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Towards Prediction of Failure in Ti‐6AI‐4V Aerospace Materials by Surface Observations
Author(s) -
Matikas Theodore E.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
strain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.477
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1475-1305
pISSN - 0039-2103
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-1305.2008.00604.x
Subject(s) - materials science , titanium alloy , microstructure , metallurgy , stress intensity factor , deformation (meteorology) , fracture (geology) , service life , nondestructive testing , alloy , structural material , aerospace , structural engineering , composite material , fracture mechanics , engineering , medicine , radiology , aerospace engineering
This paper deals with the development of a methodology for the prediction of material failure in metallic aerospace alloys by evaluating changes in surface characteristics directly prior to unstable fatigue crack propagation. The study is based on in situ nondestructive characterisation of the depression zone ahead of the crack tip of fatigue‐pre‐cracked titanium alloy specimens subjected to static loading. A relationship between the surface characteristics of the deformation zone ahead of the crack and the stress intensity factor of the material was obtained. This relationship was common to a variety of microstructural conditions such as mill‐annealed and β‐annealed microstructures. Based on the analysis, prediction of the impending fracture in cracked samples of the material was enabled. The outcome of this study can be used for optimising the service life of structural components.