EMAT 251: Materials Science

Failure of Materials
(Chapter 8)

1
 Types of Fracture

Brittle fracture
Little or no plastic deformation
before fracture
Ductile fracture
Significant plastic deformation
before fracture

2
 Types of Fracture

Kd

Brittle Fracture
fracture Moderately ductile fracture
Highly ductile
cast-iron
aluminum
-
gold lead
,

3
 What types of fracture are these?

a d
$0

Brittle trite (in a steel)

Ductile“cup and cone” fracture
Brittle fracture: (in aluminum)
Very little
• _________ plastic deformation

• _________
Rapid crack propagation

Flat
• _____________ fracture surfaces
4
 Stages in Typical Ductile Fracture

void
Micro
format in

& Voids join

Initial to farm
a

moles coach

Fracture
y
crack
propagation

5
 Ductile Fracture
SEM image

Each “dimple” is one-half of a microvoid

that formed during fracture process
Ductile “cup and cone” fracture in aluminum

6
 Pulled in Tension

Plate with Crack

What may happen?
Sctresfentraks @

g
ill
→ coach -
grow .

tip
crack
,

7
Stress flow lines in a material under tension

“Perfect” plate Plate with crack/flaw

Concentrates
stress
the
①
@
crack

8
 Stress Concentration due to Crack

σm = stress at crack tip (max. stress)

⑨
e-
O @

Stress
60--0

σo = “applied” stress

9
Stress Concentration due to Crack
'
k

Tm = 2. or .

(E)

σm = stress at crack tip (max. stress)

σ0 = applied stress
𝜌𝑡 = radius of curvature of crack tip
𝑎 = length of surface (external) crack,
or half-length of internal crack

O𝑡 and O
Effect of 𝜌 𝑎 on max stress?
(explain in words)
ft 9 ,
Tm d on
ft dirt

at ,
IT

Stress Concentration Factor, Kt

E
𝐾𝑡 = To

10
Why do cracks propagate more easily in Brittle materials?
Pulled in Tension Pulled in Tension

Brittle Material Ductile Material

crack tip
Sharp

t
"
:÷÷¥¥÷

11
If stress stays below 1000 MPa…can the material fail?
Yes , through fatigue .

12
 Fatigue
Fatigue = failure under applied fluctuating stress.

when stresses below

Can occur even
are

yield strength
of about 9 of of all metal failures
Fatigue is the case

13
14
 Fatigue
Fatigue = failure under applied fluctuating stress.

Stress fluctuations do not have to be centered on zero stress.

15
 Fatigue
Fatigue = failure under applied fluctuating stress.

16
Mean stress Stress amplitude

Range of stress
Stress ratio 17
 Rotating-Bending Fatigue Testing
• Specimen is placed under pure bending (Compression on top surface, tension on bottom)
• Testing frequencies generally around 30 Hz

18
Plot # of cycles to failure for each stress level tested

19
I .
Crack initiation ( scratch or

sharp corner
)

2 . Coach
propagation
failure
3 .
Final rapid .

Failure
20
TEM image of Fatigue Striations (Lines) in Aluminum

What causes the

striations?

Each striation
represents one
cycle

21
 Prevention of Fatigue Failure
Avoid sharp corners

• Surface treatment:
• Polished surface: remove scratches

• Case hardening: diffuse carbon into steel ,

4 hardness

22