Study on flaw-to-surface proximity rule for transforming subsurface flaws to surface flaws based on fatigue crack growth experiments

Hasegawa, Kunio; Li, Y. ; Saito, Koichi*

If a subsurface flaw is located near a component surface, the subsurface flaw is transformed to a surface flaw in accordance with a flaw-to-surface proximity rule. The re-characterization process from subsurface to surface flaw is adopted in all fitness-for-service (FFS) codes. However, the concrete criteria of the re-characterizations are different among the FFS codes. Cyclic tensile experiment was conducted on a carbon steel flat plate with a subsurface flaw at ambient temperature. The objective of the paper is to compare the experiment and calculation of fatigue crack growth behavior for a subsurface flaw and the transformed surface flaw, and to describe the validity of the flaw-to-surface proximity rule defined by ASME Code Section XI, JSME S NA1 Code and other codes.