Author(s)

D.G. Pavlou

Abstract

As the direction of the mixed-mode fatigue crack growth may not be known in advance the T-fracture criterion is proposed to simulate the fatigue crack trajectories under general in-plane fatigue loading. The dilatational component of the strain energy density is found to be a suitable parameter for predicting the mixed-mode fatigue crack growth path, as well as the fatigue crack growth rate. Using the proposed concept for the predictions, only mode-I fatigue test data are required. The derived fatigue crack growth rate relationship takes into account both stress amplitude and mean stress effects, as well as the crack geometry and material properties. 1 Introduction Modern design considerations based on damage tolerance philosophy often require prediction of fatigue crack growth under biaxial loading. However, most of

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