Crack Shape Effects on the Fatigue Behaviour of HFMI Treated Welds Under Variable Amplitude Loading Conditions

Author:  Rakesh Ranjan, Scott Walbridge
Source:  ICSP-13
Doc ID:  2017126
Year of Publication:  2017
Abstract:  
Introduction: High frequency mechanical impact (HFMI) treatments have received increasing attention in recent years by researchers and engineers as an effective means for improving the fatigue performance of the welds in cyclically loaded components and structures [1,2]. It is generally recognized that the primary mechanism whereby this improvement is achieved is through the compressive residual stresses introduced by the treatment. Having the ability to accurately predict the fatigue behaviour and performance of HFMI treated welds is of vital importance for establishing design rules and quality control guidelines, as well as for enabling accurate assessment of the economic implications of employing these treatments in new designs and fatigue retrofitting projects. Previous research by the author group has shown that nonlinear fracture mechanics can serve as a valuable tool for predicting the effects of HFMI treatment for various materials (e.g. aluminium, mild steel, and high strength steel) under both constant and variable amplitude loading conditions [3-5].