Characterisation of the crack tip plastic zone in fatigue via synchrotron X‐ray diffraction

This paper describes a new methodology for characterising the plastic zone ahead of fatigue crack. is applied to set experimental data obtained by synchrotron X-ray diffraction on bainitic steel compact tension specimen. The based generating equivalent Von Mises strain field from elastic maps. Based material response, threshold then maps identify size and shape zone. lies between plane stress Westergaard's bounds but closer theoretical prediction confirming that volume analyzed predominantly subjected conditions. However, observed has somewhat flatter shape, extending further crack less extended in growing direction.