Fatigue Test and Unified Fatigue Life Calculation of Q460C Steel Notched Plates

In the present study, a total of 20 fatigue tests on notched plates of Q460C steel were carried out, where the effects of relative stress amplitude, Δσ/fy, and relative nominal maximum stress, σmax/fy, on the fatigue life of these notched plates were carefully examined. Theoretical analyses and numerical simulations were subsequently conducted, based on an ellipsoidal fracture model originally proposed by the second author, which has been validated for use as a fracture criterion of fatigue crack, to investigate the fatigue cracking in the Q460C steel notched plates. The theoretical model was further developed to estimate the fatigue life of the Q460C steel notched plates using a unified crack growth approach originally proposed by the second author. Based on the theoretical and simulated results, the accuracy of the unified crack growth approach, and the allowable stress fatigue life formula recommended in China’s code GB50017-2017, were assessed. The comparisons indicate that the unified crack growth approach is able to provide a reliable fatigue life assessment for the Q460C steel notched plates.

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