Fatigue propagation threshold of short cracks under constant amplitude loading

In this study a threshold for fatigue crack propagation as a function of crack length is defined from a depth given by the position d of the strongest microstructural barrier to crack propagation, which defines the plain fatigue limit. The material threshold is estimated from the plain fatigue limit Deltasigma(eR), the position d of the strongest microstructural barrier and the threshold for long cracks, DeltaK(thR). The threshold for eight different materials for which experimental results can be obtained from the literature was estimated. Good agreement was observed in all cases. Some quantitative analyses of the fatigue propagation behavior of short cracks are carried out and discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.