V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A.

Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108 97

Evolution of a mesostructure and the kinetics

of fatigue damage accumulation in welded structural steel joints
in near-plane-stress-state conditions
V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva1
Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science, SB, RAS, Tomsk, 634021, Russia
1
Tomsk Polytechnical University, Tomsk, 634034, Russia

The kinetics of mesoscale damage accumulation in welded structural steel joints (structural steel of type 10Mn2Si) in high-cycle
fatigue is studied based on measurements and on analysis of displacement vector fields in near-plane-stress-state conditions. The basic
types of mesostructures formed at different stages of continuity disruption under cyclic tension are described and the quantitative
characteristics of fracture evolution are presented. Mesoscale damage accumulation is demonstrated to exhibit a common character at
different stages. The formation of a band of localized plastic deformation has been found to precede that of the main fatigue crack, no
matter what the degree of constraint is. The possibility of applying Dugdale’s model to estimate the current values of the crack resistance
of welded joints is discussed. It is shown that the mechanical state of a loaded welded joint can be diagnosed experimentally and its
residual lifetime can be predicted.

1. Introduction studied heretofore under low- and high-cycle fatigue in con-

Welded joints are of frequent use in metalworks which
experience moderate (less than the yield stress) alternate
stresses. This is the cause for metal fatigue. The most dan-
gerous region of a welded joint, as regards fatigue fracture,
is the heat-affected zone that is governed by the heteroge-
neity of the metalographic structure and mechanical pro-
perties of the latter, by the residual stresses and man-made
stress concentrators [1]. A weld joint with its inherent inter-
face “base metal – heat-affected zone – weld” is a lengthy
stress concentrator where the stress concentration factor is
about 1.3–2 and higher. Under cyclic mechanical action,
the distributed mesostress concentrators speed up and locali-
ze the formation of a defect mesostructure in the heat-af-
fected zone. Under static tension, a welded structural steel
joint fails normally in the region of the base metal, since the
weld material and the heat-affected zone material exhibit
higher strength, compared to the base material [2]. In fatigue,
damages are accumulated most intensively in those parts of
the heat-affected zone where the density of stress concent-
rators and stress values are highest. A near-weld zone (the
region of overheating) in the vicinity of the “heat-affected
zone – weld” interface, as a rule, corresponds to such con-
ditions.
In the context of physical mesomechanics, mesoscale
damage accumulation in thick-wall welded joints has been
© V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva, 2001
ditions close to plane strain state [3, 4]. The objective of
the present work is to investigate the behavior of repeatedly
loaded welded joints in conditions wherein deformation is
weakly constrained, i.e., in near-plane-stress-state condi-
tions (thin flat specimens).
2. Experimental procedure
The kinetics of mesoscale fatigue damage accumulation
in welded joints was investigated using the television-optical
measuring complex TOMSC which made it possible to con-
struct the displacement vector fields of elementary test sur-
face areas of a loaded material and to calculate the corres-
ponding plastic distortion tensor components [5].
The welded butt joints were made of structural steel
plates (C –0.1 %, Mn – 1.5 %, Si – 0.7 %, Fe – the rest of
the composition) with a thickness of 8 mm and with one-
sided V-shaped grooving by carbon-dioxide-shielded pul-
sed arc welding in the steady-state conditions [6]. The test
material was low-alloyed hypoeutectoid ferrite-pearlite steel
with the following mechanical characteristics: tensile
strength 550 MPa, conventional yield strength 345 MPa,
percent elongation 34 %. The ferrite-pearlite structure of
the base material with an average grain size of 20 µm was
ground to a grain size of 5 µm in the heat-affected zone due
to phase recrystallization. In the region of heat-affected zone
98 V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108
Fig. 1. Schematic representation of the loading pattern
overheating, the characteristic structures are Widmanstätten
ferrite, polygon ferrite and pearlite, and in the weld they
are needle and polygon ferrites. The presence of ferrite-
carbide microphases is typical for the both regions.
The specimens were tested in the mode of high-cycle
fatigue following the pattern of uniaxial cyclic tension with
an amplitude of 90 ± 90 MPa and with a frequency of 1.5 Hz.
The loading pattern is presented in Fig. 1. The flat specimens
with a 30 × 5 × 0.8-mm3 gage section and with a transverse
       
