Fatigue assessments by the more robust strain-based approach demand the determination of the local strain history from nominal stresses. For notched members, a cyclic constitutive relation, the stress concentration factor SCF and a strain concentration rule are used with this aim in some approximate solutions. The plastic part of the cyclic constitutive relations for many materials is well adjusted by a Ramberg-Osgood RO type equation. The parameters in the RO equation are the cyclic strength coefficient and exponent H' and n' respectively. These parameters can be experimentally determined or estimated from the condition of strain compatibility between the RO and the Coffin-Manson-Basquin CMB equations. The present paper discusses the influence that the use of both types of parameters, independent or experimentally determined and compatible or estimated , has on the numerical stress-life curves of the AISI 4340 Aircraft Quality steel. By numerical stress-life curves we mean the stress amplitudes and the fatigue-life that result from the numerical solution of both, the strain-life CMB and the stress-strain RO relations, for the same strain amplitude. This would be equivalent to using a linear strain concentration rule notched members with two RO equations, one with independent parameters and the other with compatible parameters, for stress and life calculations. The effects of the stress state are also accounted for in the present investigation since both, stress-life and stressstrain equations are modified in accordance with the total deformation theory of plasticity and through the introduction of a plane stress biaxial ratio. The principal finding of the present paper is that, for the studied material, the numerical stress-life curves that result from the use of compatible and independent parameters are indistinguishable for the same stress state. Consequently, there are no important implications on life time calculations when the cyclic stress-strain curve is estimated in such a way that compatibility conditions for the AISI 4340 aircraft quality steel are ensured.

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An experimental device was constructed with the aim of testing various cylindrical V-notched specimens until fracture and under variable amplitude torsional loads. The specimens had different notch depths resulting in the same number of values for the stress concentration factor. Strain gages directly bonded at the specimens’ surface and using a slip ring system for their communication with the conditioner, allowed the measurement of the actual applied loads. The well-known rain flow cycle counting procedure was then applied on the scaled signal for identifying the frequency of the 64 classes of stress amplitudes and means. The traditional nominal stress-based approach was then evaluated as the most widely used tool for fatigue lifetime calculations. As the occurrence of stress amplitudes above the endurance fatigue limit tends to lower it, the Miner elementary method was used. The results show damage sum ranges between 0.5 and 6.4 with a mean value of 2.0. Despite the small size of the sample used in the present paper (only 13 tests), these significant deviations are in agreement with previous results reported by different researchers.

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Abstract:The austenitic stainless steels usually present an excellent combination of corrosion resistance and mechanical properties such as ductility in the annealed condition and high yield strength after cold deformation. Solution annealing in the AISI 304H is recommended before deformation process in order to improve ductility. However, long annealing during solution annealing can cause GG (grain growth) or AGG (abnormal grain growth) in the AISI 304H. In these cases, ductility is strongly decreased. Therefore, GG or AGG must be avoided during solution annealing. In this article, grain growth during solution annealing of the AISI 304H samples was determined. Samples of the AISI 304H were annealed at 1,100 °C for solution-annealing times varying from 15 min to 180 min. The results show that AGG took place for samples annealed at 1,100 °C for 30 min. In this condition, grain size reached 70 ± 10 µm. After annealing solution at 1,100 °C for 180 min, grain size reached 120 ± 20 µm. In summary, the results shown that solution annealing at 1,100 °C even for relatively short annealing promotes the prompt increase of the grain size.