Crack growth: Does microstructure play a role?

What is it about?

This paper explains that whilst microstructure can effect the growth of long cracks the effects on the growth of naturally occuring cracks is generally very small. It also reveals how the small crack da/dN versus Delta K curve can be obtained for the Hartman-Schijve representation of long cracks by setting the threshold term to a small value.

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Why is it important?

This is the first paper to summarise the effect of microstructure on cracks that arise and grow in operational structures.