Effects of Actual Marine Atmospheric Pre-Corrosion and Pre-Fatigue on the Fatigue Property of 7085 Aluminum Alloy

Effects of actual marine atmospheric precorrosion and prefatigue on the fatigue property of 7085-T7452 aluminum alloy were investigated by using the methods of marine atmospheric outdoor exposure tests and constant amplitude axial fatigue tests. Marine atmospheric corrosion morphologies, fatigue life, and fatigue fractography were analyzed. After three months of outdoor exposure, both pitting corrosion and intergranular corrosion (IGC) occurred, while the latter was the dominant marine atmospheric corrosion mode. Marine atmospheric precorrosion could result in a dramatical decrease in the fatigue life of the as-received 7085-T7452 aluminum alloy, while selective prefatigue can improve the total fatigue life of the precorroded specimen. The mechanism of the actual marine atmospheric corrosion and its effects on the fatigue life of the 7085-T7452 aluminum alloy were also discussed.

High-Cycle Fatigue Life of AZ31 and AZ61 Magnesium Alloys

Usefulness of the magnesium alloys for construction of structural components is determined, apart from their low density, by a number of favourable mechanical properties and in the case of their use for components of transport means additionally by good fatigue strength. In this study, 12 mm diameter extruded rods of AZ31 and AZ61 magnesium alloys were used as test material. After extrusion the rods were annealed at a temperature of 400°C, with a 60 min soaking period and subsequent cooling in air. Cylindrical specimens with a diameter of d0 = 8 mm were made for the fatigue test under high-cycle rotary bending conditions with the cycle asymmetry coefficient R = -1. The tests were carried out for a limited fatigue strength range. Examination of microstructure of tested alloys and fatigue fractography were also performed. During the high-cycle fatigue tests it was found that the AZ61 alloy has a longer fatigue life. Based on the obtained results, fatigue life characteristics of the tested materials were drawn up.

Analysis on Fatigue Crack Propagation and Fractography of A7075 Aluminum Alloy

The fatigue fractography and surface of A7075 aluminum alloy was investigated by means of optical microscope, scanning electron microscope and technology of metallurgic replica. The results show that the fatigue crack generally initiated in the surface or near the surface of the sample area, such as hole and inclusion. The crack propagation regions under high stress amplitude was characterized by furrow and hollow, and obviously presented fine ripple vein. While lots of fatigue striations and sidesteps with the holes and secondary cracks generated in the crack propagation regions of low stress amplitude. Fatigue transient breaking area is a mixed fracture of brittle and ductile fracture. In the fatigue crack propagation stage, with the increasing of cycle times, secondary cracks gradually merged into primary crack on the path of crack propagation. The dislocation of crack tip,grain boundaries and different grain orientations have great influence on the path of crack growth, which can make cracks bending.