Issue 30

A. Risitano et alii, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 30 (2014) 201-210; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.30.26 203 where:  dV p is the rate at which the volume V is plastically deformed ( dV p =V-V e );  S is the original cross-sectional area of the specimen ( S=a·b );  a is the specimen width;  b is the specimen thickness;  S l is the lateral parallepiped surface ( S l  2V/b for a  b );  l 0 is the original length of the specimen;  Δl p is the plastic elongation;  ε p is the plastic strain ( ε p = Δl p /l 0 );  k c is the thermal convection coefficient;  dT e is the temperature increment of the elastic crystal as it encounters the ambient temperature;  dT is the temperature increment of the volume V as it encounters the ambient temperature;  m is the conversion coefficient; and,  ρ 1 is the density after deformation. 0 0 0 t t      (3) 0 0 p r p c l t v l t     (4) c r r S v t   (5) where, r  is the fracture stress of the specimen and r t is the time in which the plasticization phenomenon starts. In accordance with the laws of the mechanics fracture, it has been supposed the following law for the plasticization volume: 2 2 p r V V t t  (6) 2 2 r V V V t t    (7) The transition point between the two phases is where the microscopic deformative irreversible phenomena begin and they can be appreciated just referring to non-conventional parameters. In other words, the methods based on the springback cannot be useful for the identification of that point. The experience gained during the fatigue tests with the evaluation of the damage parameters based on the energy methods, show that the fatigue rupture occurs (even at a very high number of cycles) when, at a microscopic level, some irreversible deformation appear due to the presence of external or internal defects (inclusions, dislocations, etc.) which over time (during the cycle progresses) cause some micro-cracks that increase in size (with its heat development) as it gets closer to the complete rupture of the material. The static traction test, assumed as the first loading ramp of a tensile fatigue stress, can give information about the beginning of the internal heat generated by the local irreversible plastic deformations. If repetitive loads (fatigue load) are applied to the specimen with the maximum values of stress equal to that of the first plasticization, the specimen, after a certain number of cycles (high or very high), will break. Based on these considerations and using an unconventional and more general method, Risitano has defined as the fatigue limit at high (or very high) number of cycles, the stress for which at any point (crystal) of the material (even at the microscopic level) microplasticizzations occur. For this value of the fatigue stress (  0 in Fig. 1) and for different value of load ratio R, the specimen will break at different Nr cycles (Fig. 2). And more, for stress value  less than  0 failures never happen; on the contrary, for  over  0, failures there will be always. We can assume the cycles number Nr for R= -1 as the number limit Nr (lim) (equivalent to the conventional value 2·10 6 ) and consequently at this Nr (lim) number, the failures, for different loads ratio R, will be but only for stress value over the fatigue limit (before defined). Starting from the above mentioned observations it appears clear relevant to define the beginning of the local plasticization phenomena which could indicate the stress ranges for which the phenomenon of fatigue and its typical rupture may