Fatigue Lifetime of a Howitzer Cannon

GASPER FASUN; CHAPETTI, M.D.; GUBELJAK, N.

Procedia Structural Integrity

Elsevier

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2023 vol. 48 p. 19 - 26

2452-3216

This This work investigates the fatigue integrity of a barrel made of KATO1 alloy (35NiCrMoV12-5) with two different heat treatments, using a fracture mechanics approach based on fatigue resistance curve concepts. The analysis includes experimental and theoretical estimation of various necessary variables, such as microstructural size, static strength, fracture toughness, fatigue threshold for long and short cracks, and fatigue crack propagation properties. The thermographic method is used to experimentally estimate the fatigue limit of the two materials.The approach allows quantifying the influence of different variables on the fatigue resistance and life of the barrel, enabling the estimation of safe operating conditions and the identification of an unsafe condition. The analysis provides valuable insights into enhancing the fatigue resistance of the barrel material, such as improving the fatigue threshold for long cracks to increase the critical crack length for a given maximum pressure. Addressing this issue could enhance the durability of the barrel and ensure better performance over an extended period of use.