A review of dwell sensitive fatigue in titanium alloys: the role of microstructure, texture and operating conditions

The phenomenon of ambient temperature dwell sensitive fatigue in titanium alloys has been a concern to the gas turbine industries for over three decades. However, largely due to economic constraints, it is unlikely that the titanium alloys will be replaced by novel substitutes in the foreseeable future. Therefore, with the use of the near alpha and alpha/beta variants for safety critical components in the low and high pressure compressor sections of the engine, the potential effects of "cold dwell" continue to compromise design. A significant amount of research has been conducted during the intervening years to understand the fundamental deformation mechanisms controlling dwell behaviour. The present paper will explore these findings and highlight the important issues for consideration during the design and service of future aerospace components and alternative high performance applications. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.