Crack initiation ahead of piled-up of dislocations emitted from a modeⅡbluntcrack

In situ tensile tests in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) show that dislocations emitted from a mode II crack tip will form a inverse piled-up group after equilibrium or a double piled-up group when they meet a obstruction, e.g., grain boundary or second phase. A microcrack can initiates in front of the piled-up group of dislocations. Micromechanics analysis shows that dislocations emitted from a mode II blunt crack tip can form a inverse piled-up or double piled-up group, depending upon the applied stress intensity factor K_IIa, latticefriction stress and the distance of the obstruction from the crack tip L. The maximum normal stress in front of the double piled-up group which is located at the direction of α=-64° Increases with the increase in the stress intensity K_IIa and the obstruction site L, and the decrease in the friction stress. When it increases to equate the cohesive strength, a microcrack will initiate in front of the piled-up group.