joint were cut from the root zone of the weld by the electro-
erosion method. Before loading, the specimen surface was
mechanically polished. Upon increments in cyclic load, the
specimen was completely unloaded that allowed elimination
of the elastic component of displacements. The investiga-
tions were performed throughout all stages of cracking up
to the point the specimens failed.
3. Results of experiments
Our experimental studies have shown that fatigue fractu-
re of welded structural steel joints at the mesolevel is gover-
ned by damage accumulation in the heat-affected zone and
can be treated as successive realization of five characteristic
stages.
Stage 1 (the range of load cycles is 0 ÷ 0.1N Σ , where
N Σ is the number of cycles before fracture of a specimen).
In the heat-affected zone and in the weld, plastic flow deve-
loping by the shear mechanism was observed from the outset
of loading (Fig. 2). This flow propagated further into the
base metal, much as Lüders bands did, moving abruptly
and yet consistently towards each other from the weld to
the specimen fillets and from the fillets to the weld. The
linear velocity of these bands rapidly decreased as the cyclic
load was increased. The plastic flow gave place to domain
mesostructures with distance from the band front (in going
deep into the deformed metal). By the end of this stage, the
plastic flow decayed and only individual plastic shears were
found in the heat-affected zone. In the most damaged regions
of the heat-affected zone, fatigue surface cracks occurred
with one further becoming dominant.
Stage 2 (0.1 ÷ 0.2 N Σ ). At this stage, the dominant fati-
gue crack developed in a quasibrittle manner, i.e., no sub-
stantial plastic deformation was observed ahead of the crack
tip in the displacement vector fields. The fatigue damages
were localized mainly in a near-surface layer. The crack
velocity progressively increased during loading, reaching
∼ 5 nm/cycle by the end of the stage.
Stage 3 (0.2 ÷ 0.8 N Σ ). At this stage, the fatigue crack
evolved following the brittle-plastic mechanism, i.e., its pro-
pagation was attended with irreversible deformation. The
given stage was the longest one and involved the transforma-
tion of the welded joint into the prefracture state. Let us
dwell on this stage and consider it in detail.
Early in this stage, fracture developed by progressive
damage accumulation ahead of both tips of an abruptly gro-
wing fatigue crack. As the crack length increases, the regions
of damage localization shift in synchrony with displacement
of the crack. It is known [7, 8, etc.] that fatigue damages in
the form of microtunnels also occur in going deep into the
specimen. In so doing, the microtunnels interact and develop
according to the mechanisms of the evolution of cracks of
modes I, II, and III and to the mechanism of rotational plastic
deformation. At N > 0.35 N Σ , the crack opening occurs
along the crack length due to weak constraint.
At the mesolevel, in welded joints under cyclic tension
a fatigue crack, as a rule, is observed to propagate by mode I
(opening mode crack). The type of a crack can be identified
from peculiar features of displacement vector fields [9].
On occasion, displacement fields show a crack to propagate
by the combined mode (I + II), i.e., the crack has the opening
mode and the sliding mode that is governed by the anisotro-
py of the initial metalographic structure of the heat-affected
zone.
Figure 3 shows an image of the fatigue crack and the
corresponding displacement vector fields. One can see that
the crack propagates with the formation of a domain meso-
structure ahead of its tips which corresponds to the opening
0.04 mm
Fig. 2. Displacement vector field in the heat-affected zone at the first
stage of fatigue. Number of loading cycles N = 300, increment in cyclic
load ∆N = 240
 V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108 99

