Evaluation and prediction of material fatigue characteristics under impact loads: review and prospects

PurposeThe properties of materials under impact load are introduced in terms of metal, nonmetallic materials and composite materials. And the application of impact load research in biological fields is also mentioned. The current hot research topics and achievements in this field are summarized. In addition, some problems in theoretical modeling and testing of the mechanical properties of materials are discussed.Design/methodology/approachThe situation of materials under impact load is of great significance to show the mechanical performance. The performance of various materials under impact load is different, and there are many research methods. It is affected by some kinds of factors, such as the temperature, the gap and the speed of load.FindingsThe research on mechanical properties of materials under impact load has the characteristics as fellow. It is difficult to build the theoretical model, verify by experiment and analyze the data accumulation.Originality/valueThis review provides a reference for further study of material properties.

Comparison of mechanical properties of recent and 400-year-old European larch

Wood is considered the leading building material throughout the history of mankind. Wood has several advantages over other construction materials, which also makes it one of the most promising materials of the future. The environmental aspect also plays a major role today, as wood is a natural, renewable resource whose processing is very energy-intensive. Due to its repeated and widespread use in construction, the prediction of mechanical properties and their change over time is also very well known, as the overall safety of all buildings also depends on it. Therefore, we compared the mechanical properties of fresh European larch (Larix decidua) and 400-year-old larch found in the Ruard manor house on the Stara Sava in Jesenice, where the renovation of Upper Sava Museum is currently underway. In order to predict what will happen to the wood in the long term, it is necessary to expose the wood to the same conditions, i.e. to change it with dynamic loads or material fatigue. The effect of aging on flexural strength has not been confirmed. Fatigue results show that old wood withstood about 18 times fewer load cycles than recent larch wood.

Fractographic analysis of two fractured removable partial denture metal frameworks

This study aimed to analyze two cases of fracture of the metal framework of Co-Cr-based removable partial dentures, using fractography to identify a true cause of these failures. The first case concerned the coupling between the smaller and larger connectors; the patient brought his fractured removable partial dentures to the clinic. The second case referred to a larger connector; structure of the patient fractured during the test. For failure analysis, images of two fractured metal frameworks were taken by scanning electron microscopy to identify the origin of the fracture and to determine the mechanisms involved in the process. Subsequently, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used for elemental chemical mapping of the fracture interface. The fractography indicated material fatigue as a possible cause in the first case and an error in the casting process in the second. The energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy test, performed in the specimen of case B, showed predominant and characteristic peaks for Co and Cr, with a higher concentration of chromium. The fractures identified were associated with inclusions and with material fatigue and a number important characteristics were evidenced by the technique.

Injuries in Muscle-Tendon-Bone Units: A Systematic Review Considering the Role of Passive Tissue Fatigue

Background: Low-cycle fatigue damage accumulating to the point of structural failure has been recently reported at the origin of the human anterior cruciate ligament under strenuous repetitive loading. If this can occur in a ligament, low-cycle fatigue damage may also occur in the connective tissue of muscle-tendon units. To this end, we reviewed what is known about how, when, and where injuries of muscle-tendon units occur throughout the body. Purpose: To systematically review injuries in the muscle-tendon-bone complex; assess the site of injury (muscle belly, musculotendinous junction [MTJ], tendon/aponeurosis, tendon/aponeurosis–bone junction, and tendon/aponeurosis avulsion), incidence, muscles and tendons involved, mechanism of injury, and main symptoms; and consider the hypothesis that injury may often be consistent with the accumulation of multiscale material fatigue damage during repetitive submaximal loading regimens. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest were searched on July 24, 2019. Quality assessment was undertaken using ARRIVE, STROBE, and CARE (Animal Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments, Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology, and the Case Report Statement and Checklist, respectively). Results: Overall, 131 studies met the inclusion criteria, including 799 specimens and 2,823 patients who sustained 3,246 injuries. Laboratory studies showed a preponderance of failures at the MTJ, a viscoelastic behavior of muscle-tendon units, and damage accumulation at the MTJ with repetitive loading. Observational studies showed that 35% of injuries occurred in the tendon midsubstance; 28%, at the MTJ; 18%, at the tendon-bone junction; 13%, within the muscle belly and that 6% were tendon avulsions including a bone fragment. The biceps femoris was the most injured muscle (25%), followed by the supraspinatus (12%) and the Achilles tendon (9%). The most common symptoms were hematoma and/or swelling, tenderness, edema and muscle/tendon retraction. The onset of injury was consistent with tissue fatigue at all injury sites except for tendon avulsions, where 63% of the injuries were caused by an evident trauma. Conclusion: Excluding traumatic tendon avulsions, most injuries were consistent with the hypothesis that material fatigue damage accumulated during repetitive submaximal loading regimens. If supported by data from better imaging modalities, this has implications for improving injury detection, prevention, and training regimens.

