Issue 41

S. E. Ferreira et alii, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 41 (2017) 129-138; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.41.18 137 FCG rates estimated by opposing ideas can yield similarly reasonable results. Moreover, when the SYM and the CDM techniques are properly combined, they also generate reasonable predictions. This does not means that these methods are equivalent. Indeed, while the CDM FCG rate estimates requires only measurable  N properties and need no data-fitting parameters, the SYM estimates use at least four data-fitting parameters in a pre-chosen FCG rule to achieve similar results. This is probably not a major problem from an engineering point of view, if such parameters are available. However, it is undeniable that to generate similar descriptions of measured FCG data using only standard  N properties and basic mechanical principles is a point in favor of CDM ideas. Finally, an additional point must be emphasized as well, although it is more philosophical than operational: the results presented here also indicate that a good description of some experimental data cannot be claimed as a conclusive proof of any model suitability, let alone of its prevalence. What is really important when discussing the performance of any given model is to clearly identify which set of properly measured experimental data it cannot describe well. This point is important, since after so many years still there is no consensus even about which are the true fatigue crack driving forces, let alone on the best FCG model. Indeed, whereas many defend that fatigue cracks are driven by  K eff , others affirm that fatigue crack closure is not even a major issue in FCG. The authors hope this relatively straightforward modeling exercise can contribute at least to avoid the radical opinions that are still too common in this field. C ONCLUSIONS CG models based on critical damage and strip-yield procedures are used to estimate da/dN  K curves of two materials under low and high R -ratios. These models are based on contradictory hypotheses about the cause for the FCG behavior. Whereas the SYMs assume FCG is driven by  K eff , so that it depends on the interference of the plastic wakes left behind the crack tip along the crack surfaces, the CDMs suppose fatigue cracks propagate by sequentially breaking volume elements ahead of the crack tip, which fail because they accumulate all the fatigue damage they could sustain. All FCG models studied here are compared against properly measured da/dN  K curves of a 7075-T6 Al alloy and of an AISI 1020 low carbon steel, which were experimentally obtained following standard ASTM E647 procedures. Moreover, the  N properties of such materials were also measured by standard procedures, following ASTM E606 recommendations. Moreover, both the FCG and the fatigue crack initiation properties were measured in coupons machined from the same material lot, to avoid any inconsistency in the data. Both the original CDMs (based on the HRR field displaced to eliminate the strain singularity ate the crack tip) and SYMs can describe reasonably well the measured data, even though they are apparently contradictory from a conceptual point of view. This is certainly an indication that such models are not incompatible. This claim is verified here by mixing them, using the strip yield mechanics instead of the HRR field to generate the strain field ahead of the crack tip needed for the critical damage calculations. First, this is done maintaining the hypothesis that the FCG curves can be described by McEvily’s single parameter model. Then, two new hypotheses are proposed to eliminate the need for such an assumption, namely (i) there is a limit strain range related to the threshold stress intensity factor range, and (ii) there is a maximum plastic strain related to the critical stress intensity factor. These limit strain values can be introduced in the  N damage calculations, eliminating one calculation step and allowing the CDM to easier deal with variable amplitude loading problems, a feature that will be discussed in future works. Finally, the quite reasonable performance of the predictions obtained from models based on so different hypothesis about the FCG driving forces also indicates that the good fitting of some properly obtained data set is not enough to prove which one is the best. R EFERENCES [1] Paris, P.C., Erdogan, F. A critical analysis of crack propagation laws. J Basic Eng 85 (1963) 528-534. [2] Castro, J.T.P., Meggiolaro, M.A., Fatigue Design Techniques, volume 3: Crack Propagation, Temperature and Statistical Effects. CreateSpace (2016). [3] Elber, W., Fatigue crack closure under cyclic tension. Eng Fract Mech, 2 1970) 37-45. [4] Elber, W., The significance of fatigue crack closure. Damage Tolerance in Aircraft Structures, ASTM STP, 486 (1971) 230-242. F