�

l
TRANSACTIONS OF NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR METALS VOL. 16 NO. 3 (1974)

High-Temperature Rotating Bending Fatigue Behavior of

the Austenitic Stainless Steels, SUS 304-B and 316-B*

Kenji KANAZAWA and Susumu YOSHIDA

Rotating bending fatigue tests at a frequency of 7500 cycles/min.were carried out on two kinds of austenitic
stainless steels (Type 304 and 316) at room temperature, 400, 500, 600 "nd 700°C and their fatigue strengths at
JOB cycles were obtained by the staircase method.
The results obtained are as follows:
(1) Endurance limits were clearly found in the temperature range from room temperature to 600°C. At
700°C, a clear endurance limit appeared below 107 cycles, but fatigue fracture again started after 107 cycles.
(2) The ratio of fatigue strength to 0. 2% proof stress was from 1. 2 to ]. 7 in the temperature range from
400 to 600°C.
(3) The coaxing effect was dis:inctly observed in the temperature range from 400 to 600°C. At 700°C, the
eff�ct was observed to some extent from a stress increment test after 9 X JOS cycles but disappeared after JOB
cycles.
(4) The above phenomena commonly observed in both steels are considered to arise from the same origins.
They are the strengthening of the materials as a result of aging during the fatigue tests in the temperature
range from 400 to 600°C, and the softening as a result of overaging after 107 cycles at 700oC.
(Received March 5, 1974)

1. Introduction 106 cyclesD. The maximum number of high-temperature

With the recent increase of machines and structures fatigue cycles tested for similar materials was 5 X 107 cycles

employed under severe conditions at high temperatures,
it has become desirable to obtain data on the fatigue
strength of materials at high temperatures to be used as
a basis for design. Responding to this requirement, series
,I
and these results led to the same conclusions2l. It has
been felt that tests on these materials at a larger number
of cycles are most desirable in order to ascertain whether
fatigue fracture occurs above 107 cycles at high temper­ I

of high-temperature fatigue tests are being carried out
systematically at the Fatigue Testing Division of NRIM.
In conducting such tests, it is considered very useful for
clarifying various aspects of fatigue fracture in materials,
not only to obtain the data on the fatigue strength, but
also to devote attention to the phenomena observed dur­
ing the fatigue process. In this paper, the results of high­
temperature, rotating bending fatigue tests on
austenitic stainless steels, SUS 304-B and 316-B, are re­
ported together with a discussion of some related phe-
nomena.
It has been said that the S-N curve for the fatigue of
atures. From a practical viewpoint, su..-h tests are con­
sidered necessary for high-temperature design as well.
Therefore, in the present study the numl �r of cycles was
extended up to lOB cycles and the fatigue strength at lOB
cycles was determined by the staircase method.
2. Experimental procedure
two 2. 1. Materials
The materials used were the austenitic stainless steels,
SUS 304-B and 316-B, which have the chemical composi­
tions as given in Table 1. They were obtained in the
Table 1. Chemical composition of the materials (wt. %).

materials at high temperatures generally shows no distinct

endurance limit such as that observed for carbon steels
----=��-- --�$1 �; J P ! S I N3/ v�r 1 Mo

sus 304-B I 0. 07 I 0. 72 1 1. 84 I 0. 027/ 0. 0091 8. 621 18. 29!

at room temperature. It has been reported, however,
that for austenitic stainless steels subjected to high-tem­
perature rotating bending fatigue tests up to 5 x 106 cycles
the S-N curve showed an endurance limit above 105 to
* Original: ]. Soc. Mat. Sci. Japan, 22 (1973) 257 (in Japanese).
-sus 316_.- 8-f ci�-06-T0.831-�. 32 / o. 021/ o. oo1l 1o. o81 16. 841 2. zs-
form of bars 16 mm in diameter and 4 m in length, and
were solution-treated for 26 min. at a temperature of
1075±25°C and water-quenched. In the case of the 316-

- 2 -
B steel, after cutting the bars into pieces they were again
solution-treated for 1 hr at 1100°C and water-quenched.
The microscopic structures of the materials· and the results
of tensile tests at high temperatures are shown in Photo.
1 and Fig. 1, respectively.

2. 2. Preparation of specimens
The form of the specimen used IS shown in Fig. 2. SUS304-8 sus 316-8
Each specimen was mechanically polished using succes­ -O.Imm

sively finer grades of emery paper. The final polishing Photo. I. Microscopic structures of the materials.

