Effect of tempering temperatures on the fatigue behavior of 0.6% C martensitic steel

Jiaqiang Dang; Sien Liu; Eisuke Kazama; Ryuji Yabutani; Karel Blanken; Fabien Briffod; Shoichi Nambu

doi:10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2026.109905

Journal article Effect of tempering temperatures on the fatigue behavior of 0.6% C martensitic steel

;

; ; ; ;

;

1-s2.0-S0142112326004263-main_resized.pdf

Download file (12.7 MB)
Download as zip (12 MB)

Collection

Citation

Jiaqiang Dang, Sien Liu, Eisuke Kazama, Ryuji Yabutani, Karel Blanken, Fabien Briffod, Shoichi Nambu. Effect of tempering temperatures on the fatigue behavior of 0.6% C martensitic steel. International Journal of Fatigue. 2026, 214 (), 109905. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2026.109905

(BibTeX)

Description:

(abstract)

The martensite steels have attracted significant attention in various industries due to their superior mechanical properties and fatigue resistance. However, the fatigue behavior of high-carbon martensite steels remains insufficiently understood. In this study, the effect of tempering process on the fatigue behavior of a 0.6% C martensite steel was systematically investigated. Three tempering conditions, namely T180, T500 and T650, were applied, resulting in distinct microstructures and mechanical responses. The fatigue performance under different stress levels was evaluated, and the underlying mechanisms were elucidated through a combination of crystal plasticity finite element method (CPFEM) and experimental characterization. The results indicate that tempering has a limited effect on grain size while enhanced carbon segregation at higher tempering temperatures promotes the formation of dense carbides along boundaries. Carbides and inclusions serve as the primary crack initiation sites regardless of tempering condition, whereas intergranular crack propagation is more pronounced in the low-tempered state. Combined CPFEM and experimental analyses reveal that fracture toughness, governing the main crack formation, plays a critical role in controlling fatigue resistance in the 0.6% C martensite steel. Increased fracture toughness at higher tempering temperatures significantly delays the cycles to the main crack formation. However, excessive tempering leads to substantial strength degradation, increasing the number of potential main crack formation sites and ultimately deteriorating fatigue performance.

Rights: