Fatigue and Corrosion-Fatigue Crack Propagation in Intermediate-Strength Aluminum Alloys

Abstract

Fatigue crack propagation studies were conducted on a variety of intermediate-strength aluminum alloys under high stress-intensity range cycling (ΔK > 10 ksiin.). Tests were conducted in ambient room air and in 3.5-percent NaCl saltwater environments. Data are presented on log-log coordinates in terms of fatigue crack growth rate (da/dN) as a function of the stress-intensity factor range (ΔK). Comparisons are made among similar crack propagation data for steel and titanium alloys.