100 SUS 304-8 100 100 sus 316-8 100

'E 90 90 'E 90 90
E E
......_ � ......_ �
Ol Ol
-" Reduction of area 80 �
-" Reduction of area 80 �

.r::. c: c:
.Q .r::.
�
.2
Ol Ol
c: 70 gJ, c: 70 "'
Ol
� c: � c:
0
u; u; .2
-.; Q)
� 60 60
.,; � .,;
·u; Q) en Q)
c: c:
;;; 50 50 ;;;
� 50 50 �
u; 0 u; 0
en
c: en c:
� 40 40 g � 40 40 g
u; 0 en 0
Tensile strength ::::l ::::l
0 30 "0
30 30 � 0 30 Q)

�
e a: 0
a. a:
5.
20

�
� 20 20 � ss 20
� �
0 0
10 10 10 10

Q� ��� � 0 0
R .�T�
. -- 30 0-0 �50
0- 4� �0��
60�0�7��
00 �0
80 300 400 500 600 700 800
Temperature ("C) Temperature( ·c)

Fig. 1. Results of tensile tests at high temperatures.

during testing. The main specifications of these machines

�------130--------�
Fig. 2. Dimensions of specimen (mm).
was performed longitudinally to the surface of the gage
section. These processes of preparation were executed in
accordance with the ISO Recommendation3).
urements of the dimensions of the specimens and the
determination of testing loads were performed in accord­
ance with the standard recommended by the JSMS.
2. 3. Testing machines
Fatigue tests were carried out using twenty rotating
bending fatigue testing machines each with an electric
resistant furnace which surrounds the whole specimen
are as follows: capacity, 10 kg-m ; speed, 2000 to 8000
cycles/min. (variable) ; maximum temperature, 800°C ;
temperature control, by SCR controlled sensing of the
furnace temperature by means of a platinum resistor.
Since it was difficult to measure the temperature of a
rotating specimen directly, the temperature oi the environ­
ment near the specimen was detected using a C. A.
thermocouple. Generally, the temperature of the environ­
The meas­ ment is higher than that of the specimen surface. The
difference between them was calibrated beforehand by
measuring the surface temperature of a dummy specimen
just after stopping the rotation. During the fatigue tests
the temperature of the environment was maintained at a
constant value so as to keep the specimen temperature
at a desired level. As a rule, the furnace temperature
was raised before loading, and the specimen was loaded

-3-
 T

sus 304-8 sus 31€-8

a:kg/mm' I 5 10 15 20 �g/m�'ll 5 10 15 20

R.T. X R.T.
X X
22.S
X X X X 0 X m=21.6 2( .0 X X X X m=23.4
X X
22.0
0 0 0 0 X x X X X D. 7 0 0 X 0 0 0 X 0 0
s =0.38
jokg/mm'
23.3
21.s
0 0 0 0 s= /
0 0 0 0 X
5
. 22.6
21.0
kg/mm
19.S X X 400'C 21.6 X X
X X X
400'C
X X 0 0 X
\2 X X X X 0 0 0 m= 18.7 m=20.8
19.0 21.1
0 0 0 X X 0 X 0 0 X 0 0 X 0 0 0
s =0.42
0.5 20.6
0.5 18.S
0 0 0 X 0 s =0.64
kg/mm' 18.0 0 kg/mm
20. I
19.6 0

5oo·c 19.0 X X 21.0 X X X X X X

0 0 X X X 0
5oo·c
0 0
X m=18.1 X x -x 0 0 0 X m=20.5
18,5 20.S
0 X 0 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 0
0.5
s =0.92 s =0.38
18.0 0.5 20.0
17 .s X 0 X 0 19.s 0
kg/mm' 17.0 0 0 kg/mm'
17.0 X 19.3 X
X
soo·c
X X X
soo·c
16.S X 0 X
X
m=l6.1 18.8 )( 0 X )( )( m= 18.4
0.5 16.0 X 0 0 X 0 >< 0 0 X s =0.36
0.5 18.3 0 X 0 X 0 0 0 >< X
kg/mm•
IS.S 0 0 0 0
kg/mm'
7
1 .8 0 0 0 )( s =0.54
17.3 0

