The effect of dwell times and minimum temperature on out-of-phase thermomechanical fatigue crack propagation in a steam turbine steel—Crack closure prediction

Exploring crack growth behaviour is needed to establish accurate fatigue life predictions. Cracked specimens were tested under strain-controlled out-of-phase thermomechanical conditions. The tests included dwell times and three different minimum temperatures. Higher temperature gave faster rates while the additions of showed no effects. Crack closure was observed in all where addition change displayed little effect on stresses. Finite element models with a sharp stationary material parameters switching provided acceptable predictions for maximum, minimum,