Low-Cycle Fatigue of AISI 1010 Steel at Temperatures up to 1200°F (649°C)

Abstract

This program was undertaken to develop isothermal low-cycle fatigue information for AISI 1010 steel in air. Such information is needed to help predict acceptable conditions for equipment and structures operating at elevated temperatures. Tensile properties and cyclic stress-strain behavior were also developed. For lives between 103 and 106 cycles to failure, fatigue curves were developed at 70, 400, 600, 800, 1000, and 1200°F (21, 204, 316, 427,538, and 649°C). Data for these curves were obtained from constant-amplitude, fully reversed strain-cycling tests of axially loaded specimens. Results from the same experiments were used to define cyclic stress-strain curves at each of the above temperatures. Dynamic strain aging caused a maximum amount of cyclic hardening at 600°F (316°C). In terms of stress amplitude, the maximum fatigue strength was at 600°F (316°C). In terms of either total strain range or plastic strain range, the maximum fatigue resistance was at 400°F (204°C). At temperaures above 600°F (316°C), fatigue resistance decreased as temperature increased. Tensile hold periods caused a significant reduction in cyclic life at 800 and 1000°F (427 and 538°C) but had no noticeable effect on cyclic life at 600°F (316°C). Fatigue resistance was quantified in terms of power functions relating fatigue life to both plastic strain range and stress amplitude, and cyclic stress-strain response was quantified in terms of a power function relating stress amplitude to plastic strain amplitude. The method of strain-range partitioning provided good cyclic life predictions for the limited number of tensile hold-time experiments, although other types of hold periods were not evaluated.