Fatigue threshold and crack growth in an electron beam weld made of steel and bronze

In this research topic some experimental tests with single-edge notched beams were performed to determine the threshold load value for fatigue crack growth and to characterize fatigue crack behaviour of an electron beam weld made of steel and bronze. Subsequently, numerical analyses were done to estimate the threshold value ΔKth and to simulate the fatigue crack growth. The calculated crack path was compared to those determined experimentally. The objective was to find out the necessary fracture properties for an analysis of an electron beam welded worm wheel and to asses the capability of usual fracture analysis software to simulate fatigue crack growth in welds.