700'C IS .6 X
X X X X X 0
700'C
13.0 X in=l2.6 IS. I X X X 0 X X X X 0 m=14.8
12 . s 0 0 X X 0 X 0 0 X 0 0 0 0 X 0 0 X 0
lokg/mm•
.
5
12.0 0 0 0 0
S= / 0.5 14.6
0 0
0
s= /
kg/mm• 14. I

u: Stress 700'C 16.S X

16.0 X X X X 0 m=15.6
0 X
0.5
0 0 X 0
m : Mean fatigue strength X x x 0 s =0.38
IS .S
kg/mm• IS. 0 0 0 0 o o
s : Standard deviation (10')

Fig. 3. Results of fatigue tests by the staircase method.

actual test section is kept to ± 0. 013 rom to avoid vibra-

� 23
E 22 �l:)o
24
'\__
"'&,
SUS 304-B�:06·c
o o
• soo·c
o- '"' \
':)1 tion during testing. The required degree of co-axiality

�, :ge �-�0
� 21 :
�20 �
00 c

z;.:=""�f_:0 ::J0�0=======�
"'
o

!.::._
0
8iB:::._ should be established before applying any load.
of the long distance between the supporting points which
Because

. :� '� eJ, •...-, was necessary to insert the specimen in an electric furnace,
,

L
it was difficult to maintain the eccentricity tolerance at
:� '� --.,---------
., "
�"- � less than the recommended value. Therefore, the actual
� 13
� 12 � tests were carried out with a tolerance of less than
({) II
10 ± 0. 015 rom when the loading points were fixed along
2m1n 5 10 20 lhr 2
105 10' 10'
perpendicular direction.
10'
Number of cycles to failure 2. 4. Testing conditions
The fatigue tests were carried out at room temperature,
sus 3!6-s�:o6.-c :�gg:g:,o• 400, 500, 600 and 700°C at a frequency of 7500 cycles/
CJ7oo·c: 107 • soo·c
� oo0'1:> ceo
�
�I
24
00 '"-!r-.-;:=--------.:...._ =- min. The staircase method was applied to obtain the
�
___
=-
23
C) 22 0:--.. 0 fatigue strength at 108 cycles using 21 specimens. This
• ,� 21
·���
e •
�e-��0��===0�============��
0
��
number of specimens is not enough to obtain a statis­

�.
CK JQ)
� ��:�
�
�
1s
15
14
�-�),..--------------
,
e
��
-----�
<&"
\ :. u
, ·a.,.,�r--....:_:.�--- ----o, -
qgrm_
" ����&li
,�
" 'r-
tically accurate fatigue strength.
erate number of samples, however, the mean fatigue
strength could be obtained without bias and in some cases
Even with such a mod­

({) 13
12
the standard deviation could also be obtained. Further­
2m in 10 20 lhr 2 Ida more, from these tests, the fatigue phenomena occurring
10' to• to• tO'
Number of cycles to failure
under a load in the vicinity of fatigue strength could be

Fig. 4. Relation between the stress amplitude and the number of examined with good reproducibility.
cycles to failure.
3. Experimental results
2 hr ± 15 min. after the temperature had reached the
desired level. 3. 1. Results of fatigue tests
The method of mounting the specimen m the testing Fig. 3 shows the results of tests by the staircase method
machine is that recommended by the IS03l ; i.e., the as well as the mean fatigue strengths and standard devia-
eccentricity tolerance measured at two points along the tions. Fig. 4 shows all the test results expressed as the I
ij

-4-

j
relation between the stress amplitude and the number oi
cycles to failure.
30
For both meterials, over the temperature range from
room temperature to 600°C, the specimen which endured
107 stress cycles did not fail before or in the vicinity of
108 cycles. That is, the fatigue strength at 107 cycles was
· - ��
the same as that at 108 cycles and the endurance limit sus 316-8
�
--�
�
�
0.- � --
-- �

was clearly found. At 700°C a clear endurance limit ap­ �

�
..
.,....._
... ..
20
..
_
--�
--�

peared below 107 cycles, but fatigue occurred again after ..

