Fatigue dependence of residual magnetization in austenitic stainless steel plates

In order to estimate the amount of bending fatigue damage on austenitic stainless steel plates, we have investigated the relationship between plane bending stress and residual magnetization caused by martensitic structure in austenitic stainless steel plates. Magnetic flux density in the Z component caused by residual magnetization at I mm above a specimen is measured by using a high sensitivity fluxgate magnetic sensor. It can detect a very small magnetic flux density. From our experiments, the magnetic flux density at 1 nm above a specimen caused by residual magnetization has clear dependences on the increase of bending stress and the number of stress cycles. In this paper, the relationship between bending stress and residual magnetization in austenitic stainless steel plates is shown and the bending fatigue dependence of residual magnetization on them is discussed.