USAF Characteristic K Approach: A Robust Tool for Predicting Fatigue Crack Growth under Various Underload Spectra

This paper forms part of an ongoing investigation into the tools required in linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) for evaluating the durability of components designed for limited life replacement. In this study, we demonstrate that the USAF 'Characteristic ' method, when combined with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Materials 2024-07, Vol.17 (13), p.3303
Main Authors: Tiwari, Kushagra, Alankar, Alankar, Singh Raman, R K, Jones, Rhys
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Additive manufacturing
Aluminum base alloys
Certification
Cold
Crack propagation
Cracks
Elastic limit
Fatigue cracks
Fatigue failure
Fracture mechanics
Handbooks
Linear elastic fracture mechanics
Load
Military aircraft
Spectra
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Summary:This paper forms part of an ongoing investigation into the tools required in linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) for evaluating the durability of components designed for limited life replacement. In this study, we demonstrate that the USAF 'Characteristic ' method, when combined with the Hartman-Schijve adaptation of the NASGRO crack growth formula, can predict the impact of underloads on the propagation of small cracks in aluminum alloy AA7050-T7451 with reasonable accuracy. The published versus Δ small crack growth curves associated with five specific underload spectra are examined. It is found that, in each case, there is reasonably good agreement between the predicted and the measured curves. To the best of the author's knowledge, this paper is the first to highlight the ability of the USAF Characteristic approach, when coupled with the Hartman-Schijve equation, to reasonably accurately predict the growth of small cracks subjected to a range of underload spectra.
ISSN:1996-1944
1996-1944
DOI:10.3390/ma17133303