Abstract
The AA6061-T6 aluminium alloys are hugely applicable, where strength of material is predominant. Majority of the failure of such type of structure is due to fatigue. The observation of fatigue crack enhancement is very useful to predict the remaining existence of the shape and therefore, to understand the fatigue failure. By knowing the plastic zone, crack growth rate can be approximated on the basis of plastic zone size. It helps to save time and material that is required in experimentation to evaluate crack growth rate. Many researchers investigated the dependency of fatigue crack enhancement on plastic area size; however there may be restricted literature to be had on plastic area dedication of AA6061-T6 aluminium alloys. In this research article the fatigue crack enhancement rate of AA6061-T6 aluminium alloys experimentally and plastic zone is determined at crack tip when crack advances using ANSYS. Fatigue crack growth tests were performed to record the ‘No. of cycles’ and ‘Stress intensity factor’ as crack advances. The crack growth rate in steady state regime was determined and analyzed. The crack advancement was also analyzed in ANSYS and ‘No. of cycles’ and ‘Stress intensity factor’ were determined analytically. A comparison of experimental data and ANSYS data was made to check the suitability of application of ANSYS in fatigue crack increase evaluation of AA6061-T6 aluminium alloys. Finally plastic region at crack tip changed into decided the use of ANSYS.