• Composites Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.74-81
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• 2009

Reversed plane bending fatigue tests were conducted on SiC particle reinforced and SiC whisker reinforced aluminum composite. The initiation and growth behaviors of small surface fatigue cracks were continuously monitored by the replica technique and the causes of fracture and fracture mechanism were investigated by SEM. The relationship between da/dn and $K_{max}$ show that da/dn increases in high stress level while decrease and again increases with increasing of $K_{max}$ in low stress level for two materials.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.24 no.6 s.177
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• pp.1584-1592
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• 2000

Reversed plane bending fatigue tests were conducted on SiC whisker reinforced aluminum composite which were consolidated by squeeze casting process. Initiation and growth of small surface fatigue c racks were investigated by means of a plastic replica technique. The fatigue crack initiated in the vicinity of SiC whisker/matrix interface. It was found that a fatigue crack deflected along SiC whisker and grew in a zig-zag manner microscopically, although the crack propagated along the direction normal to the loading axis macroscopically. The coalescence of micro-cracks was observed in the tests conducted at high stress levels, but were not evident in tests in which lower levels of stress were applied. Due to the coalescence, a higher crack growth rate of small cracks rather than those of long cracks was recognized in da/dn -ΔK realtionship.