Load cycles representing one block of loading

No of Cycles ‘g’ loads

300 0.5 to 0.75
330 0.75 to 1.0
450 1.0 to 1.25
150 1.25 to 1.5
31 0 to 1.75
4 0 to 2.0
30 -0.5 to 1.5

1.0E + 00
1 10 100

1.0E -01

da/dN
1.0E -02

1.0E -03

1.0E -04

1.0E -05

1.0E -06

SIF K
Mpa√m

Fig: Fatigue crack growth rate curve for aluminum alloy 2024-T351
Calculation of SIF Kmax for 0.5 mm crack length
From FEA results and MVCCI method, the SIF K max obtained for initial crack length
of 0.5 mm at 2g load = 11.5461 MPa√m

From Linear interpolation, for 0.5 mm crack length, the SIF K max at 0.75g

11.5461
= ----------- X 0.75
2
K max = 4.3297 MPa√m

The SIF K opening is given by the formula

Kopening = K max (0.5 + 0.4R)
Where K max = Maximum SIF
R = Stress ratio

Stress ratio R is calculated from the formula

gmin
R = ---------
gmax
0.5
R = --------
0.75
R = 0.6667

Substituting the values of Kmax and R in

Kopening = K max (0.5 + 0.4R)
= 4.3297 (0.5 + 0.4 (0.6667))
Kopening = 3.31951 MPa√m

Substituting the values of Kmax and Kopening in

ΔK eff = Kmax - Kopening
= 4.3297 - 3.31951
ΔK eff = 1.01019 MPa√m
For a given ΔK eff one can find out da/dN from FCG material data curve shown in
figure above.
For ΔKeff =1.01019 the value of da/dN from the material data curve is 0. Similarly
ΔKeff is calculated for different ‘g’ loads mentioned in Table and (da/dN) is obtained
from FCG curve shown in figure.

From the obtained data of ΔK eff, da/dN and block of loading dN (from table 5.4) crack
increment ‘da’ for each load cycle is calculated a nd the total crack increment for a
block of loading can be obtained.