Fatigue failure analysis of three-layer Zr–Ti/Zr–Steel composite plates: an insight into the evolution of cracks initiated at the interfaces

Initiation and evolution of fatigue cracks at the interfaces in three-layer Zr–Ti/Zr–Steel composites is herein examined by in situ optical microscopy for the first time. Specimens cut out from three composite plates comprising Zr 700, Ti Gr. 1, and P265GH steel layers have been subjected to uniaxial fatigue cyclic loading. It is found that mechanical property mismatch between layers and defects at the interfaces can reduce the fatigue life of composite plates. An insight into the evolution of cracks initiated at the interfaces reveals that (1) most of the cracks grow into adjacent layers along two distinct planes, and (2) these cracks could lead to the fatigue failure of composites. One of these planes coincides with the adiabatic shear band orientation found in Ti Gr. 1 and Zr 700 layers. The interfaces in multilayer metallic composite could have excellent fatigue strength depending on their structural properties.