Suitability of fatigue crack growth thresholds at negative stress ratios for ferritic steels and aluminum alloys in flaw evaluation procedures

Abstract

Fatigue crack growth thresholds for ferritic steels and aluminum alloys in flaw evaluation documents are reviewed. The WRC (Welding Research Council) Bulletin, ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Code Section VIII, IIW (International Institute of Welding) and BS (British Standards) 7910 give constant fatigue crack growth threshold values at negative stress ratios. However, the definitions of the thresholds at negative stress ratios are different between these flaw evaluation documents. From fatigue crack growth tests and collection of fatigue crack growth threshold data, the thresholds are affected by compressive stresses. It can be said that the thresholds at negative stress ratios are not constant. Therefore, the thresholds given by the WRC Bulletin, ASME Section VIII and IIW are slightly un-conservative. The threshold given by BS 7910 is considerably conservative. A suitable definition of the threshold at negative stress ratios for application in flaw evaluation procedures is proposed as the variable threshold expressed by full range of stress intensity factors.