The Effect of the Diameter and Spacing Between Impurities on the Fatigue Strength Coefficient of Structural Steel

The article discusses the effect of the diameter and spacing between impurities (size up to 2 μm) on the fatigue strength coefficient of structural steel during rotary bending. The study was performed on 21 heats produced in an industrial plant. Fourteen heats were produced in 140 ton electric furnaces, and 7 heats were performed in a 100 ton oxygen converter. All heats were desulfurized. Seven heats from electrical furnaces were refined with argon, and heats from the converter were subjected to vacuum circulation degassing. Steel sections with a diameter of 18 mm were hardened for 30 minutes from the austenitizing temperature of 880°C and tempered at a temperature of 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600°C. The experimental variants were compared in view of the applied melting technology and heat treatment options. The results were presented graphically and mathematically to account for the correlations between the fatigue strength coefficient during rotary bending, the diameter of and spacing between submicroscopic impurities. Equations for calculating the fatigue strength coefficient at each tempering temperature and a general equation for all tempering temperatures were proposed. Equations for estimating the fatigue strength coefficient based on the relative volume of submicroscopic non-metallic inclusions were also presented. The relationship between the fatigue strength and hardness of highgrade steel vs. the quotient of the diameter of impurities and the spacing between impurities, and the fatigue strength and hardness of steel vs. the relative volume of submicroscopic non-metallic impurities were determined.