Multi-axial fatigue behaviour of a severely notched carbon steel

The paper deals with multi-axial fatigue strength of notched specimens made of C40 carbon steel (normalised state), subjected to combined tension and torsion loading, both in-phase and out-of-phase (Phi = 0 and 90 degrees). V-notched specimens have been tested under two nominal load ratios, R = -1 and 0, while keeping constant and equal to the unity the biaxiality ratio, lambda = sigma(a)/tau(a). All specimens have the same geometry, with notch tip radius and depth equal to 0.5 and 4 mm, respectively, while the V-notch angle is equal to 90 degrees. The results determined are discussed together with those deduced under pure tension or torsion loading on plain and notched specimens as well as on small shafts with shoulders. The application of an energy-based approach allows all the fatigue data obtained from the notched specimens to be summarised in a single scatter band, in terms of the total strain energy density evaluated at the notch tip against cycles to failure.