Surface & Coatings Technology 200 (2006) 6073 – 6078

www.elsevier.com/locate/surfcoat

Effect of carburizing on notch fatigue behaviour in AISI 316

austenitic stainless steel
Masayuki Akita a , Keiro Tokaji b,⁎
a
Technical Section, Faculty of Engineering, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
b
Department of Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
Received 11 July 2005; accepted in revised form 19 September 2005
Available online 14 November 2005

Abstract

The present paper describes the fatigue behaviour of carburized notched specimens in AISI 316 austenitic stainless steel. Cantilever-type rotary
bending fatigue tests have been performed using carburized notched specimens with three different stress concentration factors, Kt, of 2.08, 3.55
and 6.50 and the effects of carburizing on fatigue strength and notch sensitivity were discussed. Carburizing was performed at a temperature below
773 K for 35 h in a CO and H2 gas mixture and the resulting carburized case depth was approximately 40 μm. As normally observed, the fatigue
strengths of both the untreated and carburized specimens decreased with increasing Kt. All carburized notched specimens showed higher fatigue
strength than the untreated ones, and the extent of increase in fatigue strength decreased with increasing Kt and then saturated at high Kt values. In
the carburized notched specimens with Kt = 2.08 and 3.55, fatigue cracks initiated at the surface of the notch root when applied stress was high, but
underneath the carburized case (subsurface) when applied stress was low. On the contrary, the carburized notched specimens with Kt = 6.50
showed surface crack initiation at the notch root regardless of applied stress level. Furthermore, it was indicated that both the untreated and
carburized specimens had significantly low notch sensitivity, with a slight increase by carburizing.
© 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Notch fatigue behaviour; Carburizing; Austenitic stainless steel; Crack initiation; Notch sensitivity

1. Introduction has been reported. In addition to those techniques, a modified

In recent years, various properties such as high strength,
excellent corrosion and wear resistance have been strongly
required for structural materials because of the demands such
as high performance and use in severe environments of ma-
chine components and structures. Austenitic stainless steels
have excellent corrosion resistance, but they possess relatively
low strength and poor wear resistance. To improve those dis-
advantages, it is believed that application of various surface
engineering techniques would be effective. When surface-mod-
ified materials are applied to load-bearing components, the
fatigue properties become critical.
carburizing technique has been developed, which can apply to
austenitic stainless steels without any loss of their advantages
such as corrosion resistance and ductility [9]. Wear resistance and
strength can be improved by this method [9], but fatigue proper-
ties have not been known. In previous reports [10,11], therefore,
the authors studied the fatigue behaviour of carburized smooth
specimens in AISI 316 austenitic stainless steel and indicated that
fatigue strength was increased significantly by the carburizing.
In structural components, many geometric changes, i.e.,
notches such as groove, shoulder and hole inevitably exist
R27

51
Until now, the fatigue behaviour of austenitic stainless steel
φ14

φ10
φ5.5

modified by various surface engineering techniques such as shot

peening [1–5], laser [6], dynamic ion mixing [7] and coating [8] 50 40
115
⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +81 58 293 2500; fax: +81 58 230 1892.
E-mail address: tokaji@cc.gifu-u.ac.jp (K. Tokaji). Fig. 1. Configuration of smooth specimen.

0257-8972/$ - see front matter © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.surfcoat.2005.09.018
6074 M. Akita, K. Tokaji / Surface & Coatings Technology 200 (2006) 6073–6078

R7
Carburized AISI 316 steel
1000
Kt=2.08
φ14

φ6

φ8

Vickers hardness HV
Kt=3.55
800 Kt=6.50
42 51
Untreated
67
115 600

400
60 60 60
1

1 200

1
.40

0 20 40 60 80 100
R0.10

R0.03
R0

Distance from surface d (μm)

(a) Kt=2.08 (b) Kt=3.55 (c) Kt=6.50 Fig. 4. Vickers hardness profiles for carburized notched specimens.

