Low cycle fatigue behavior in vacuum of a 316L type austenitic stainless steel between 20 and 600°C Part I: Fatigue resistance and cyclic behavior

In the present work, the fatigue behavior of a 316L type stainless steel was investigated in the temperature range 20–600°C. Fatigue experiments at constant plastic strain amplitude were carried out in vacuum in order to determine the intrinsic effect of temperature on fatigue lifetime and cyclic properties. A particular behavior has been pointed out at intermediate temperatures (200–400°C) at which dynamic strain ageing takes place. This behavior is characterized by a strong secondary cyclic hardening and at the same time by a significant increase of the fatigue resistance. In air the role of temperature is affected by the environment coupled effects.