Fatigue crack formation and growth from localized corrosion in Al–Zn–Mg–Cu

The effect of precorrosion on the fatigue life of aluminum alloy 7075-T6511 was measured, physical characteristics of corrosion topography plus fatigue damage were established by microscopy, and a corrosion modified equivalent initial flaw size (CM-EIFS) was established using fracture mechanics modeling. Fatigue life is reduced by clustered corrosion pits on the L–S surface from laboratory-EXCO exposure. Cracks initiate from pits clustered as a semi-elliptical surface micronotch rather than the deepest pits, consistent with shape-dependent stress intensity. Marker band analysis establishes that the number of cycles to form a crack about a pit cluster can be a significant fraction of total fatigue life. The CM-EIFS, back-calculated from fracture mechanics analysis of measured fatigue life, equals measured initiating-pit cluster size provided that important inputs are provided; such favorable comparison validates this approach to corrosion-fatigue interaction. Calculated CM-EIFS provides a metric to characterize alloy corrosion damage, and can be used to forward-model the effects of stress and loading environment on fatigue life distribution, critical for efficient alloy development. Use in prognosis of the fatigue performance of a service-corroded surface is hindered by uncertain non-destructive characterization of corrosion topography.