A semi-Markovian model for low-cycle elastic-plastic fatigue crack growth

Elastic-plastic fatigue crack growth is described by a continuous time semi-Markovian stochastic process. The load on the member is considered to be deterministic and the resistance is assumed to be random. Crack growth resistance is described by an equation employing the J-integral. Quantities of interest that can be obtained from this model include emergency statistics and probability distributions on the time to reach a critical crack length. The model is tested with fatigue crack propagation data for A533B pressure vessel steel. The results indicate that the model underpredicts the mean first-passage time at the start of a test but predicts it well in the mid-ranges and towards the end of the test; the variance of the process is better predicted for specimens that undergo large plasticity than those with low plasticity.