DevTMF - Towards code of practice for thermo-mechanical fatigue crack growth

The current paper presents work on identification and evaluation of a range of factors influencing accuracy and comparability of data generated by three laboratories carrying out stress-controlled thermo-mechanical fatigue crack growth tests. It addresses crack length measurements, heating methods and temperature measurement techniques. It also provides guidance for pre-cracking and use of different specimen geometries as well as Digital Image Correlation imaging for crack monitoring. The majority of the tests have been carried out on a coarse grain polycrystalline nickel-base superalloy using two phase angles, Out-of-Phase and In-Phase cycles with a triangular waveform and a temperature range of 400-750 degrees C.