0.1 mm

a b
Fig. 3. Micrograph of the fatigue crack (a) and displacement vector fields corresponding to its individual parts (b); N = 58.5⋅103, ∆N = 103
100 V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108
Fig. 4. Distribution of the main plastic shear γ pmax ( x, y ) ahead of the
lower crack tip, normalized to one loading cycle (the area of the crack tip
is shown by the arrow); N = 58.5⋅103
mode crack (mode I). The amplitude and the direction of
displacements are constant inside each deformation domain.
Plastic deformation at the boundaries of these domains and
in the vicinity of the crack tips is most intensive and results
in a defect mesostructure. The angle at which the maximum
shear stresses act is ± 45°. In experiments, the angle between
the boundaries of deformation domains adjacent to a crack
tip varies in the range from ± 45° to ± 60°. These domains
are not necessarily symmetric about the normal to the applied
force because of the heterogeneity of the heat-affected zone
being most pronounced between the “domain – base mate-
rial” interface and the cast zone of the weld.
The exhaustion of the accommodation capabilities of
the metal causes the crack to grow, branch at the internal
boundaries of the mesostructure, and propagate deep into
the specimen. The maximum values of the main plastic shear
γ pmax ( x, y) [10–13] are therewith in these local areas of
the material (Fig. 4).
The values of γ pmax were calculated by Eq. (3) from
(1), (2) [10, 13]:
γ pmax = ε I − ε II ,
ε I, II = (ε xx + ε yy ) 2 ± (ε xx − ε yy ) 2 4 + ε 2xy ,
γ pmax = (ε xx − ε yy ) 2 + 4ε 2xy ,
where ε I , ε II are the principal plastic strain tensor compo-
nents; ε xx , ε yy , ε xy are, respectively, the longitudinal,
transverse, and shear components of this tensor.
A repeated opening of the crack faces is observed in the
middle part of the crack, which also has a jump-like charac-
ter. The crack opening is compensated by plastic flow ahead
of the crack tips. The amplitude of opening of the crack
tips and faces, u xΣ , is calculated by the formula:
u xΣ = u xr − u xl . (4)
Here, u xr , u xl (u ry , u ly ) are the projections of displacements
onto the direction of applied force (the direction of the nor-
mal to the applied force) to the right and to the left of the
crack, respectively. The values of u xΣ were measured di-
rectly ahead of the fatigue crack tips. It is normally assumed
that u xr = u xl = u x and the crack tip opening, as a rule, is
denoted as u xΣ = 2u x [11]. In practice, such an assumption
does not however hold true at all times. In the experiment
in question, this is primarily associated with a high gradient
of the material properties in the heat-affected zone each
way from the fatigue crack.
The amplitude of opening of the crack tips and faces,
u xΣ , under the action of cyclic load is unstable and varies in
the range 0.5–3 µm (Fig. 5(a)).
The average velocity of opening of the crack tip and
faces v xΣ = u xΣ ∆N , compared to the amplitude u xΣ , is more
smooth in character and increases, as a whole, from
∼ 0.02 nm/cycle to ∼ 2–3 nm/cycle at this stage (Fig. 5(b)).
The high values of the velocity of crack face opening do
not universally coincide with those of the velocity of crack
growth in length, but invariably come before them.
The behavior of a loaded material in the vicinity of a
crack can be generalized by representing in a graphic way
the longitudinal displacements u xΣ and the transverse dis-
placements u Σy (u Σy = u yr − u ly or their velocities along
the crack length, v xΣ and v yΣ (Fig. 6). The non-zero trans-
verse displacements u Σy mean the contribution of the trans-
verse shear component (mode II) to the combined mode of
the evolution of the fatigue crack (mode I + II). It can be
seen from Fig. 6 that the opening velocity v xΣ is not the
same at different stages of the crack growth and along the
crack length. Early in this stage, the opening velocity is
minimum, being localized near the crack tips, and is equal
to ∼ 0.05 nm/cycle. In what follows, the crack faces start
opening with a velocity varying from 0.5 to 3 nm/cycle over
the crack length. The velocities of longitudinal displace-
ments v xΣ , as a rule, peak in the vicinity of the crack tips
(1)
and vanish gradually with distance from the latter.
The crack velocity progressively increases, reaching 20–
(2) 25 nm/cycle by the end of the given stage.
Stage 4 (0.8 ÷ 0.9 N Σ ). The beginning of this stage is
(3) associated with the processes preceding the incipience of
 V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108 101

