Fracture Mechanics: An Engineering Primer

In this second edition, which is the result of numerous revisions, updates and additions, the authors cover the basic concepts of fracture mechanics for both the linear elastic and elastic-plastic regimes. The fracture mechanics parameters K, G, J and CTOD are treated in a basic manner along with the test methods to determine critical values....

Further evaluation of the Ascor test for stress corrosion testing of aluminium alloys

In 1991 a simple automated stress corrosion testing method called the ASCOR (Automated Stress corrosion Ring) test was developed to test aluminium alloys according to ASTM specification G49. The present investigation concentrated on evaluating two aspects of the test method: The SCC initiation criterion (2 % load decrease). The possibility of...

Variability of fatigue crack growth properties for 2024-T3 aluminium alloy

Discussions between D-BAA and the NLR have shown that significant variability in fatigue crack growth properties is possible for the industry standard damage tolerant aluminium alloy, 2024-T3 sheet. This is important for two reasons: (1) design assumptions and (2) comparisons of different candidate materials, such as 6013-T6, with 2024-T3....

The influence of starter notches on flight simulation fatigue crack growth

An investigation was made of the effect of starter notch geometry on flight simulation fatigue crack growth in three damage tolerant aluminium sheet alloys, 2024-T3, 2091-T84 and 8090-T81. Changing the starter notch geometry resulted in significant differences in initial nonstabilized fatigue crack growth behaviour. However, there was only a...

Damage tolerance property comparisons for 2000 and 8000 series aluminium plate alloys

This report compares the mechanical properties, fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth properties of the damage tolerant/medium strength aluminium plate alloys 2024-T351, 2324-T39, 8090-T651 and 8090-T8171. The main objective, in view of previous work, was to determine whether damage tolerant 8090-T8171 plate can advantageously replace the...

Influence of gust spectrum variations on fatigue crack growth behaviour of damage tolerant aluminium-lithium sheet materials

Flight simulation fatigue growth tests were done on 1.6 mm thick sheets of the damage tolerant aluminium-lithium (Al-Li) alloys 2091-T84 and 8090-T81 in comparison with the industry standard conventional damage tolerant alloy 2024-T3. The flight simulation load spectrum, the gust spectrum MINITWIST, was used in four versions: untruncated,...

Flight simulation fatigue crack propagation in metal/carbon-epoxy laminates

Flight simulation fatigue crack propagation tests with gust spectrum loading were carried out on laminates of (i) aluminium alloy 2024-T3/carbon-epoxy, (ii) aluminium alloy 7475-T761/carbon-epoxy and (iii) titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V/carbon-epoxy with nominal weight savings of 30% and 40% as compared to equivalent 2024-T3 Alclad and 7475-T761...

Flight simulation fatigue crack propagation in single and double element lugs

Flight simulation fatigue crack propagation tests on single and double element lugs made from 2024-T351 and TOT5-TT351 aluminium alloys and Ti-6AJ.-UV titanium alloy were carried out. Initial damage was a throughthickness notch at one side of each hole in one element. Results showed that crack propagation lives for double element lugs were much...

Flight simulation environmental fatigue crack propagation in 2024-T3 and 7475-T761 aluminium

Flight simulation fatigue crack propagation tests on 202U-T3 and 7475-T761 aluminum alloy sheet were carried out using a gust spectrum representative of the load history of an under wing skin in a transport aircraft. The investigation included tests at several design stress levels and in environments of laboratory air and air plus water spray....

The reclanation of improperly cadmium electroplated high strength steel parts

Circumferentially notched round specimens of 4340 type steel have been plated in a galvanic bath known to be embrittling. The specimens were reclaimed by stripping and baking. Half the specimens were replated in a non-embrittling bath. Reclamation did not remove all traces of hydrogen embrittlement, but raised the threshold stress to such a...

Environmental fatigue crack propagation in metal/composite laminates

Flight simulation fatigue crack propagation tests with gust spectrum loading were carried out on 2024-T3/carbon-epoxy, 7475-T76l/carbon-epoxy and Ti-6Al-4V/carbon-epoxy laminates with nominal weight savings of -30% as compared to equivalent 2024-T3 panels. The performance of the 2024-T3/carbon-epoxy laminates was much superior to those of the...

Manoeuvre spectrum fatigue crack propagation in aluminium alloy sheet materials

2024-T3, 2048-T851, 7075-T6 and 7475-T761 aluminium alloy sheets were compared for fatigue crack propagation resistance under manoeuvre spectrum and constant amplitude loading. For manoeuvre spectrum loading 7475-T761 was superior overall, and this superiority is most probably due to superior toughness of this alloy. In more detail, 2024-T3 was...

Engineering application of fracture mechanics to flight simulation fatigue crack propagation

The influence of texture on environmental fatigue crack propagation in titanium alloys

The effect of sheet thickness on flight simulation fatigue crack propagation in 2024-T3, 7475-T761 and mill annealed Ti-6A1-4V

Flight simulation fatigue crack propagation tests were carried out on 2024-T3, 7475-T761 and mill annealed Ti-6A1-4V sheet in thicknesses up to 3 nim and representative for traJisport aircraft lower wing skin stiffened panels of end load capacities 1.5 and 3 MN/m. There was a significant effect of sheet thickness on crack propagation. Thinner...

Flight simulation fatigue crack propagation evaluation of candidate lower wing skin materials with particular consideration of spectrum truncation

Flight simulation fatigu-e crack propagation tests were carried out on 2024-T3, 7475-T761 and mill annealed Ti-6A1-4V sheet in thicknesses up to 3 miri and representative for transport aircraft lower wing skin stiffened panels of end load capacities 1.5 and 3 MN/m. The performance of 2024-T3 was much superior, owing mainly to greater retardation...

Effects of crack plane orientation transitions on flight simulation fatigue crack propagation in a high strength aluminium alloy (7050)

The effects of flat to slant fracture transitions on flight simulation fatigue crack propagation in specimens of 7O5O aluminium alloy forgings are discussed. For specimens containing flat, shearlipped, or full slant fractures at similar crack lengths the crack resistance (R curve) approach appears to provide an explanation for differences in the...