On the development of fatigue failure maps for titanium matrix composites

The purpose of the present article is to demonstrate how fatigue failure maps can be constructed for fiber-reinforced titanium alloys. The maps are constructed using a combination of micromechanical models and experimental measurements of fatigue cracking and fracture. The maps are used to identify the regimes in which various failure mechanisms dominate. Moreover, they provide information about the fatigue life and the critical amount of crack extension at failure. Examples of such maps for a well-characterized titanium matrix composite are presented and used to illustrate the sensitivity of fatigue life and critical crack extension to both the applied stress and the length of pre-existing cracks or notches.