UC Davis

Damage tolerant structures require accurate fatigue crack growth rate models for life prediction. Central to these models are fracture mechanics similitude and empirically gathered growth rates. In this work, standard test methods failed to achieve similitude for 17-4PH stainless steel round-rod but succeeded for plate. Material product form differences are interrogated through constant ΔK tests, crack path analysis, residual stress (RS) characterization, and growth rate simulation. Analyses revealed that quench-induced RS in the round-rod promoted a non-planar, 3D crack path with closure effects. Strategies to mitigate the RS/path effects are evaluated by controlling constraint, closure, environment, and heat treatment.