Strip yield modelling of fatigue crack under variable amplitude loading

The results from ‘strip yield’ approach of the FASTRAN type models of plasticity induced crack closure effects of fatigue cracks subjected to variable amplitude loadings are presented. The strip yield results are compared with authors’ finite element (FE) and experimental results. It has been observed that the strip yield model is seen to be fundamentally limited by choice of α (constraint factor) and corresponding to treat baseline closure effects. Double overload closure behavior is functionally similar for both strip yield and FE models. Under multiple overloads, an important functional difference is seen between FE and strip yield models. This has been linked to the absence of in-plane constraint in the strip yield model, which is seen to have a distinct decreasing influence on on-going closure effects.