Modified Kitagawa–Takahashi diagram accounting for finite notch depths

The Kitagawa–Takahashi diagram in its commonly used form allows to predict, for cracks of given length and stress range, the allowable stress range for infinite life. However, caution is advised if a crack emanates not directly from the plane surface but from a sharp, crack-like notch instead. In this contribution, it is shown that taking the crack length equal to the total flaw depth (sum of notch depth and crack length) gives non-conservative results. Based on a simple mechanical model, a 3-dimensional Kitagawa–Takahashi diagram considering the build-up of crack growth resistance as well as the influence of the notch depth is developed. Comparison of model predictions and experimental results shows good agreement.