A comparison of Mode III threshold under simple shear and RCF conditions

A novel experimental method, previously developed by the authors, has been applied in order to promote Mode III co-planar crack propagation in a bearing steel. The method consists in out-of-phase multiaxial fatigue tests, adopting a stress history typical of sub-surface RCF, onto specimens containing micro-notches that were previously subjected to Mode I pre-cracking at R = −2. Three defect sizes, expressed in terms of Murakami’s √area parameter, equal to 630 μm, 315 μm and 220 μm were considered. The experimental data clearly show that the threshold conditions for out-of-phase tests is lower than in simple torsional tests, thus promoting the shear growth. This enhanced damage mechanism, which cannot be described neither in terms of fatigue criteria nor in terms of crack driving force at the crack tip, is characterised by intense plastic deformation and rubbing of the crack lips with an opening of the crack faces. In order to compare the multiaxial and torsional fatigue test results the effect of this type of opening on the friction of the crack faces will be investigated.