Fig. 5. Opening of the fatigue crack tips u xΣ ( ) and faces ( ) (a) and corresponding opening velocities v xΣ versus the number of cycles N

the main (through-the-thickness) crack. Narrow bands of
localized plastic deformation are found to emerge and pro-
pagate at the surface opposite to the crack and to acquire in
a gradual manner the form of two conjugate hyperbolas
(Figs. 7(a), 8(a)). These bands are characterized by the
maximum values of the main plastic shear (Fig. 8(b)) and
the degree of fatigue damage accumulation within them is
highest. The pattern of the displacement vector fields near
the tips of the propagating deformation bands is similar to
by the combined mode (mode I + II). Around the vertices
of the “hyperbolas” in the displacement vector fields, in-
plane opening is therewith observed in the direction of the
applied load at both boundaries of localized plastic shears.
The amplitude of the in-plane opening and its velocity are
lower than those of the crack and increase in the course of
loading.
At the forth stage of fracture, the amplitude of the crack
tip opening increases, on average, to ∼ 2–4 µm. In general,

that of the appropriate fields near the crack tips and in the the velocity of the crack tip opening also increases (to
case presented in Fig. 8(c) it corresponds to the crack growth 5–7 nm/cycle) with individual jumps ranging to 30–
102 V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108
Fig. 6. Velocities of longitudinal displacements v xΣ along the crack length
measured at a distance of ± 0.2 mm from the crack (for curve 1 at a
distance ±  0.08 mm); N = 0.44 N Σ (1); 0.65 N Σ (2); 0.72 N Σ (3);
0.73 N Σ (4); 0.87 N Σ (5); 0.94 N Σ (6); N Σ = 80⋅103
70 nm/cycle. The crack evolves according to the “ellipse”
pattern (Fig. 9). The maximum opening of the crack faces
is observed at the center of the crack (see Fig. 6) and a
domain mesostructure corresponding to a crack of mode I
is formed at the crack tips. The dependence of the fatigue
crack increment ∆L to the corresponding mean value of the
crack tip opening u xΣ is jump-like, yet descending in cha-
racter, as a whole (Fig. 10). The rapid decrease in ∆L u xΣ
results both from the decrease in ∆L due to tip crack blunting
and from the substantial increase in u xΣ .
As the crack propagates deep into the specimen, the
vertices of the “hyperbolas” gradually converge and smear
(Fig. 7(b)).
At the end of this stage, plastic deformation is localized
mainly along the boundaries at which the bands merge.
Active in-plane opening is therewith found only in this local
zone of the displacement vector fields. Later on, the fatigue
crack develops within the given boundary (Fig. 7(c)).
By the end of the forth stage, the crack velocity runs to
45–50 nm/cycle that is roughly comparable with the limit
of its stable growth.
Stage 5 (0.9 ÷ 1N Σ ). The beginning of the final stage of
fatigue fracture is related to the formation of triangle zones
of plastic stretching propagating from the tips of the main
crack toward the lateral faces of the specimen. Intensive
plastic flow characterized by the initiation of flows opposite
to the direction of crack propagation is observed ahead of
the crack tips. The initiation of these flows is due to the
action of the lateral faces of the specimen.
The crack faces open with a high velocity (see Figs. 5(b),
6) and “powerful” counter vortex flows responsible for ra-
pid exhaustion of the accommodation abilities of the mate-
rial in the heat-affected zone at the mesolevel are revealed
in the vicinity of the tips. In the regions where plastic flow
is localized, the main plastic shear reaches specific values
(4–6)⋅10–4 and damages are accumulated not only ahead of
the crack tip, but also away from it owing to the action of
the counter flows.
The velocity of the main crack is higher than 0.7–
1 µm/cycle and that of opening of its faces is about 0.10–
0.12 µm/cycle. Subsequent cyclic loading leads to fast frac-
ture of the specimen.
4. Discussion of results
The results of experimental investigations attest that
throughout the processes of fatigue fracture of a welded
joint mesoscale plastic deformation in the heat-affected zone
plays a decisive part in the crack evolution. At each stage
of fracture, these processes have peculiar qualitative and
quantitative characteristics, which may well be used as crite-
ria in determining the degree of damage accumulation and
in estimating the mechanical state of welded joints. In this
context, let us analyze the foregoing experimental data, as
applied to each stage of fatigue in the heat-affected zone.
The first stage takes a short time and is associated with
work hardening of the material and its accommodation to
the action of external cyclic force. The second stage is cha-
racterized by the formation and quasibrittle growth of sur-
face fatigue cracks in the heat-affected zone. At these stages,
the localized plastic flow and the degree to which the mate-
rial is damaged are insignificant, being safe for the operation
of weld metalworks.
The third stage of fatigue is governed by the brittle-
plastic growth of a dominant mesoscale fatigue crack. The
diagram of fatigue fracture has the shape typical for S-curves
(Fig. 11). Based on experimental data, the current values of
the stress intensity factor K I for the band with an off-cen-
tered transverse crack under tension [14] have been calcu-
lated by the well-known formula
K I = σF πL , (5)
where L is the fatigue crack length, F is the geometrical
factor.
It can be seen from the diagram that in the range 8 <
< K I < 14 MPa⋅m1/2 (0.3 N Σ < N < 0.8 N Σ ) the crack tip
velocities approximate each other and obey Paris’s equation
d L d N = C(K I )n , (6)
 V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108 103

