Application of a total life prediction model for fretting fatigue in Ti–6Al–4V

A method for predicting the total fretting fatigue life is applied for Ti–6Al–4V dog-bone fretting fatigue specimens. The total life model incorporates a dual mechanism approach of including the crack initiation life and propagation life while simultaneously determining an associated initial flaw size. This technique adds autonomy to existing fretting fatigue models by releasing the dependence on estimating an initiation flaw size. The model is exercised on two sets of Ti–6Al–4V fretting fatigue experiments and compared to existing results and life prediction methods. The variable initiation crack length model predicts the experimental data and proves to be a new advancement in total fretting fatigue life prediction.