The Effect of Phase Transformation on The Fatigue Crack Growth Rate of Austenitic Stainless Steels Tested in Argon and Hydrogen Atmospheres

This work is a comparative study of the fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) of two austenitic stainless steels, AISI 301 and AISI 302. The objective was to determine how differences in the austenitic stabilities ((gamma)(--->)(alpha)') of the two steels would affect their respective FCGR's. Tests were run in argon, hydrogen, and a smaller number in air. In addition to determining the FCGR's, a number of other quantities were also measured using various techniques. The plastic zone size of some specimens was determined by using a microhardness tester and electron channeling data. The residual stress around the crack tip was measured using strain gages. The volume fraction of martensite was determined by measuring the magnetic permeability and by using quantitative metallography. The phase present along the path of the fatigue crack was determined by using glancing incidence electron diffraction.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Metallurgical Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Schuster, Gary Benjamin August

• Engineering, Metallurgy

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8203582

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/71790