107 cycles. Thus, the fatigue strength at 107 cycles was

different from that at 108 cycles and, in this case, the S-N
curve is stepwise. In Figs. 3 and 4, the results of fatigue
tests by the staircase method to obtain the fatigue strength () <D At IO'cycles
at 107 cycles at 700°C for SUS 316-B are also included. 10
* Obtatned by a small
number of spectmens
In order to determine in what temperature range such
a phenomenon as that observed at 700°C occurs, fatigue
tests were carried out at 650, 680 and 750°C on 5 to 11
SUS 304-B specimens. The results are shown in Fig. 5

'E ts
E 18 R.T. 400 500 600 700 800
� 17
=..16 Temperature ("C)
., IS
-g 14 Fig. 6. Temperature dependence of fatigue strength at JQ8 cycles.
� 13
� 12
"' II
� 10
� "=mz:::
n
, �S ,_.·-; Z-c 0---,';1 h::
.- 10,---
, ;;; r ---,;-
:- 2---;-----t;;
, d"'y
a �Z�-74
3 -'c6�81in0--,20;;-;,.30 2. 0 r-
(J) 10' 10' 10' 107 10'
Number of cycles to failure £ sus 316-8

Relation between the stress amplitude and the number of

.r::

�
Fig. 5. a,
c 1.5r
cycles to failure. e:
cnUJ

�
UJ
Q) Q)
m the form of S-N curves. While at 650 and 680°C the .§>� I . 0 -<::>-�:::�
.,_
results showed clear endurance limits, at 750°C the n_um­ -o
-2
OQ.
ber of cycles to failure increased gradually with decreas­
.!:?�
;;; N o.5-
ing stress amplitude up to 108 cycles. Therefore, the a:o
phenomenon which produces the stepwise S-N curve
I I I
observed at 700°C is considered to occur within a narrow QLR�.��
T
. --���� �7 500�60�0�
400 �8 00
700 � � � � ��
temperature range from 680 to 750°C, as far as tests up Temperature ("C)
to 108 cycles are concerned. Fig. 7. Temperature dependence of the ratio of fatigue strength to

Fig. 6 shows that the temperature dependence of the 0. 2 o/o proof stress.

fatigue strength at 108 cycles for SUS 304-B is almost the the ratio is from 1. 0 to 1. 2 at room temperature and at
same as that for 316-B. The latter steel is shown to be 700°C, and from 1. 2 to 1. 7 in the temperature range
stronger than the former at all test temperatures. It is from 400 to 600°C. This ratio is larger for SUS 316-B
not known, however, whether this difference in fatigue than for SUS 304-B.
strength is significantly large in comparison with the stand­ 3. 2. Results of streBB increment tests
ard deviation for the various heats of the materials as Sinclair4) has concluded that the coaxing effect in fa­
specified in ]IS. tigue is due to a time-dependent localized strengthening
Fig. 7 shows the temperature dependence of the ratio of the metal due to the strain-aging which occurs dusing
of fatigue strength to 0. 2 % proof stress. The value of cyclic stressing at small amplitudes. In the present study

- 5 -

>
 'T
I

sus 304-8 sus

24 316-8
23 e 0 108+1.1XI07n
40
22
NE 21 • 09XI0'+4.5XIO 'n
E
....._

�
""
20
19
304-8 �
"' 18
"'0 30 •
-� 17
c.
a> �
E
"'
� •
Ul
Ul

� 20 e
(jj
I I
0 �
10
Stress cycles
0

28 sus 316-8 •
27 0 ��--------�--��--� ..1.. --�
26 R.T. 400 500 600 700 BOO
NE 25
E Temperature ('C)
24
""
....._

X
23 Fig. 9. Rate of increase of the maximum stress which a specimen
"' 22 endures in a step increment test to the fatigue strength.
"'0