a b c

0.3 mm

Fig. 7. Evolution of the bands of plastic deformation at the surface opposite to the surface with crack; N = 72.5⋅103 (a); 74.6⋅103 (b); 76.4⋅103 (c)

where the exponent n is about 2.1. The crack tip velocities
therewith increase from 8 to 30 nm/cycle. On the left-hand
side of the diagram in the range where K I < 8 MPa⋅m1/2
( N < 0.3 N Σ ), the S-curves tend to some vertical asymptote
which intercepts a portion on the x-axis. This portion corres-
K I > 14 MPa⋅m1/2 ( N > 0.8 N Σ ), the S-curves also tend to
a vertical asymptote which corresponds to the critical value
of the stress intensity factor K IC . In the given case, the
critical value of the stress intensity factor for the heat-
affected zone is ~ 15.5–16 MPa⋅m1/2. The degree to which

ponds to K th and is called the threshold of fatigue crack
growth. Actually, the threshold of fatigue crack growth is
determined by the value of the stress intensity factor corres-
ponds to a very low crack velocity d L d N ~ 10–8 mm/cycle
[15]. For the heat-affected zone material of the welded joint
in question, this threshold is about K th ~ 4.5–5 MPa⋅m1/2.
On the right-hand side of the diagram in the range where
the current values of K I and the critical value K IC are
close to each other determine the fatigue strength of a welded
joint in operation.
The pattern of irreversible displacements near the crack
tip comply with the loading pattern (cyclic tension) and with
an opening mode crack (mode I). For the plane stress state
in these conditions, Dugdale’s model, which accounts for
104 V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108
a b
plasticity ahead of the fatigue crack tip is applicable [16].
The model make it possible to relate the current value of
the stress intensity factor K I to the cross-sectional dimen-
sion of the zone of plastic flow, δ, ahead of the crack tip. In
this model, plastic flow is represented in the form of a narrow
band issuing from the crack tip. The corresponding formula
has the form
δ = K I2 ( Eσ T ) , (7)
where E is Young’s modulus; σ T is the conventional yield
limit. For the root zone material of the weld, σ T = 220 MPa
and Young’s modulus is taken to be 200 GPa [17]. Our
experiment shows that in fact two bands of plastic deforma-
tion are formed ahead of the fatigue crack tips and the angle
between them is about 90–120° (see above). The values of
δ calculated for one band agree well with experimental data.
Figure 12 shows the values of opening of one of the crack
tips (experiment) and the values of δ calculated by formula
(7) (theory) for a varying cyclic load N. In the case where
plastic deformation is weakly developed ahead of the crack
tip (u xΣ < 1 µm), Dugdale’s approximation overestimates
Fig. 8. Narrow band of localized plastic deformation (a), corresponding
distribution of the main plastic shear (b) and displacement vector field (c);
N = 66.1⋅103, ∆N = 100. The beginning of the band is shown by the
arrow, values of γ pmax ( x, y ) are normalized to one cycle of load increment
the amplitude of crack tip opening by about 50–80 % and
the current value of the stress intensity factor K I by about
20–35 %. As the crack length increases, the experimental
and theoretical curves presented in Fig. 12 are observed to
come close. Such an approach allow one to measure the
average value of the crack tip opening u xΣ based on the
displacement vector fields and to estimate the current value
of the stress intensity factor K I and J-integral by Dugdale’s
formula [11, 16]
K I = Eσ T u xΣ 2 , (8)
J = σ T u xΣ 2 . (9)
So, the values of the J-integral lie in the range 0.14–
0.5 N/mm, as the stress intensity factor varies within 7.8 <
< K I < 14.2 MPa⋅m1/2.
In actual service conditions, it is often difficult to deter-
