Stress ratio and the fatigue damage map—Part II: The 2024-T351 aluminium alloy

In this second part an experimental matrix designed to verify the modelling in part I is presented. The obtained experimental data consist of crack growth rates, S–N curves, crack arrest curves and an extensive fractographic analysis to measure Stage I to Stage II and Stage II to Stage III transitions. Comparisons between the experimental data and the modelling confirmed that the concept of the fatigue damage map can be used to predict the effect of the stress ratio on the fatigue behaviour of the 2024-T351 aluminium alloy. Prediction error in the case of the crack arrest behaviour is also acknowledged.