Effect of Humidity on Fatigue Strength of Age-Hardened Al Alloy
Ultrasonic and rotating bending fatigue tests were carried out using plain specimens and specimens with a small blind hole for an extruded and age-hardened Al alloy 7075-T6 in different environments in order to investigate the effect of humidity on fatigue strength and fracture mechanism. Fatigue strength was decreased by high humidity under both tests. The effect of humidity on fatigue strength was larger in ultrasonic fatigue. The humidity affected both of crack initiation and propagation processes. Crack propagated in tensile mode then changed to shear mode macroscopically in all environments under ultrasonic fatigue, though it was only in tensile mode under rotating bending fatigue. These differences in fracture mechanism related to the difference in environmental effect on fatigue strength in both tests.