CORROSION FATIGUE CRACK INITIATION BEHAVIOR OF 316L STAINLESS STEEL IN HANK’S SOLUTION

This paper investigates the corrosion fatigue (CF) crack initiation behavior of 316L stainless steel in Hank's solution which simulates bodylike fluid. The CF experiments were conducted under the conditions of electrochemically accelerated, free immersion and pre-polarized pitting potential. The results showed that 316L stainless steel was susceptible to pitting corrosion in Hank's solution. Intergranular corrosion occurred obviously at the bottom of pits where the CF cracks initiated by the combined action of alternating stress and corrosive medium for the notch effect of stress concentrated in the grain boundaries.The CF crack propagation is both intergranular and transgranular.

Experimental investigation on the wake interference among wind turbines sited in atmospheric boundary layer winds

We examined experimentally the effects of incoming surface wind on the turbine wake and the wake interference among upstream and downstream wind turbines sited in atmospheric boundary layer（ABL） winds. The experiment was conducted in a large-scale ABL wind tunnel with scaled wind turbine models mounted in different incoming surface winds simulating the ABL winds over typical offshore/onshore wind farms. Power outputs and dynamic loadings acting on the turbine models and the wake flow characteristics behind the turbine models were quantified. The results revealed that the incoming surface winds significantly affect the turbine wake characteristics and wake interference between the upstream and downstream turbines. The velocity deficits in the turbine wakes recover faster in the incoming surface winds with relatively high turbulence levels. Variations of the power outputs and dynamic wind loadings acting on the downstream turbines sited in the wakes of upstream turbines are correlated well with the turbine wakes characteristics. At the same downstream locations, the downstream turbines have higher power outputs and experience greater static and fatigue loadings in the inflow with relatively high turbulence level, suggesting a smaller effect of wake interference for the turbines sited in onshore wind farms.

Atomic-Scale Insights into Damage Mechanisms of GGr15 Bearing Steel Under Cyclic Shear Fatigue

Alternating shear stress is a critical factor in the accumulation of damage during rolling contact fatigue,severely limiting the service life of bearings.However,the specific mechanisms responsible for the cyclic shear fatigue damage in bearing steel have not been fully understood.Here the mechanical response and microstructural evolution of a model GGr15 bearing steel under cyclic shear loading are investigated through the implementation of molecular dynamics simulations.The samples undergo 30 cycles under three different loading conditions with strains of 6.2%,9.2%,and 12.2%,respectively.The findings indicate that severe cyclic shear deformation results in early cyclic softening and significant accumulation of plastic damage in the bearing steel.Besides,samples subjected to higher strain-controlled loading exhibit higher plastic strain energy and shorter fatigue life.Additionally,strain localization is identified as the predominant damage mechanism in cyclic shear fatigue of the bearing steel,which accumulates and ultimately results in fatigue failure.Furthermore,simulation results also revealed the microstructural reasons for the strain localization(e.g.,BCC phase transformation into FCC and HCP phase),which well explained the formation of white etching areas.This study provides fresh atomic-scale insights into the mechanisms of cyclic shear fatigue damage in bearing steels.

Evaluation of mixed mode-Ⅰ/Ⅱ criteria for fatigue crack propagation using experiments and modeling

In this study, in-plane mixed mode-Ⅰ/Ⅱ fatigue crack growth simulations and experiments are performed for the Al 7075-T651 aluminum alloy which is widely used in the aerospace industry. Tests are carried out under different mode mixity ratios to evaluate the applicability of a fracture criterion developed in a previous study to mixed mode-Ⅰ/Ⅱ fatigue crack growth tests.Results obtained from the analyses and experiments are compared with existing and developed criteria in terms of crack growth lives. Compact Tension Shear（CTS） specimens, which enable mixed mode loading with loading devices under different loading angles, are used in the simulations and experiments. In an effort to model and simulate the actual conditions in the experiments, crack surfaces of fractured specimens are scanned, crack paths are modeled exactly, and contacts are defined between the contact surfaces of a specimen and the loading device for each crack propagation step in the analyses. Having computed the mixed mode stress intensity factors from the numerical analyses, propagation life cycles are predicted by existing and the developed mixed mode-Ⅰ/Ⅱ criteria and then compared with experimental results.