Effects of thermal aging on the low cycle fatigue behavior of austenitic–ferritic duplex cast stainless steel

Thermal aging is observed in a primary reactor cooling system (RCS) made of cast stainless steel. The observation occurs when the RCS is exposed for a long period of time to a reactor operating temperature between 290 and 330°C. An investigation of the effect of thermal aging on the low cycle fatigue characteristics of CF8M is required. The purpose of the present investigation is to find the effect of thermal aging of CF8M on a low cycle fatigue life. The specimen of CF8M is prepared by an artificially accelerated aging technique maintained for 300 and 1800 h at 430°C, respectively. The low cycle fatigue tests for the virgin and two aged specimens are performed at room temperature for the strain amplitudes ( ε ta) of 0.3, 0.5, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.5%. In the experiment, it is found that the fatigue life is rapidly reduces with an increase of aging time. The experimental fatigue life estimation formula, between the virgin and two aged specimens are obtained.