LCF Behavior of Zr-4 Alloy at Elevated Temperature

A series of strain fatigue tests were carried out on small bugle-like slice-specimens of Zr-4 alloy at room temperature and 400 . According to Elastic and Plastic Finite Element Analysis and assumption of local damage equivalence, a strain conversion equation was given to transform the transverse strain of the specimen to the axial strain. Based on the test results of the alloy and the strain conversion equation, fatigue life estimation equations of Zr-4alloy, or M-C (Manson-Coffin) models, were obtained. The results showed that, Zr-4 alloy had obvious cyclic hardening character during high amplitude strain at different temperatures, but showed reverse character during low amplitude strain. Elevated temperature lowered seriously the fatigue life of Zr-4 alloy, and as the increasing of amplitude strain, temperature effect impaired gradually. Analysis showed that the prediction life by using M-C model based on the traditional strain conversion equation was quite conservative when axial strain amplitude was less than 5000 micro-strain.