Ultrasonic fatigue testing on high strength steel: Effect of stress concentration factors associated with corrosion pitting holes

Ultrasonic fatigue tests at the frequency of 20 kHz were carried out on the hot rolled low alloy steel grade (known as R5), which according to the International Classification Society of offshore systems, it is a steel with the highest ultimate tensile strength to manufacture mooring chains and accessories intended to position mooring applications. Tests were carried out at constant load ratio R = −1 on pre-corroded and no-corroded hourglass shape specimens; pre-corrosion was implemented according to ASTM standard G85. Stress concentration between two and three close hemispherical pitting holes on hourglass shape specimen undergoing uniaxial loading were obtained by finite element method. Experimental results show that fatigue life decreases with the proximity of two close pitting holes on the fracture surface. An exponential law is proposed for the stress concentration factor evolution with the proximity of two close pitting holes of identical radius; the trend of this law is confirmed by experimental results. Finally, fracture surfaces were analyzed and conclusions were listed concerning fatigue life, proximity of pitting holes on fracture surface, and the associated stress concentration factors.