Chapter 1

Introduction to Fatigue and

Fracture
Al Emran Ismail, PhD
Fatigue Processes
Fatigue is the process of progressive localized
permanent structural change occurring in a
material subjected to conditions that produce
fluctuating stresses and strains at some point
(or points) and that may culminate in cracks
or complete fracture after a sufficient
number of fluctuations.
Fatigue Phases to Failure:
a. Crack nucleation.
b. Structurally dependent crack propagation (often called
the short crack or small crack phase).
c. Crack propagation that is characterized by either linear
elastic fracture mechanics, elastic-plastic fracture
mechanics, or fully plastic fracture mechanics.
d. Final instability and failure.
Assignment 1 (Historic Failure)
• World War II – Liberty
Ship (SS Schenectady)
• 1289 of the 4694
warships suffered brittle
fracture at the welded
steel joints.
• Selection of increased
toughness material and
improve fabrication
practices.
The Brittle Fracture Problem
• Fracture is the separation of a
solid body into two or more
pieces under the action of
stress.
• Takes place a stresses below the
yield strength.
• Very little observable plastic
deformation.
• Minimal absorption of energy.
• Fracture occurs very abruptly
with little or no warning.
Life-Limiting Factors
• Material defects
• Fabrication practices
• Stress, stress concentration and stress intensity
• Temperature
• Thermal and mechanical fatigue cycles
• Corrosion concern
Material defects
Fabrication practice
Stress, stress concentration and intensity
Temperature
• Cause the material to be more brittle or oxidize the surface.
• Creep is deformation as a function of time at constant load or stress.
• Most brittle failure occurs at temperature below their transition of
ductile-to-brittle.
Thermal and mechanical fatigue cycles
• Fatigue propagates cracks until
the section no longer able to
support the load.
• Transient thermal gradient can
induce plastic strains.
• If it is repeated then it is called
thermal fatigue.
• Oil tanker failed due to thermal
fatigue (warm inside, cold
outside during sailing in the
north Atlantic ocean)
Corrosion concern