Fatigue failure is a multi-stage process. It begins with the initiation of cracks, and with continued cyclic loading the cracks propagate, finally leading to the rupture of a component or specimen. The demarcation between the above stages is not well-defined. Depending upon the scale of interest, the variation may span three orders of magnitude. For example, to a material scientist an initiated crack may be of the order of a micron, whereas for an engineer it can be of the order of a millimetre. It is not surprising therefore to see that investigation of the fatigue process has followed...

This book provides a unified approach to the fatigue damage evaluation of smooth, notched and cracked components. The mechanics of cyclic deformation behaviour, crack initiation and crack propagation are discussed from both microscopic and macroscopic viewpoints, and a comprehensive treatment of multiaxial fatigue loading is included. All aspects of the mechanics of crack growth - short cracks, long cracks and cracks initiated from notches - are discussed in a unified manner. Explicit relationships are given by which fatigue life can be predicted based on limited material data, as well as a...