Multiaxial asynchronous fatigue experiments were carried out on 30CrMnSiA steel to investigate the influence of frequency ratio on fatigue crack initiation and propagation. Test results show that the surface cracks initiate on the maximum shear stress amplitude planes with larger normal stress, propagate approximately tens of microns, and then propagate along the maximum normal stress planes. The frequency ratio has an obvious effect on the fatigue life. The variation of normal and shear stress amplitudes on the maximum normal stress plane induces the crack retardation, and results in that the crack growth length is longer for the constant amplitude loading than that for the asynchronous loading under the same fatigue life ratio. A few fatigue life prediction models were employed and compared. Results show that the fatigue life predicted by the model of Bannantine-Socie cycle counting method, section critical plane criterion and Palmgren-Miner's cumulative damage rule were more applicable.
Keywords: 30CrMnSiA steel; asynchronous loading; crack growth path; fatigue life prediction; frequency ratio.