Cyclic Plasticity and Low Cycle Fatigue Life of Metals

Book excerpt: Hardbound. Low cycle fatigue failures have been identified as being connected with the low number of repeated working cycles of equipment which usually results from start-up, shut-down operations, or some necessary interruption of ordinary use. The vast amount of research carried out so far has shown that only detailed knowledge of the proper mechanisms, and thus recognition of the important parameters governing the fatigue failure, can effectively improve engineering design procedures. This book concentrates on the physical metallurgy approach to elastoplastic cyclic straining and its relation to the fatigue life of metals. Recent breakthroughs in the understanding of the appropriate mechanisms is summarized and the importance of short crack growth is emphasised. Special attention is given to the identification of the basic mechanisms underlying cyclic plastic straining, damage evolution, fatigue crack initiation and growth, which results in final frac