Application of speckle dynamics and Raman light scattering to study the fracture features of pipe steel at high-cycle fatigue

Despite a long history of research and a large number of publications, currently there are no methods for assessing and calculating the residual life of structural elements with their multi-cycle fatigue that would meet the requirements of engineering practice. In this regard, the role of physical methods to record the features of accumulation of local fatigue damage without stopping the operation or testing of various objects for fatigue increases. In the article two laser methods are used to study the origin of fatigue crack. Earlier, after testing for high-cycle fatigue of polished steel specimen with a Charpy notch, two zones of different sizes with different roughness were found near the notch. The first zone of 50´100 µm was located directly on the top of the notch. It consisted of inhomogeneities up to 10 µm in diameter and about 100 nm in height. In the center of the zone a macro-crack was discovered. The second zone with a diameter of 500-700 microns had a form of a hole (tie) with a depth of about 1 micron. Its center was located at a distance of 250-300 microns from the top of the notch. The aim of the work was to determine the formulation of inhomogeneities in a small zone and the sequence of the two zones’ occurrence. By using Raman microscopy, it is shown that the inhomogeneities are pieces of iron carbide. By the peculiarities of speckle image changes it is shown that the formation of two zones begins almost simultaneously. After the origination of a macro crack with a length of about 100 microns, a new plasticity zone at its top begins to form. Possible formation mechanisms of two zones are discussed. The disadvantages of the speckle method and the direction of further research are considered.