Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior in a Rolled Plate of Aluminum Alloy

Abstract

Aluminum alloys generally contain constituent particles. The population density and size these particles are important while considering fatigue performance. In present study, the crack growth process in stage II in the rolled plate of a high strength aluminum alloy AA 2219 was studied on samples prepared along the rolling direction. A three fold approach was adopted to understand the fatigue crack growth process: i) microstructural analysis ii) fatigue testing iii) post-fracture analysis. Microstructural analysis revealed a high density of constituent particles in the material. EDS analysis showed that the particles were mainly of CuAl2 type. However, particles with high concentration of Fe and Mn were also present in the material. Fatigue crack propagation tests were performed by using middle tension (MT) specimens prepared in rolling direction under constant amplitude loads. The da/dN vs ΔK plot on log-log scale showed a sigmoidal shape with a sharp increase of crack growth rate in the steady state regime. Topographical features were studied to understand the interaction of fatigue crack with the microstructural features. Post fracture analysis revealed that the macro fracture appearance changed with the change of stress level. However, the general mechanism of crack growth, in all the stress levels studied, was by formation of striations. At lower stress levels almost flat region with striations is present upto the final fracture. The crack growth surface showed crystallographic features with crack propagation almost perpendicular to the loading direction. However, a comparatively tortuous fatigue region was evident in the sample tested at high level of stress. The observation of crack path surface at high magnification did not reveal any influence of particles on the crack growth process. However, in sections taken from the fractured samples cracking and debonding of the constituent particles was observed near the fatigue crack path.