Predicting Fatigue Life After a Stop-Hole in Aluminium Alloys
Author Information
Author(s): Diogo Neto, Joel Jesus, Ricardo Branco, Sérgio Edmundo, Fernando Antunes
Primary Institution: University Coimbra, Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes (CEMMPRE), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Coimbra, Portugal
Hypothesis
Can we accurately predict the initiation and propagation life of fatigue cracks in components with stop-holes?
Conclusion
The proposed methodology allows for accurate predictions of crack initiation and propagation lives in notched components, with results closely matching experimental data.
Supporting Evidence
- The study involved 625,000 load cycles to re-initiate the crack after the hole.
- The predicted crack initiation life was found to be only 4% lower than the experimental value.
- A good agreement was found between numerical predictions and experimental results for fatigue crack growth rates.
Takeaway
This study shows how to predict how long a crack will take to grow in a metal piece with a hole, which helps keep things safe.
Methodology
Experimental tests were conducted on a Compact-Tension specimen made of 7050-T7451 aluminium alloy with a 3 mm diameter hole, and numerical simulations were performed to validate the results.
Limitations
The study may not account for all factors affecting fatigue life, such as material inhomogeneity and loading variations.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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