| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/J65075/01 |
| Title: |
PROBABILISTIC APPROACH FOR FATIGUE DESIGN AND OPTIMISATION OF CAST ALUMINIUM STRUCTURES |
| Principal Investigator: |
Knott, Professor J |
| Other Investigators: |
|
| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
|
| Project Partners: |
|
| Department: |
Metallurgy and Materials |
| Organisation: |
University of Birmingham |
| Scheme: |
LINK |
| Starts: |
31 October 1994 |
Ends: |
29 April 1998 |
Value (£): |
180,061
|
| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
|
| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Manufacturing |
Transport Systems and Vehicles |
|
| Related Grants: |
|
| Panel History: |
|
|
Summary on Grant Application Form |
|
The research programme will focus on characterising the role of casting defects, such as pores or inclusions, in the fatigue failure process. It is a natural development of a previous SERC/ Rover supported study on LM25 at Swansea (GR/F 60700). The defects are essentially subsurface features but can become surface breaking following machining operations. Their shape, size and distribution within the alloy microstructure is highly variable thereby contributing significantly to the observed scatter in fatigue performance. These parameters will be characterised through detailed metallographic and fractographic investigations. Defect sensitivity will be assessed from this information, through fatigue studies on several representative cast conditions and by means of finite element stress analysis. The defect microstructural evaluation will be enhanced by interfacing the programme with a recently established Rover/Swansea CASE scheme focusing on the application of inhouse solidification software code to LM25 cast components. The fatigue studies will concentrate on both small and long crack development at a range of stresses and R values. Standard four point bend, corner crack and compact tension test pieces will be used with particular attention being given to the construction of a sufficiently large database to support subsequent statistical analysis and the development of probabilistic lifing methodology. A small amount of notch specimen testing will also be carried out to quantify the role of critically stressed volumes in defect.
|
|
Key Findings |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Potential use in non-academic contexts |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Impacts |
|
| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
|
| Date Materialised |
|
|
|
|
Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
| Project URL: |
|
| Further Information: |
|
| Organisation Website: |
http://www.bham.ac.uk |