Influence of competing notches on the fatigue strength of cut plate edges

Material fatigue is one of the elementary causes of damage in steel construction besides corrosion and abrasion. Design recommendations require that weld seams are placed in less stressed areas due to the crack-sensitive nature of the welded areas. As a result, unwelded areas of the components such as free cut plate edges gain technical and economic relevance as locations for potential fatigue cracks. In the metal processing industry, different thermal cutting processes are frequently used. During the process, unwanted boundary conditions can lead to undesired cuts in the component geometry during the cutting process. These process dysfunctions lead to incorrect components and to rejects. This article presents results of fatigue test data of oxy-fuel thermal cut edges of defect-free and faulty repair-welded samples to investigate the influence of competing notches on the cut edge. Specimens are made from construction steels S355N and S690Q of a 20-mm-thick plate. The presented data shows that the fatigue strength of the damaged cut edges can be recovered by the repair procedure and does not show any reduction of the fatigue strength due to the determined pores or other metallurgical notches of the repaired section.

RELIABILITY ANALYSIS OF HELICOPTER BLADE ROTOR PLAY BELL 412 USING NORMAL DISTRIBUTION METHOD

At the beginning of operation, a main rotor blade on helicopter is certainly in the best condition. When it gets older, the main rotor blade condition will decrease because of the presence of bent, material fatigue and human error during operation. Based on the background, it is necessary to identify the level of reliability of main rotor blade on the Bell 412 helicopter using the normal distribution method. The research data were the age of components of main rotor blade on Bell 412 helicopter during 27 years.Based on the analysis of calculation of the reliability level, employing the normal distribution method and using Microsoft Excel, the reliability value (R) of all serial numbers of Bell 412 helicopter main rotor blade was 99%, which indicates the reliability of the Bell 412 helicopter main rotor blade is very good.

Photosynthesis-assisted remodeling of three-dimensional printed structures

The mechanical properties of engineering structures continuously weaken during service life because of material fatigue or degradation. By contrast, living organisms are able to strengthen their mechanical properties by regenerating parts of their structures. For example, plants strengthen their cell structures by transforming photosynthesis-produced glucose into stiff polysaccharides. In this work, we realize hybrid materials that use photosynthesis of embedded chloroplasts to remodel their microstructures. These materials can be used to three-dimensionally (3D)-print functional structures, which are endowed with matrix-strengthening and crack healing when exposed to white light. The mechanism relies on a 3D-printable polymer that allows for an additional cross-linking reaction with photosynthesis-produced glucose in the material bulk or on the interface. The remodeling behavior can be suspended by freezing chloroplasts, regulated by mechanical preloads, and reversed by environmental cues. This work opens the door for the design of hybrid synthetic-living materials, for applications such as smart composites, lightweight structures, and soft robotics.

Investigation of fractures mechanisms of railway axles

The paper gives a systematic overview of literature sources who consider impacts critical damage of mechanical, corrosive and thermal nature which may occur on railway axles during operation and which may be the causes of their fracture. The results of the research of the mechanisms that cause cracks, crack propagation and final fracture of the railway vehicle axle, such as material fatigue and the appearance of localized notches caused by paint (coating) separation, damage from ballast impact and pitting corrosion are presented. The influence of high temperatures and overheating on the axles was analyzed and an excerpt from the research published in one research report was given. Some significant suggestions for optimizing the design of the axles are highlighted which would take into account the analysis of time-varying axle stresses, stress spectrum in operation, axle tolerance to damage and the existence of residual surface stresses. The reliefs of the fracture surfaces of the axle after the railway incidents and the derailment of the rail vehicle from the rails are presented and explained.