict the fatigue life of the cruciform joints fabricated by the above-mentioned two processes.     

Influence of temperature on a carbon–fibre epoxy composite subjected to static and fatigue loading under mode-I delamination

In this paper, interlaminar crack initiation and propagation under mode-I with static and fatigue loading of a composite material are experimentally assessed for different test temperatures. The material under study is made of a 3501-6 epoxy matrix reinforced with AS4 unidirectional carbon fibres, with a symmetric laminate configuration [0°]_16/S. In the experimental programme, DCB specimens were tested under static and fatigue loading. Based on the results obtained from static tests, fatigue tests were programmed to analyse the mode-I fatigue behaviour, so the necessary number of cycles was calculated for initiation and propagation of the crack at the different temperatures. G–N curves were determined under fatigue loading, N being the number of cycles at which delamination begins for a given energy release rate. G_ICmax–a, a–N and da/dN–a curves were also determined for different G_cr rates (90%, 85%, 75%, etc.) and different test temperatures: 90 °C, 50 °C, 20 °C, 0 °C, ?30 °C and ?60 °C.     

Experimental Investigation and Finite Element Analysis of Fatigue Crack Growth in Pipes Containing a Circumferential Semi-elliptical Crack Subjected to Bending

In this paper, a circumferential external surface flaw in a metallic round pipe under cyclic bending loading is considered. Because of very rapid changes in the geometrical parameters around the crack front region, the mesh generation of this region must be done with great care. This may lead to an increase in the run time which makes it difficult to reach valid results and conclusions. Because of the advantages of the sub-modeling technique in problems which need very high mesh density, this method is used. Stress intensity factors in mode I condition are determined using three-dimensional finite element modeling with 20 node iso-parametric brick elements in the ANSYS 9.0 standard code and the singular form of these finite elements at the crack front. In order to estimate the analysis error, the structural parameter error in energy norm criterion was used. Because of the advantages of non-dimensional analysis, this method is employed, and the stress intensity factors are normalized. For the analysis of the fatigue crack growth, the Paris law is used. The propagation path of the surface flaw is obtained from the diagram of aspect ratio versus relative crack depth. The fatigue crack growth analysis (the relative crack depth against loading cycles diagram) of different initial crack aspect ratio under cyclic loading is also considered. Fatigue shape development of initially semi-elliptical external surface defects is illustrated. The effect of the Paris exponent (material constant) on fatigue crack propagation is shown as well. Moreover, the fatigue crack growth of several specimens is assessed experimentally using a manually-constructed experimental set up. Finally, the experimental results obtained by cyclic bending loading tests are compared with the numerical results. The experimental results show good conformity with the finite element results.