Fig. 2. Configuration of notched specimens.

and fatigue failure takes place very frequently at the notch root
due to stress concentration. Hence, the application of surface
engineering techniques is expected to be more effective for
strengthening the notch root. Although the fatigue strength of
notched specimens in austenitic stainless steels has been
reported [12–15], no studies on the fatigue behaviour of sur-
face-modified notched specimens exist. Therefore, it is very
important to understand mechanisms of fracture resulting from
the surface-modified notch root, because it is assumed that the
effect of surface modification on fatigue behaviour would be
different from smooth specimens and the notch sensitivity
would also be affected by surface modification. In the present
study, cantilever-type rotary bending fatigue tests were per-
formed using carburized notched specimens with three different
stress concentration factors, Kt, of 2.08, 3.55 and 6.50 in AISI
316 austenitic stainless steel, and the effects of carburizing on
notch fatigue behaviour were discussed.
2. Experimental details
2.1. Materials and specimens
The material was solution treated at 1353 K for 1 h followed by
oil cooling, from which fatigue samples were machined.
The configurations of fatigue specimens are shown in Figs. 1
and 2. The smooth specimen has an hourglass shape with a
minimum diameter of 5.5 mm (Fig. 1). This gave a stress
concentration factor, Kt, of 1.03 under cantilever-type rotary
bending. In the notched specimens (Fig. 2), a circumferential
notch with a depth of 1 mm and three different notch radii, ρ, of
0.40 mm, 0.10 mm and 0.03 mm was introduced, whose Kt
values are 2.08, 3.55 and 6.50, respectively. After machining,
the following surface treatment was applied to the fatigue
specimens.
2.2. Surface modification technique
A modified gas-carburizing technique, which is called pio-
nite treatment [9], was performed at a temperature below 773 K
for 35 h in a CO and H2 gas mixture. During this process,
carbon is diffused into the material, and thus, a carbon-diffused
zone is formed at the surface region without any Cr carbide
formation where hardness is remarkably increased. It is be-
lieved that this treatment can improve wear resistance and
strength without any loss of corrosion resistance, ductility and
toughness of austenitic stainless steels.

The material used in the present study is the same AISI 316 2.3. Procedures
austenitic stainless steel of 16 mm diameter as in previous
reports [10,11] whose chemical composition (wt.%) is C 0.05, Fatigue tests were carried out using cantilever-type rotary
Si 0.35, Mn 1.35, P 0.033, S 0.025, Ni 10.1, Cr 16.9, Mo 2.11. bending fatigue testing machines operating at a frequency of 19

(a) (b)
Carburized case

50 μm 50 μm

Fig. 3. Microstructures: (a) untreated material, (b) carburized material.

