ANALYSIS OF CRACK INITIATION AND PROPAGATION IN FRETTING FATIGUE: THE EFFECTIVE INITIAL FLAW SIZE METHODOLOGY

Abstract

Abstract— A number of fretting fatigue tests were carried out on CMV steel and INCO 718 alloys under closely controlled experimental conditions. A fracture mechanics‐based lifing model was developed and the Paris Law employed to predict fatigue lives under a range of experimental conditions. An effective initial flaw size was used to describe initiation and early propagation of cracks. This approach was found to give good predictions of fatigue life of specimens for different values of bulk stress under the same fretting load.