Abstract
In this paper, fatigue tests were carried out at stress test levels of 461 MPa, 441 MPa, and 431 MPa by using smooth specimen of$2_{1/4}$ Cr-1 Mo steel with the stress ratio(R) of 0.05. The initiation, growth and coalescense process of the major cracks and sub-cracks among the fatigue cracks on the smooth specimen are investigated and measured under each stress level at a constant cycle ratio by the replica technique with optical microscope. Some of the important results are as follows: In spite of the difference of stress levels, the major crack data gather into a small band in the curve of surface crack length and crack depth against cycle ratio N/Nf. The sub-crack data, however, deviate from the band of the major crack. The growth rates, da/dN, of major and sub-crack plotted against the stress intensity factor range, ${\Delta}K$, have the tendency to be compressed on a relatively small band. But it is more effective to predict fatigue life through major cracks. The propagation behavior of surface microcracks on the smooth specimens coincides with that of the specimen having an artificial small surface defect or through crack.