mine the stress intensity factor by formula (5) due to the
unavailability of data characterizing the geometry factor.
The use of displacement vector fields and Dugdale’s formula
 V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108 105

a b c

0.2 mm

Fig. 9. Fatigue crack evolution; N = 65⋅103 (a); 72.5⋅103 (b); 76.4⋅103 (c)
106 V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108

Fig. 10. Crack increment ∆L versus the corresponding mean value of Fig. 11. Dependences of the crack tip velocities dL dN on the stress
crack tip opening u xΣ for the both tips intensity factor K I

in estimating the stress intensity factor makes it possible to notch, generates conjugate macrobands of localized plastic
overcome this problem and shows promise in diagnosing shears from its bottom toward the opposite surface B (Fig.
the mechanical state, the prefracture stage included, of cyc- 13). These shears, running through the cross section of the
lically loaded welded joints. thin specimen, bring about the extrusion of the material.
Another parameter, which characterizes the degree to This extrusion manifests itself as two conjugate “hyper-
which a welded joint is damaged, is the rate of opening of bolas” at the surface B (see Fig. 7). The convergence and
the fatigue crack tip (see Fig. 5(b)). The dependence v xΣ (N ) the smearing of their vertices are due to the fact that the
can be approximated by the equation crack bottom approaches the surface B and the scale of the
stress concentrator increases. At the end of the given stage,
v xΣ = v x 0 exp(αN N Σ ). (10) the vertices of the “hyperbolas” merge and the main band —
In the given case, v x 0 = 0.19 nm/cycle, α = 11. In physical the zone of plastic flow superlocalization — is formed. This
terms, this means that at the microlevel fatigue damages band is extensively expands in the direction of applied force.
occur from the outset of loading (N ~ 0) in the zones of Systematic experimental investigations have shown that the
microstress concentrator relaxation. It is interesting to note plastic deformation occurring through the entire cross sec-
that the characteristic scale of v x 0 is comparable with the tion of a specimen and the formation of the main band are
Fe lattice constant (0.29 nm [17]). The initial opening velo- necessary and the most important conditions for the incipien-
city v x 0 is likely to be a material constant which depends ce and growth of the through-the-thickness (main) fatigue
on the conditions of cyclic loading. Unlike well-known
Paris’s equation (6), equation (10) describes the evolution
of a crack in the direction of applied load.
Figures 6 and 11 are indicative of alternate opening and
displacement of the crack tips with increasing crack length.
In a long period of loading at the third stage, the average
displacement velocities of the crack tips are nearly the same
and the total crack velocity progressively increases with an
acceleration of 0.6⋅10–3 nm/(cycle)2. The crack position, on
average, is symmetric about the specimen axis. The break
of the symmetry causes an uncompensated rotational mo-
ment which activates one of the crack tips. At the macro-
level, this moment plays, in essence, the role of one of the
parameters of negative feedback and controls the displace-
ment of the crack tips. As the crack length increases, another
parameters, such as the plasticity zone size, tip blunting,
and material work hardening, become operative. Fig. 12. Opening of the fatigue crack tip u xΣ ( — experiment) and the
At the forth stage of evolution, the fatigue crack at the width of the band of plastic deformation ahead of the crack tip δ ( —
surface A, acting as a linear stress concentrator — a sharp theory) versus the number of cycles N
 V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108 107