3 21
c. 20 above lOB cycles. At room temperature, no coaxing effect
E
"'
Fatigue strength
Ul at IO'cycles
was observed. These trends were observed for both
Ul
o R.T. e6oo·c
� steels.
(/) 0 400"C Cl 700"C
esoO"c 3. 3. Hardness
14
In order to obtain knowledge concerning the aging
1.1 X 10'
process, the hardness at the surface of the specimen as
Stress cycles well as at the core, which was not affected by stress
Fig. 8. Temperature dependence of coaxing effect.
cycling, was measured at room temperature after the fa­
the coaxing effect was studied by stress increment tests tigue test. The hardness at the surface was measured at
in order to clarify the influence of aging on the fatigue the parallel part of the specimen and corrected for the
strength during the fatigue process. The tests were car­ influence of surface curvature. The core was exposed by
ried out at each temperature in such a way that, starting cutting the specimen perpendicularly to the center axis.
with the value of the stress amplitude near the fatigue Before the measurement the surface was electropolished
strength at lQB cycles, the stress amplitude was increased to remove the distorted layer. The change in hardness
by 0. 5 kg/mm2 every 1. 1 X 107 stress cycles (24 hr) above at the surface of the specimen without stressing was also
lOB cycles or every 4. 5 X 105 cycles (lhr) above 9 X 105 measured for 316-B steel with incresing exposure time at
cycles. For SUS 316-B, in addition to this program, a high temperatures.
stress increment test in 0. 5 kg/mm2 steps every 107 stress The hardness measurement was performed at 10 to 15
cycles was carried out at 700°C. points distributed at intervals of a fixed distance for each
Fig. 8 shows the experimental results. The rate of specimen using a Vickers hardness tester with a 1 kg
increase of the maximum stress which a specimen endures load. The mean value for each specimen is indicated in
in a step increment test to the fatigue strength is shown Figs. 10 and 11.
in Fig. 9. The coaxing effect was distinctly observed (20 The result that the hardness at the surface was larger
to 30 % increase in stress amplitude) both above 108 and than that at the core by 60 to 80 Hv for virgin specimens
9 X 105 cycles in the temperature range from 400 to 600°C. is considered to be due to work hardening of the surface
At 700°C, the effect was observed to some extent during layer as a result of mechanical cutting. Since the hard­
the test above 9 X 105 cycles, but disappeared for the test ness in the interior part about lOOp off the original sur-

-6-
 0 SUS 304-B SUS 316-B
230 220 0
0
0 •
220 fO• •
0 0 210
�
CD

210
ro·--·------ e surface
Cvirgm)-
200 �0
8 0
•
�
-;; 200
•
� 190
f-- ·--·--·--
•
._surface
(wgin)-

0
-"'
• •
:i: 190 :i: 180

(f)
<f)
(f)

� 180 � 170 •
c
"0
"0
0 Endured I O'cycles ;;; 0 Endured I O'cycles
;;; I
I • Fractured at less than 106 ® • Fractured at less than I 06
170 160
cycles ® cycles
® Endured I O'cycles ()Fractured between I 0' and
160 (core) ISO I O'cycles
®Endured I O'cycles
(core) 810'
I SO 140 ® ®
0
®
------------------------ core -
(vi rgin)
140 -,o. @ 130
..,. @ ® core
�- ---
-
--
----(virgin)-

0 0
400 sao 600 700 800 400 sao 600 700 800
Temperature of fatigue test ("C) Temperature of fatigue test ("C)
Fig. 10. Results of measurements at room temperature of the hardness of specimens fatigued at high temperatures.

ency to be smaller than that of the specimens which

0 4oo·c e soo·c SUS 316-B withstood 108 cycles. The hardness at the surface de­
210
• soo·c � 1oo·c
>

I
creased with increasing test temperature and became

smaller than that of the virgin surface. The hardness at

t==: �i
the core of the specimen that withstood 108 cycles was

larger than that of a virgin specimen and increased with

,
I
, , ,

I ! : I 1 increasing test temperature from room temperature to

...
700°C. The value of hardness at the core of a specimen
.l
of 304-B steel which was tested at 750°C was smaller
-ro 16o
1 Standard deviation
than that of a specimen tested at 700°C.
(f)

"'
(f)
1 Value of the minimum hardness
c
::' The variation of surface hardness of fatigued specimens
"'
I virgin 2hr I day 4 I0 20
shown in Fig. 10 seems to be caused by metallurgical
T ime exposed high temperature
changes in the work-hardened .surface layer due to ex­
Fig. 11. Change in hardness at the surface of specimens with in­
posure to high temperature, the effect of cyclic stressing
creasing exposure time at high temperatures.
and their interaction. In order to extract the former ef­
face was observed to be the same as that at the core, the fect, specimens of 316-B steel were exposed to high tem­
thickness of the work-hardened layer at the surface is peratures without stressing and the change in their hard­
thought to be less than 100,u. ness at the surface was measured. The results are shown
No difference in surface hardness was observed for room in Fig. 11. Little change in hardness was observed at
temperature tests between those specimens which failed 400 and 500°C in the course of 10 days which is longer
and those which withstood 108 cycles at a stress amplitude than the time required for 108 cycles. After 2 to 24 hours
near the endurance limit. The hardness itself was some­ of exposure to 600°C, the hardness decreased by 12 to
what larger than that at the virgin surface. For tests at 13 Hv from the original hardness. After that the hard­
400 to 700°C, the hardness at the surface of specimens ness increased gradually up to its original value after 20

fractured at a smaller number of cycles showed a tend- days. At 700°C, the hardness decreased by about 20 Hv

