Fatigue crack growth in the structural components under fully compressive loading

Abstract

Fatigue crack growth behaviors in weld components under compressive cyclic loading were studied. The crack growth rate not only under tensile cyclic loading but also under compressive one can be described quantitatively by the reverse plastic zone size at the crack tip. The reverse plastic zone size was calculated by finite element method taking initial weld residual stress and crack closure into account. Crack growth rate was reduced with its length in a logarithm function because of crack closure. However, the crack tip location finally progressed near the boundary position of monotonic plastic zone.