Abstract
This paper reveals the effect of the effective case depth(ECD) on the fatigue behavior of a high-frequency induction hardened SM45C in rotated bending fatigue test. In addition, the effects of fracture modes(surface origin type, inner origin type) on it are discussed. The fatigue limit of the induction hardened steel is remarkably increased compared with that of base metal. In addition, the fatigue limit is linearly increased as the effective casedepth grows deep in the region of this experiment (ECD/R;0.23-0.49). The S-N curve and fracture mode in the induction case hardened steel are classified into two kinds, as a result : N$_{f}$<10$^{5}$ ;surface origin type fracture(at high stress), N$_{f}$>10$^{5}$ ; in ner origin type fracture(at low stress). In case of inner origin type fracture; as the effective case depth(ECD) gets deep, the fatigue limit is increased by the reason that the fracture origin moves toward center; in reverse, is decreased by reason that the compressive residual stress gets low. As a result, the increasing effect of the former is much bigger than the decreasing effect of the latter, and the fatigue limit is increased as the ECD gets deep.eep.