-7-
 (a) Surface Circumfential direction --- •O.Imm

(b) Cross section Radial direction

Photo. 2. Photomicrographs of the surface and the cross sect1on of a fatigued
specimen (600'C, 18.8kg/mm', 2.6xl0').

during the first 2 hours and small variations of the hard­

ness were observed between the lOth and 20th days.

3. 4. Cracks observed on the surface of specimens
Since the process of fatigue fracture is divided into two

stages, that is, the initiation and the propagation of cracks,

the dependence of the fatigue strength on the temperature
and metallurgical changes during fatigue process must be

considered in relation to those two stages. In order to

examine the behavior of fatigue cracks the surfaces of

fatigued specimens of 316-B steel were polished lightly and

observed through an optical microscope.

Many cracks were observed all over the parallel part

of the specimens that failed at stress amplitudes substan­ Photo. 3. Photomicrographs of the surface of a fatigued specimen
(700'C, IS.Ikg/mm', 6.64xl0').
tially higher than the fatigue limit. They propagated

across crystal grains. The same results were obtained at The structure of the surface of specimens that with­

all test temperatures. A photomicrograph of the surface stood 108 cycles at room temperature was almost the same

of a specimen fatigued at 600°C is shown in Photo. 2(a) as that of a virgin specimen and no fatigue cracks were

as an example. Also, a photomicrograph of the cross observed. Also, for specimens that withstood 108 cycles

section of the same specimen is shown in Photo. 2(b). at ternpertures from 400 to 700°C, no obvious cracks

In specimens that failed at strsss amplitudes near the were observed. However, for specimens that were tested

fatigue limit, cracks other than the fracture crack were at 500°C, dense slip bands inclined at about 45° with

rarely observed and, if any, they were smaller than the respect to the specimen axis were observed in some places.

grain size. Sometimes characteristic sites resembling dense At the end of the bands, where they intersected with the

slip bands were observed. Examples of them are shown grain boundary, sometimes a small crack was observed

in Photo. 3. in the neighboring grain (Photo. 4(a)-(c)). Sometimes.

