Low cycle fatigue strength of some austenitic stainless steels at room temperature and elevated temperatures

Type 304, 316, and 316L stainless steels were tested from room temperature to 6500C using two kinds of bending test specimens. Particularly, Type 304 was tested at several cyclic rates and 5500 and 6500C, and the effect of cyclic rate on its fatigue strength was investigated. Test results are summarized as follows: (1) The bending fatigue strength at room temperature test shows good agreement with the axial fatigue one, (2) Manson--Coffin's fatigue equation can be applied to the results, (3) the ratio of crack initiation to failure life becomes larger at higher stress level, and (4) the relation between crack propagation life and total strain range or elastic strain range are linear in log-log scale. This relation also agrees with the equations which were derived from some crack propagation laws. It was also observed at the elevated temperature test: (1) The reduction of fatigue strength is not noticeable below 5000C, but it is noted at higher temperature. (2) The cycle rate does not affect on fatigue strength in faster cyclic rate than 20 cpm and below 100,000 cycles life range. (3) Type 316 stainless steel shows better fatigue property than type 304 and 316L stainless steels. 30 figures