 M. Akita, K. Tokaji / Surface & Coatings Technology 200 (2006) 6073–6078 6075

Table 1 equal to the case depth established by the microstructure

Mechanical properties
Material Proof stress Tensile strength
σ0.2 (MPa) σB (MPa)
Untreated 299 576
Carburized 581
Hz in laboratory air at ambient temperature. After experiment,
fracture surfaces were examined in detail by a scanning electron
microscope (SEM).
3. Results
3.1. Microstructure characterization
SEM micrographs of the microstructures after etching are
shown in Fig. 3. As well known, the untreated material has a
microstructure consisting of austenitic grains (Fig. 3a). In the
carburized materials, the surface region, which is clearly dis-
tinguished from the core material, can be recognized, which is
the case formed by carburizing (Fig. 3b). As can be seen in the
figure, the carburized case depth is approximately 40 μm. It has
been indicated that no Cr carbides were formed in the carbu-
rized case and the microstructure underneath the carburized
case was the same austenitic structure as in the untreated
material [9].
3.2. Hardness profile
Vickers hardness profiles measured on the minimum cross
section of the carburized notched specimens are represented in
Fig. 4, where the applied load was 0.098 N. It can be seen
that hardness at or near the surface attains more than approx-
imately 940 HV. Such high hardness cannot be obtained by
mechanical surface treatments such as shot peening, which
results in the maximum value of approximately 300 HV [2–
5]. Hardness rapidly decreases with increasing the distance
from the surface and then reaches a constant value of approx-
imately 220 HV that is the hardness of the core material, i.e.,
the untreated material. Regardless of notch geometry, the
region of the increased hardness is 40–50 μm that is nearly
550
Stress amplitude σ (MPa)
characterization shown in Fig. 3.
Elongation Reduction of
ϕ (%) area ψ (%)
3.3. Mechanical properties
67 77
57 72 Tensile tests were conducted using smooth specimens and
the obtained mechanical properties are listed in Table 1. It can
be seen that in the carburized specimen, tensile strength
increases and ductility decreases compared with the untreated
specimen, but the differences in tensile properties between the
untreated and carburized specimens are small, which is due to
very thin case depths of 40 μm.
From residual stress measurement by the X-ray diffraction
method under the conditions of the characteristic X-ray of
CrKα, the tube voltage of 35 kV, the tube current of 200 mA
and (220) plane reflection, it was found that the compressive
residual stress of approximately − 1500 MPa was measured at
the surface of a carburized smooth specimen [10].
3.4. Fatigue behaviour
3.4.1. Fatigue strength
The S–N diagram characterized in terms of nominal stress
amplitude, σ, for the untreated and carburized specimens is
shown in Fig. 5 and the obtained fatigue limits are also listed
in Table 2. As normally observed, fatigue strength decreases
with increasing Kt in both the untreated and carburized speci-
mens, but the differences in fatigue strength between the
notched specimens with Kt = 3.55 and 6.50 become small. In
the carburized specimens, the fatigue strengths increase signif-
icantly compared with the untreated specimens. As indicated in
previous reports [10,11], this is due to suppression of slip
deformation at the notch root surface because of remarkable
hardness increase, i.e., the resistance to crack initiation is sig-
nificantly enhanced in the carburized case. It should be noted
that the extent of increase in fatigue strength is largest in the
smooth specimen and decreases with increasing Kt, then tends
to saturate at Kt = 3.55 (see Table 2). It is also worth noting that
no non-propagating cracks were seen in all the run-out notched
specimens in both the untreated and carburized conditions.
3.4.2. Crack initiation
AISI 316 steel In the untreated notched specimens, it was found that fatigue

