Investigation Into Cumulative Damage Rules to Predict Fretting Fatigue Life of Ti-6Al-4V Under Two-Level Block Loading Condition¹

The effects of variable amplitude loading on fretting fatigue behavior of titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-4V were examined. Fretting fatigue tests were carried out under constant stress amplitude and three different two-level block loading conditions: high-low (Hi-Lo), low-high (Lo-Hi), and repeated block of high and low stress amplitudes. The damage fractions and fretting fatigue lives were estimated by linear and non-linear cumulative damage rules. Damage curve analysis (DCA) and double linear damage rule (DLDR) were capable to account for the loading order effects in Hi-Lo and Lo-Hi loadings. In addition, the predictions by DCA and DLDR were better than that by linear damage rule (LDR). Besides its simplicity of implementation, LDR was also capable of estimating failure lives reasonably well. Repeated two-level block loading resulted in shorter lives and lower fretting fatigue limit compared to those under constant amplitude loading. The degree of reduction in fretting fatigue lives and fatigue strength depended on the ratio of cycles at lower stress amplitude to that at higher stress amplitude. Fracture surface of specimens subjected to Hi-Lo and repeated block loading showed the clear evidence of change in stress amplitude of applied load. Especially, the repeated two-level block loading resulted in characteristic markers which reflected change in crack growth rates corresponding to different stress amplitudes.