- 8 -

Photo. 4. Photomicrographs of the surface of a fatigued specimen
(SOO'C, 20.5kg/mm2, 1.16xl0').
small cracks were found perpendicular to the specimen
axis, as shown in Photo. 4(d). Furthermore, it was con­
firmed by polishing off the surface that some of these
small cracks were at least 50p deep. The same feature,
but to a less extent, was observed also for specimens that
endured 108 cycles at 400°C, but not for those at 600°C.
4. Discussion
Two kinds of solution-treated austenitic stainless sleels,
SUS 304-B and 316-B, showed the same temperature de­
pendence of the fatigue strength at 108 cycles, although
the fatigue strength of the latter was about 2 kg/mm�
higher than that of the former at each temperature.
700°C, a clear endurance limit appeared for both materials
at less than 107 cycles, but the fatigue fracture again start­
ed after 107 cycles. This phenomenon of a stepwise en­
durance limit is important in the high temperature design
of machines as well as in considering the machanism of
fatigue fracture.
It has been pointed out previously1l.5l that for austenitic
stainless steels the ratio of fatigue strength to 0. 2 % proof
stress is nearly equal to 1 at room temperature and is
larger than 1 at high temperatures. The result at high
temperatures has been interpreted in terms of strengthen­
ing due to precipitation of chrominum carbide. At as high
a temperature as 700°C, however, the ratio is again nearly
equal to 1, which is clearly less than that at 600°C.
result cannot be explained only by the strengthening due
to precipitation.
At room temperature, no coaxing effect was observed.
After 108 stress cycles the surface of the specimens showed
little structual change and only a slight increase in hard­
ness. From these results, it is considered that. at room
temperature and under a stress amplitude nearly equal
to the fatigue strength at 108 cycles, precipitation harden­
ing does not occur during the fASt but the material hard.
ens by cyclic plastic strains at th' initial stage of cycling
and gradually begins to behav.· elastically against the
cyclic loading.
The existence of a distinct coaxing effect from 400 to
600°C suggests that the materials gain some kind of re­
sistance against cyclic loading as a result of some struc­
tural change during the test. This seems to be related
to the fact that the ratio of fatigue strength to 0. 2 %
proof stress is considerably larger than 1 in the same
temperature range. That is, the materials gradually come
to behave elastically against cyclic loading as a result of
strengthening due to work hardening and precipitation
hardening, although plastic deformation takes place initial­
ly after loading in the conventional fatigue test as well
as in the stress increment test. This idea is supported
also by our previous results6l on strain-con trolled low­
cycle fatigue tests on the same materials. Our result
showed that the ratio of the attainable maximum stress
range during the test to the stress range at the first strain
cycling was approximately from 2 to 2. 5 at 450 and 600°C
and was about 1. 5 at room temperature and 700°C.
At 700°C the coaxing effect was observed to some ex­
At tent and an endurance limit apparently existed below 107
stress cycles. However, after 108 cycles, the coaxing ef­
fect as well as the endurance limit disappeared. These
phenomena are considered to be due to softening by over­
aging as the temperature increases. From this consider­
ation, it is expected that fatigue fracture may take place
after 108 stress cycles even at 600°C due to averaging.
But such a long-time test has not yet been carried out.
5. Conclusions
Rotating bending fatig<Je tests were carried out on two
austenitic stainless steels (SUS 304-B and 316-B) at room
temperature, 400, 500, 600 and 700°C at a frequency of
7500 cycles 'min. and their fatigue strengths at 108 cycles
were obtained.
This The results are as follows :
(1) Endurance limits were clearly found in the tem­
perature range from room temperature to 600°C. At
700°C, a clear endurance limit appeared belov.' 107 cycles,
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but fatigue fracture started again after 107 cycles.
(2) The ratio of fatigue strength to 0. 2 % proof stress
was from 1. 2 to 1. 7 in the temperature range from 400
to 600°C.
(3) The coaxing effect was distinctly observed in the
temperature range from 400 to 600°C. At 700°C, the
effect was observed to some extent from a stress incre­
ment test after 9 X 105 cycles, but disappeared after 108
cycles.
(4) The above phenomena commonly observed for
the two steels are considered to arise from the same or­
igins. They are the strengthening of the materials as a
result of aging during the fatigue tests in the temperature
range from 400 to 600°C, and the softening as a result
of overaging after 107 cycles at 700°C.
References
1) G. Shinoda, et al,: J. Japan Inst, Metals, 24 (1960) 645 (in Japanese).
2) Report of Committee on Fatigue, JSTM: ]. Japan Soc. Testing
Mat., 10 (1961) 628 (in Japanese).
3) ISO Rll43-1969, "Rotating Bar Bending Fatigue Testing".
4) G. M. Sinclair: Proc. ASTM, 52 (1952) 743.
5) B. Cina: ]. Iron Steel Inst., 190 (1958) 144.
6) K. Kanazawa and S. Yoshida: Preprinl of Extension Seminar on
High Temperature Strength of Metals, International Con£. Me·
chanica! Behavior of Materials, Kyoto (1971) 73.

WRC Bulletin 202

January 1975

"Current Welding Reuarch Problems"

Periodically the Welding Research Council surveys its Project Committees and
University Research Committee for opinions and suggestions on important current welding
research problems facing industry. The responses are classified according to subject area
and the list of problems is published as a service to Industry, Government Agencies and
researchers.
WRC Bulletin 202 presents a recent compilation of over 300 problems, grouped into the
following subject areas: (1) Carbon and Low-Alloy Steels; (2) Pressure Vessels and Piping; (3)
Structural; (4) Fatigue; (5) Residual Stresses and Stress Relief; (6) Stainless Steels and High
Alloys; (7) Reactive and Refractory Metals; (8) Aluminum; (9) Nonferrous Metals; (10) Resis­
tance Welding; (11) Welding Processes; (12) Welding Arcs; (13) Nondestructive Testing; (14)
Brazing; (15) General.
The price of WRC Bulletin 202 is $5.50 per copy. Orders should be sent with payment to
the Welding Research Council, 345 East 47th Street, New York, N.Y. 10017.

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