FME 451

Material Science and Engineering IV

Tutorial Question

1. Define the critical stress intensity factor 𝐾𝐼𝐶 in Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics
(LEFM), explain its significance in determining fracture toughness.
2. Discuss how the concept of the J-integral is used in Elastic-Plastic Fracture Mechanics
(EPFM) to assess the energy release rate for materials with large plastic zones.
3. Describe how increasing the toughness of ceramics could be achieved through
microstructural changes.
4. Explain how Weibull statistics are used to assess the reliability of brittle materials under
tensile stress, and describe its relevance in fracture mechanics.
5. How does the presence of residual stresses near a crack tip influence the fracture
mechanics in brittle vs. ductile materials?
6. How does the stress intensity factor K vary with crack length in a plate under uniform
tensile stress? Demonstrate this relationship mathematically.
7. A cracked body is subjected to cyclic loading. Describe the mechanism by which crack
closure can influence fatigue crack growth rates.
8. Describe the three stages of fatigue crack growth and identify how the rate of crack
propagation varies within each stage.
𝑑𝑎
9. In the Paris Law equation, = 𝐶(∆𝐾)𝑚 , explain the terms and discuss how material
𝑑𝑁
properties influence the constants C and m.
10. Discuss the role of microstructural barriers in slowing down crack propagation in fatigue
and give examples of such barriers.
11. Explain the concept of crack tip blunting and how it contributes to slowing the rate of
crack propagation in ductile materials.
12. Why do some materials exhibit a threshold stress intensity factor ∆𝐾𝑡ℎ in fatigue? How
does it affect the initial stage of crack propagation?
13. Describe how environmental factors (e.g., corrosion) can accelerate fatigue crack growth
and provide examples of such mechanisms.
14. Analyze how overloads during cyclic loading can affect subsequent fatigue crack growth
rates. Discuss mechanisms like crack closure and strain hardening.
15. Explain how the R-ratio (ratio of minimum to maximum load in a fatigue cycle) affects
crack growth rates in fatigue.
16. In high-cycle fatigue, what microstructural features can influence crack initiation sites,
and how can this knowledge be used to enhance fatigue resistance?
17. Describe how microstructural inhomogeneities (e.g., voids) can act as initiation sites for
fatigue cracks.
18. Explain how surface roughness affects fatigue crack initiation in metals and discuss
methods for improving surface finish to enhance fatigue life.
19. Discuss the role of cold working in improving resistance to fatigue crack initiation and
the effect of residual stresses.
20. How does grain size influence fatigue crack initiation in metals? Consider both coarse-
grained and fine-grained structures.
21. What factors typically influence the initiation of fatigue cracks in welded joints, and how
can design alterations reduce fatigue susceptibility?
22. Describe how stress concentrations affect fatigue crack initiation and give examples of
design features that can minimize stress risers.
23. Explain the significance of slip bands in fatigue crack initiation.
24. How does strain hardening and recovery affect the strain rate during secondary (steady-
state) creep? Discuss the balance of these mechanisms.
25. In a typical creep test, what changes would you expect to observe in the microstructure of
a material as it progresses from primary to tertiary creep?
26. Why is the secondary stage of creep (steady-state creep) often the most critical for
engineering design? Describe how the minimum creep rate influences design choices.

Calculation Type of Questions

27. Estimate the endurance strength of a 38.100 mm-diameter rod of AISI 1040 steel having
a machined finish and heat-treated to a tensile strength of 758.450 MPa, loaded in
rotating bending.
28. An aluminium alloy component with a thickness of 10 mm has a central crack measuring
5 mm in length. It is subjected to a tensile stress of 250 MPa. Assume a geometry factor
(Y) of 1.1 for this configuration.
a) Calculate the stress intensity factor (K) for the given conditions.
b) Determine if the crack is likely to propagate if the fracture toughness 𝐾𝐼𝐶 of the
alloy is 35 MPa√m.

29. A nuclear pressure vessel has a KIC of 40MPa√m and you know that the manufacturing
process has left quench cracks of ~3mm. What stresses will it be safe to allow the
pressure vessel to experience?
30. A CT specimen with a thickness of 10 mm is loaded until the plastic deformation region
near the crack tip is reached. Given a load-displacement curve area under the elastic load
is 150 N/mm and under plastic load is 200 N/mm, calculate the total J-integral value,
considering J is the sum of the elastic and plastic J values.
31. A steel plate with a crack under a tensile load has a yield strength σy of 250 MPa and a
Young's modulus (E) of 210 GPa. The crack length is 20 mm, and the applied stress (σ) is
100 MPa. Calculate the CTOD assuming plane stress conditions and using a simplified
45° construction model.
32. For a plate with an edge crack a=0.02 m under combined tensile stress σt =50 MPa and
bending stress σb=30 MPa, calculate 𝐾𝐼 using superposition: Take Yt = 1.12 and Yb=1.0.
33. In the figure shown, shaft A, made of AISI 1020 hot-rolled steel, is welded to a fixed
support and is subjected to loading by equal and opposite forces F via shaft B. A
theoretical stress-concentration factor Kts of 1.6 is induced in the shaft by the 3.175-mm
weld fillet. The length of shaft A from the fixed support to the connection at shaft B is
0.610 m. The load F cycles from 150 to 2224.111 N.
(a) For shaft A, find the factor of safety for infinite life using the Goodman fatigue failure
criterion.
(b) Repeat part (a) using the Gerber fatigue failure criterion.