An experimental and numerical lifetime assessment of Al 2024 sheet

Abstract

This work is concerned with the simulation of ductile damage evolution and the respective final material failure resulting from load reversals (LCF). For that purpose, a continuum damage mechanics (CDM) model proposed by Lemaitre is modified and utilized. This model has been validated by means of experiments of Al2024 alloy. These experiments involve specimens with different testing conditions. First, monotonic tensile tests have been considered. Subsequently, the cyclic yielding behavior has been characterized performing cyclic plasticity and damage tests on flat smooth specimen. The predictions of the model are compared to the experimentally observed results. Within the present work, special emphasis is placed on the experimental setup for fatigue testing of flat specimens as well as on the predictions of the number of cycles to final failure and the crack initiation loci.