fatigue failure requires an understanding of the fatigue process. This will be the focus of the next section. 2.4.

5 Physical Basis of Fatigue and K-Based Modelling For an initially uncracked component, the formation of cracks under cyclic loading is illustrated in Fig.2.30(a). At locations of stress concentrations (e.g. bends, corners), local yielding may occur. Dislocation movements lead to sliding of materials at an angle to the applied stress. In some locations, sliding will lead to the formation of extrusions on the surface while in some other locations, intrusions will be present. An intrusion will act like a sharp notch to initiate the propagation of a crack. The crack, which is originally parallel to the sliding direction, eventually orients itself perpendicular to the applied stress. Fig.2.30(b) illustrates the growth of an existing crack. When the maximum stress is applied, the crack opens. Yielding and the associated material sliding result in the formation of new surface at the crack tip. When stress decreases, the crack starts to close (fully or partially) and the new surface folds forward to extend the crack. Note that the area that can fold forward depends on the difference in crack openings at maximum and minimum stress. This explains the significance of stress range in fatigue behaviour. Slow crack growth under cyclic loading leads to the gradual weakening of a structural component, because the fracture stress decreases with crack size. Also, as the crack grows larger, the failure mode may change from ductile to brittle.

(a)
Extrusions Preferred Sliding Direction Intrusions produces a Sharp Notch

(b)
K min

K max

New Surface Formed

Crack Initiated from Notch Tip

K min

New Surface Folds Forward

Fig.2.30 Mechanisms for (a) Crack Initiation and (b) Crack Propagation during Fatigue

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