Fig. 13. Schematic representation of the formation the zone of plastic stretching

crack within the band under cyclic tension. A similar phe-
nomenon was also observed in the case of the welded joint
geometry corresponding to the plane deformation condition
[3, 4].
The final, fifth stage of fatigue is governed by the growth
of the main crack and by the fact the loaded welded joint in
the rest of its cross section reaches the yield strength. The
boundaries of the zones of plastic stretching are macrobands
of localized plastic shear and are oriented in the conjugate
directions of maximum tangential stresses. It can be seen in
Fig. 14 that two such macrobands (shown by horizontal vec-
tors) emerge near the tip of the main crack and determine
the development of the neck as a global shear stability loss
of the material in the zone of the macrostress concentrator.
Similar patterns of displacement fields were observed in
ultrafine-grained copper under tension at the stage of neck
formation [18] where a lateral notch played the role of a
macrostress concentrator. Such a pattern of displacement
fields is testimony to the common character of plastic flow
in the neck under static and cyclic loading.
to an increase in metal volume within the heat-affected zone
involve in microplastic deformation and to that in the veloci-
ty of opening of the crack tips and faces, lengthens the stage
of brittle-plastic growth of the crack and lends a more
smooth character of the fracture pattern, thus resulting in a
complex-shaped zone of plastic stretching.
It has been shown that the main band of plastic flow
comes before the main crack, no matter what the degree of
deformation constraint is. This main band, propagating in a
jump-like manner by alternate plastic shears through the
whole specimen thickness, sets the stage for the growth of
the main crack and determines its trajectory.
In general, the kinetics of fatigue fracture of welded
joints is governed by mesoscale plastic flow in the heat-

5. Conclusion
Analysis of the results obtained allows us to state that
the high-cycle fatigue of welded structural steel joints is
multistage in character and is governed by mesoscale dama-
ge accumulation in the heat-affected zone. To each stage
there corresponds its own type of strain-induced mesostruc-
tures whose quantitative characteristics can serve as criteria
in evaluating the mechanical state of loaded welded const- 0.1 mm
ructions.
The fact that the plane stress state is achieved means a Fig. 14. Displacement field ahead of the tip of the main crack (shown by
decrease in the degree of deformation constraint. This leads the arrow); N = 75.3⋅103, ∆N = 100
108 V.S. Pleshanov, V.E. Panin, V.V. Kibitkin, and N.A. Lebedeva / Physical Mesomechanics 4 6 (2001) 97–108
affected zone. Account of the degree of deformation const-
raint in welded joints of varying thickness allows one, with
the use of the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of
strain-induced mesostructures, to evaluate more accurately
the mechanical state of a material, to diagnose the degree
of fatigue damage accumulation, the prefracture stage in-
cluded, to predict the bearing capacity and the lifetime of
welded metalworks, and also to optimize the technological
regimes of their manufacture and treatment.
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