500 Smooth cracks initiated at the notch root surface due to cyclic slip
Kt=2.08
450 Kt=3.55 deformation, because a stage I-like facet was seen at the crack
Kt=6.50 initiation site regardless of applied stress level.
400
Figs. 6–8 reveal SEM micrographs of fracture surfaces near
350
the crack initiation site in the carburized notched specimens. In
300
250 Table 2
Fatigue limits in untreated and carburized specimens
200 Open: untreated
Solid: carburized Specimen Untreated Carburized Increased
150 4 5 6 7 8 σwo (MPa) σwc (MPa) ratio (%)
10 10 10 10 10
Number of cycles to failure Nf Smooth 305 390 27.9
Kt = 2.08 230 280 21.0
Kt = 3.55 200 230 15.0
Fig. 5. S–N diagram for untreated and carburized specimens characterized in
Kt = 6.50 190 220 15.8
terms of nominal stress amplitude.
6076 M. Akita, K. Tokaji / Surface & Coatings Technology 200 (2006) 6073–6078
(a)
50 μm
Fig. 6. SEM micrographs of fracture surfaces near crack initiation site in carburized notched specimens with Kt = 2.08: (a) surface (σ = 370 MPa, Nf = 1.7 × 104), (b)
subsurface (σ = 300 MPa, Nf = 5.3 × 105). Arrow indicates the crack initiation site.
the carburized notched specimens with Kt = 2.08 (Fig. 6) and
3.55 (Fig. 7), the crack initiation site depends on applied stress
level, where the cracks initiated at the notch root surface at high
applied stresses (surface crack initiation, Figs. 6a and 7a), while
underneath the carburized case at low applied stresses (subsur-
face crack initiation, Figs. 6b and 7b). On the contrary, in the
carburized notched specimens with Kt = 6.50 (Fig. 8), the cracks
generated at the notch root surface regardless of applied stress
level.
In the case of surface crack initiation, the cracks seem to be
initiated due to brittle fracture of the hard carburized case. On
the other hand, in the case of subsurface crack initiation, it is
believed that the cracks initiated due to cyclic slip deformation
underneath the carburized case and then immediately propagat-
ed to the surface. This is supported by the presence of a smooth
facet in the carburized case, which can be clearly recognized in
a carburized notched specimen with Kt = 3.55 at σ = 300 MPa
shown in Fig. 7.
4. Discussion
4.1. Subsurface crack initiation in carburized notched
specimens
The S–N diagram for the carburized notched specimens
characterized in terms of the maximum stress, σmax = Ktσ, is
shown in Fig. 9. As described previously, in the carburized
notched specimens with Kt = 2.08 and 3.55, the cracks initiated
at the notch root surface at high applied stresses, and under-
neath the carburized case at low applied stresses. On the con-
trary, in the notched specimen with Kt = 6.50, the cracks
(a)
50 μm
Fig. 7. SEM micrographs of fracture surfaces near crack initiation site in carburized notched specimens with Kt = 3.55: (a) surface (σ = 340 MPa, Nf = 2.5 × 104), (b)
subsurface (σ = 300 MPa, Nf = 1.2 × 105). Arrow indicates the crack initiation site.
(b)
50 μm
generated at the notch root surface regardless of applied stress
level. It should be noted that there are no changes in morphol-
ogy of the S–N curves depending on the crack initiation site,
surface or subsurface. This may be due to the very shallow
carburized case depth of 40 μm.
The authors have indicated previously that in the smooth
specimens, crack initiation took place underneath the carbu-
rized case independent of applied stress and case depth,
which could be understood reasonably by a simple stress–
strength model [10]. The hardness of the carburized case is
increased remarkably by carburizing; thus, the strength of the
carburized case increases significantly compared with the
core material. In the case of the smooth specimens, the
strengths of the carburized case were considerably higher
than applied stresses; thus, subsurface crack initiation always
occurred.
In the carburized notched specimens with Kt = 6.50, it is
believed that the maximum stresses play a significant role in
crack initiation, which are extremely high in the carburized
case; thus, the surface crack initiation would be attributed to
brittle fracture of the carburized case itself or caused by the
incompatibility of deformation due to large plastic deformation
at the soft core material underneath the carburized case. On the
other hand, in the carburized notched specimens with Kt = 2.08
and 3.55, subsurface crack initiation took place at low applied
stresses. In those specimens, the stress gradient at or near the
notch root would be significant. The maximum stresses at the
surface are considerably lower than in the notched specimens
with Kt = 6.55, but the applied stresses underneath the carbu-
rized case are still relatively high compared with those at the
surface due to gentle slopes of the stress gradient; thus, cyclic
(b)
50 μm
 M. Akita, K. Tokaji / Surface & Coatings Technology 200 (2006) 6073–6078 6077

(a) (b)

50 μm 50 μm

Fig. 8. SEM micrographs of fracture surfaces near crack initiation site in carburized notched specimens with Kt = 6.50: (a) surface (σ = 300 MPa, Nf = 1.2 × 105), (b)
surface (σ = 280 MPa, Nf = 3.4 × 105).

plastic deformation occurs there, then leading to crack initiation previously, no non-propagating cracks were seen in all the run-
prior to brittle fracture of the carburized case. out notched specimens in both the untreated and carburized
conditions; this implies that once cracks initiate, they continue
4.2. Relationship between fatigue limit and stress concentra- to grow and fatigue failure always occurs. Hence, the observed
tion factor fatigue limits are the threshold stresses for crack initiation. As
established in the present study, it has been indicated that non-
Fig. 10 illustrates the relationship between fatigue limit, propagating cracks were not recognized in austenitic stainless
σwk/σwo, and Kt, where σwk and σwo are the fatigue limits for steels such as AISI 304 and 316 [12–15].
the notched and smooth specimens, respectively. As described It is well known that in various materials, the σwk/σwo values
necessary for failure become independent of Kt beyond some
critical value of Kt, because of the existence of non-propagating
2500 cracks, while the σwk/σwo values for crack initiation decrease
Carburized AISI 316 steel
Maximum stress σmax (MPa)

Kt=2.08 continuously with increasing Kt, very close to the curve given
2000 Kt=3.55 by 1/Kt. As can be seen in the figure, the σwk/σwo values for the
Kt=6.50
untreated and carburized conditions decrease with increasing Kt
1500 and then tend to be constant at Kt ≥ 3.55 [15], which are
situated considerably above the 1/Kt curve, indicating low
1000 notch sensitivity.

