Non-Propagating Cracks at the Fatigue Limit of Notches: An Analysis of Notch Sensitivity and Size Effect.

The issues of the high-cycle fatigue resistance of notches and the role of non-propagating short cracks in defining the fatigue notch sensitivity and fatigue limit of the configuration are addressed. A fracture mechanics approach is employed to determine the threshold configuration that defines the associated fatigue limit. The influence of notch sharpness, notch size, intrinsic fatigue limit, microstructural dimensions, and the threshold for crack propagation is examined.