Abstract
Fatigue crack propagation rates and characteristics of the SA516-70 steel which is used for the low temperature pressure vessels, were studied in the room temperature of $10^{\circ}C$ and low temperature ranges of $-10^{\circ}C,\;-30^{\circ}C,\;-50^{\circ}C,\;and\;-70^{\circ}C$ with stress ratio of R=0.05. The obtained experimental results are as follows; 1) In the logarithmic relationship between the fatigue crack propagation rate(da/dN) and stress intensity factor K, the linear relationship was obtained up to da/dN > $8{\times}10^3$ mm/cycle in the same of room temperature, but in low temperature case, the relationship was extended to the range of low crack propagation rate. 2) The lower limit stress intensity factor of SA516-70 ${\Delta}K_{th}\;was\;23MPa\sqrt{m}$ and in the case of low temperature $-50^{\circ}C\;and\;-70^{\circ}C$, the crack propagation rate da/dN which showed a linear relation, reached rapidly to the ${\Delta}K_{th}$. As the results, the crack propagation rates of $-50^{\circ}C\;and\;-70^{\circ}C$ were lower than that of room temperature and according to the testing temperature the rates were decreased rapidly to the ${\Delta}K_{th}$. 3) On the relationship between the stress intensity factor ${\Delta}K$ and the track propagation cycle, the stress intensity factors of low cycle region was rapidly increased at low temperature, but ${\Delta}K$ was increased rapidly at room temperature of high cycle. 4) On the relationship between the fatigue crack propagation rate and cycle, the fatigue crack propagation rate showed higher gradient in the room temperature than the low temperature due to the increment in ductility at low temperature.