In this study, in order to investigate crack retardation behavior and the variability of retardation cycles, crack growth tests are conducted on 7075-T6 aluminum alloy under a single tensile overload. A retardation coefficient D is introduced herein as the ratio of the crack growth rate under constant amplitude loading and the crack growth rate after an overload. This coefficient D is separatel...

Studies on the growth of small cracks have led to the observation that fatigue life of many engineering materials is primarily “crack growth” from micro-structural features, such as inclusion particles, voids, slip-bands or from manufacturing defects. This paper reviews the capabilities of a plasticity-induced crack-closure model to predict fatigue lives of metallic materials using “small-crack...

Studies on the growth of small cracks have led to the observation that fatigue life of many engineering materials is primarily “crack growth” from micro-structural features, such as inclusion particles, voids, slip-bands or from manufacturing defects. This paper reviews the capabilities of a plasticity-induced crack-closure model to predict fatigue lives of metallic materials using “small-crack...

An understanding of how fatigue cracks grow in bone is of importance as fatigue is thought to be the main cause of clinical stress fractures. This study presents new results on the fatigue-crack growth behavior of small surface cracks (approximately 75-1000 microm in size) in human cortical bone, and compares their growth rates with data from other published studies on the behavior of both surf...

Fatigue crack growth (FCG) research conducted in the near threshold regime has identified a room temperature creep crack growth damage mechanism for a fine grain powder metallurgy (PM) aluminum alloy (8009). At very low ∆K, an abrupt acceleration in room temperature FCG rate occurs at high stress ratio (R = Kmin/Kmax). The near threshold accelerated FCG rates are exacerbated by increased levels...

Successful arrest and retardation of fatigue cracks is achieved with an in situ self-healing epoxy matrix composite that incorporates microencapsulated dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) healing agent and Grubbs first generation Ru catalyst. Healing agent is released into the crack plane by the propagating crack, where it polymerizes to form a polymer wedge, generating a crack tip shielding mechanism. Du...

Quantifying the uncertainty in model parameters for the purpose of damage prognosis can be accomplished utilizing Bayesian inference and damage diagnosis techniques such as non-destructive evaluation or structural health monitoring. The number of samples required to solve the Bayesian inverse problem through common sampling techniques (e.g., Markov chain Monte Carlo) renders high-fidelity finit...

16 This paper presents a novel large-area strain sensing technology for monitoring fatigue cracks in 17 steel bridges. The technology is based on a soft elastomeric capacitor (SEC), which serves as a 18 flexible and large-area strain gauge. Previous experiments have verified the SEC’s capability to 19 monitor low-cycle fatigue cracks experiencing large plastic deformation and large crack openin...

The fatigue crack growth behavior of a cracked and patch-repaired AA2024-T3 panel has been monitored by acoustic emission (AE). It was found that the overall crack growth rate was reduced and the crack propagation into the adjacent rivet hole was also retarded by introducing the patch repair. AE signals due to crack growth after the patch repair and those due to disbonding of the aluminum-patch...

This paper presents a methodology for assessing the confidence and the predictive capability of prognosis models, using the application of fatigue crack growth analysis. Structures with complicated geometry and multi-axial variable amplitude loading conditions are considered. Several models – finite element model, crack growth model, retardation model, surrogate model, etc. – are efficiently co...