Material property controlling non-propagating fatigue crack length of mechanically and physically short-crack based on Dugdale-model analysis

•Non-propagating fatigue crack length at fatigue limit Δcnp was analytically examined.•Materials and initial crack lengths dependences on Δcnp were examined.•Δcnp increased with increase in yield strength in case of short initial cracks.•Δcnp decreased with increase in yield strength in case of long initial cracks.•Results of Δcnp were non-dimensionalized based on physics-based parameters. Non-propagating fatigue crack lengths were analytically calculated under stress control conditions using plasticity-induced crack closure analysis with the Dugdale model. In addition, a non-dimensionalization method was applied in terms of the Burgers vector and a monotonic plastic zone size under small-scale yielding conditions, which was validated for various initial crack lengths and material properties. When the yield strength was increased, the non-propagating fatigue crack lengths were found to increase for a short crack and decrease for a long crack. The non-dimensionalization enabled the analytical derivation of a generalized non-propagating fatigue crack length, which can be utilized for fatigue designs. The material property controlling the threshold stress intensity factor range of mechanically and physically short-crack was discussed.