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