500 Crack initiation site: 4.3. Effect of carburizing on notch sensitivity

Open: surface
Solid: underneath carburized case
0
10
4
10
5
10
6
10
7
10
8 The relationship between fatigue strength reduction factor,
Number of cycles to failure Nf Kf and Kt, is represented in Fig. 11, where Kf is defined as the
ratio of the fatigue limit for the smooth specimen, σwo, to that
Fig. 9. S–N diagram for carburized notched specimens characterized in terms of for the notched specimens, σwk. As can be seen in the figure,
maximum stress. the Kf values for the untreated condition are considerably
7
AISI 316 steel
Fatigue strength reduction factor Kf

1.0 Present results

AISI 316 steel 6
Open: untreated Open: untreated
Solid: carburized
Solid: carburized
0.8
5
Fatigue limit σwk/σw0

Kt=Kf
0.6 4 AISI 304 steel
Awatani et al. [12]
Hatanaka and
0.4 3 Shimizu [13]
AISI 316 steel
1/Kt Itatani et al. [15]
2
0.2

1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Stress concentration factor Kt
Stress concentration factor Kt
Fig. 11. Relationship between fatigue strength reduction factor and stress
Fig. 10. Relationship between fatigue limit and stress concentration factor. concentration factor.
6078 M. Akita, K. Tokaji / Surface & Coatings Technology 200 (2006) 6073–6078
lower than Kt and the difference between both increases with
increasing Kt, then tends to saturate at high Kt values [15].
This implies that the present material has very low notch
sensitivity. Similar results have been reported on AISI 304
and 316 austenitic stainless steels [12–15]. On the other hand,
the Kf values for the carburized condition have the same Kt
dependence as observed in the untreated condition but are
slightly larger in the entire Kt range. This indicates that the
notch sensitivity of the present material is only slightly in-
creased by carburizing.
5. Conclusions
In the present study, rotary bending fatigue tests were per-
formed in laboratory air at ambient temperature using carbu-
rized notched specimens with three different stress
concentration factors, Kt, of 2.28, 3.55 and 6.50 in AISI 316
austenitic stainless steel. The effects of carburizing on fatigue
strength and notch sensitivity were discussed. The main con-
clusions can be made as follows.
1. The surface hardness in the carburized case attained to more
than 940 HV and hardness decreased rapidly with increasing
the distance from the surface and then reached the core
hardness at 40–50 μm from the surface regardless of notch
geometry. The case depth established by the microstructure
characterization was 40 μm.
2. In both the untreated and carburized specimens, fatigue
strength decreased with increasing Kt, but the differences
in fatigue strength between the notched specimens with
Kt = 3.55 and 6.50 became small.
3. Fatigue strength was increased by carburizing and the extent
of increase was largest in the smooth specimen and de-
creased with increasing Kt, then saturated at Kt = 3.55. In
the run-out specimens in both the untreated and carburized
conditions, no non-propagating cracks were seen.
4. In the carburized notched specimens with Kt = 2.08 and 3.55,
crack initiation occurred at the notch root surface at high
applied stresses, while underneath the carburized case at low
applied stresses. On the contrary, in the carburized notched
specimens with Kt = 6.50, cracks initiated at the notch root
surface regardless of applied stress.
5. Both the untreated and carburized specimens indicated sig-
nificantly low notch sensitivity, with a slight increasing by
carburizing.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Air Water Inc. for the carburizing of
fatigue specimens. Thanks are also due to Mr Takenaka for
his experimental assistance.
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