Abstract
A new simplified technique was proposed on X-ray fractographic analysis of the fatigue fracture surface. The technique is based on the experimentally determined σr(Y) versus Kmax relation, where σr(Y) is the residual stress on the fracture surface after the removal of a thin layer whose thickness is Y, and Kmax is the applied stress intensity factor. It was found that σr(Y) is correlated with Kmax under a fixed stress ratio by such an equation as,
σr(Y)/σy=Q·Kmaxq·(1-Y/ωp)2,
where ωp=α(Kmax/σy)2, and Q, q and α are constants. The unkown value of Kmax was found to be successfully estimated from the measurable single value of σr(Y) by the above equation.
The proposed technique was tested for the fatigue fracture surface which was made under a corrosive enviroment. The estimated value of Kmax was in good accordance with the actual applied value.
