Low-Cycle Fatigue in Ni-Base Superalloy IN738LC at Elevated Temperature

For many years, high-strength nickel-base superalloys have been used to manufacture turbine blades because of their excellent performance at high temperatures. The prediction of fatigue life of superalloys is important for improving the efficiency of the turbine blades. In this study, low cycle fatigue tests are performed for different values of total strain and temperature. The relations between strain energy density and number of cycles before failure occurs are examined in order to predict the low cycle fatigue life of IN738LC super alloy. The results of low cycle fatigue lives predicted by strain energy methods are found to coincide with experimental data and with the results obtained by the Coffin-Manson method.