Low-cycle fatigue behaviour of a Ni-based single-crystal superalloy

In this study, low-cycle fatigue (LCF) tests at 500 degrees C in the < 001 >, < 011 > and < 111 > directions have been performed for the Ni-based single-crystal superalloy MD2. All tests were carried out in strain control with R-is an element of = -1. The < 001 > direction has the lowest stiffness of the three directions and also shows the best fatigue properties in this study followed by the < 011 > and < 111 > directions, respectively. It is well recognised that Ni-based single-crystal superalloys show a tension/compression asymmetry in yield strength and this study shows that a tension/compression asymmetry is also present during LCF conditions. At mid-life, the < 001 > direction generally has a higher stress in tension than in compression, while the opposite is true for the < 011 > direction. For the < 111 > direction the asymmetry is found to be strain range dependent. The < 011 > and < 111 > directions show a cyclic hardening behaviour when comparing cyclic stress-strain curves with monotonic stress-strain curves. In addition, the < 011 > and < 111 > directions show a serrated yielding behaviour for a number of cycles while the yielding of the < 001 > direction is more stable.