Experimental and numerical analysis of fatigue cracks emanating from internal defects in Ti6Al4V SLM

Abstract

In the present work a series of fatigue tests on Ti6Al4V SLM parts are analyzed via both SEM and confocal microscopy. On the one hand, fracture surfaces are studied, and a common pattern is found, formed by a series of different textures which show the complex crack front evolution from crack initiation in a particular internal defect to complete failure. On the other hand, fatigue strength is observed to highly depend on the defect where initiation takes place, so experimental observation of that critical entity is carried out. Both defect location within the specimen and shape are studied, considering the crack-like or blunt feature of every defect. Once experimental analysis is complete, numerical simulation is attempted. By making use of critical defect and residual stress measurements obtained experimentally, both fatigue strength and crack front evolution are estimated.