A new approach to model the fatigue anisotropy due to non-metallic inclusions in forged steels

The objective of this work is to propose an anisotropic fatigue criterion for the sizing of industrial forged components. The results from different experimental campaigns using three different rolled steels are first presented. The effect of inclusions and the microstructure on the fatigue behaviour are investigated. For the two ferrite-pearlitic steels tested, the presence of a microstructure consisting of elongated grains has no observable effects on the fatigue behaviour. For two of the three steels studied the presence of non-metallic inclusions, elongated in the rolling direction, form the origin of the anisotropic fatigue behaviour. The proposed probabilistic model is based on the competition between two possible fatigue crack initiation mechanisms. The anisotropic character of the fatigue resistance of forged components is taken into account by the definition of the geometry and the orientation of the non-metallic inclusion. This criterion results in the establishment of a probabilistic Kitagawa type diagram. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.