An investigation of the effects of microstructure on fatigue crack growth in Ti-6242

Surface and subsurface crack nucleation and growth mechanisms are elucidated for equiaxed (microstructure 1), elongated (microstructure 2), and colony (microstructure 3) microstructures of Ti6242. Prominent cleavage facets, indicative of a Stroh-type dislocation-pile phenomenon characterize the nucleation sites. Beachmarking and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques are used to study fatigue crack growth rates and crack shape evolution in the short and long crack regimes. The studies reveal that surface crack growth rate data are generally comparable to the through-crack growth rate data in the long crack growth regime. However, the depth crack growth rates are somewhat slower than the through-crack growth rates. Surface crack evolution profiles are shown to exhibit a tendency towards "Preferred Propagation Paths" (PPPs). However, the magnitudes of the aspect ratios along the PPPs are different from those reported for square or rectangular cross sections subjected to cyclic tension or bending loads. Finally, the measured crack lengths and aspect ratios are compared with predictions obtained from a fracture mechanics model.