A Fatigue-Crack Growth Prediction Model Considering Stress Ratio Effects Based on Material Properties
Source abstract
Abstract
To overcome the limitation of the Paris law in capturing stress-ratio (R) effects, a modification of the Goodman model is introduced to account for the nonlinear variation of the fatigue limit with mean stress in this study. Based on the modified formulation, an equivalent crack driving force model incorporating R-effects is subsequently derived for fatigue-crack growth (FCG). The model unifies the stress-intensity factor ranges at different values of R into an equivalent value at R = 0 without introducing fitting parameters other than the Paris constants, relying solely on basic material properties (fatigue limit and tensile strength). This feature facilitates practical application and avoids extensive experimental calibration. Validation using FCG test results of Q345qD steel and 23 datasets show that the model outperforms classical models, achieving a goodness of fit up to 0.98 and demonstrating strong robustness and practical value for FCG prediction and residual-life assessment in engineering structures.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Fatigue and fracture mechanics · Rock Mechanics and Modeling · Numerical methods in engineering
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
School of Construction Machinery, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, China
Funding
National Natural Science Foundation of China · Science and Technology Project of Guangdong Province Traffic Group
References (43)
Show source-provided references
1. Fatigue life and crack growth prediction of metallic structures: A review10.1016/j.istruc.2025.109031 ↗
2. An investigation on damage tolerant design parameters of additively manufactured Al 2024: Fatigue crack growth rate and fracture toughness10.1016/j.mtcomm.2024.108480 ↗
3. A Critical Analysis of Crack Propagation Laws10.1115/1.3656900 ↗
4. Digital twin-based probabilistic prediction of microcrack initiation and propagation in the weld zone of orthotropic steel deck10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2024.108407 ↗
5. Damage and fatigue life prediction of short fiber reinforced composites submitted to variable temperature loading: Application to Sheet Molding Compound composites10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2020.105676 ↗
6. Material-independent stress ratio effect on the fatigue crack growth behavior10.1016/j.engfracmech.2021.108116 ↗
7. Microstructure dependent fatigue life prediction for short fibers reinforced composites: Application to sheet molding compounds10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2020.105731 ↗
8. Effect of crack closure and evaluation of the cyclic crack resistance of constructional alloys10.1007/BF00723386 ↗
9. Elber, W. (1971). The significance of fatigue crack closure. Damage Tolerance in Aircraft Structures, ASTM. ASTM STP 486.10.1520/STP26680S ↗
10. A new (ΔK+ Kmax)0.5 driving force parameter for crack growth in aluminum alloys10.1016/S0142-1123(01)00023-8 ↗
11. A fatigue crack driving force parameter with load ratio effects10.1016/S0142-1123(01)00158-X ↗
12. Improved modeling of the effect of R-ratio on crack growth rate10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2006.07.014 ↗
13. An equivalent driving force model for crack growth prediction under different stress ratios10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2011.03.006 ↗
14. A new approximate model for the R-ratio effect on fatigue crack growth rate10.1016/j.engfracmech.2014.02.010 ↗
15. From S-N to the Paris law with a new mixed-mode cohesive fatigue model for delamination in composites10.1016/j.tafmec.2020.102499 ↗
16. Notch size influence on fatigue limit of steels pertinent to grain size10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2021.106642 ↗
17. Mettu, S.R., Shivakumar, V., Beek, J.M., Yeh, F., Williams, L.C., Forman, R.G., McMahon, J.J., and Newman, J.C. (2026, January 02). NASGRO 3.0: A software for analyzing aging aircraft, The Second Joint NASA/FAA/DoD Conference on Aging Aircraft, Available online: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/.
18. Stress ratio influence on Paris parameter and fatigue driving force pertinent to material properties10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2024.108368 ↗
19. A generalized mean stress correction model based on distortional strain energy10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2017.07.023 ↗
20. A unified mean stress correction model for fatigue thresholds prediction of metals10.1016/j.engfracmech.2019.106787 ↗
21. An equivalent strain energy density model for fatigue life prediction under large compressive mean stress10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2023.107899 ↗
22. Mean stress effect correction using constant stress ratio S–N curves10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2013.02.019 ↗
23. Assessment of the mean-stress sensitivity factor method in stress-life fatigue predictions10.1520/JTE20120035 ↗
24. Dowling, N.E., Kampe, S.L., and Kral, M.V. (2007). Mechanical Behavior of Materials: Engineering Methods for Deformation, Fracture, and Fatigue, Pearson Education (US).
25. Mean stress effects in stress-life fatigue and the Walker equation10.1111/j.1460-2695.2008.01322.x ↗
26. A short and long crack growth model with mean stress correction based on cyclic resistance curve10.1016/j.tafmec.2023.103785 ↗
27. (2015). Standard Test Method for Measurement of Fatigue Crack Growth Rates (Standard No. ASTM E647-15).
28. (2013). Standard Test Methods for Tension Testing of Metallic Materials (Standard No. ASTM E8/E8M-13a).
29. (2017). Standard for Design of Steel Structures (Standard No. GB 50017-2017).
30. Experimental and probabilistic study of fatigue crack growth behavior of steel Q345qC under different stress ratios10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131986 ↗
31. Zhang, W., Bao, Z., Jiang, S., and He, J. (2016). An artificial neural network-based algorithm for evaluation of fatigue crack propagation considering nonlinear damage accumulation. Materials, 9.10.3390/ma9060483 ↗
32. Aluminum Association (2009). Aluminum Standards and Data, Aluminum Association.
33. Crack growth and closure behavior of short fatigue cracks10.1016/0013-7944(94)90091-4 ↗
34. A two parameter driving force for fatigue crack growth analysis10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2005.07.002 ↗
35. François, D., Pineau, A., and Zaoui, A. (1998). Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Kluwer Academic Publishers.10.1007/978-94-011-5246-4 ↗
36. Current Research on Fatigue Cracks (Current Japanese Materials Research, Vol. 1)
37. Effects of strain hardening and stress state on fatigue crack closure10.1016/S0142-1123(99)00085-7 ↗
38. Near-threshold fatigue crack propagation and internal cracks in steel10.1016/j.proeng.2010.03.167 ↗
39. Effects of stress ratio and temperature on fatigue growth in a Ti–6Al–4V alloy10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2005.06.007 ↗
40. Notch fatigue life prediction in metals: A critical distance model with microstructure and geometry effects10.1016/j.tafmec.2025.105213 ↗
41. Prediction of fatigue crack growth under constant amplitude loading and a single overload based on elasto-plastic crack tip stresses and strains10.1016/j.engfracmech.2007.03.024 ↗
42. The interrelation of the parameters in the Paris equation of fatigue crack growth10.1016/j.engfracmech.2012.08.016 ↗
43. Crack Growth Rate Model Derived from Domain Knowledge-Guided Symbolic Regression10.1186/s10033-023-00876-8 ↗