High strain cyclic fatigue and fracture behavior of a SiC reinforced cast aluminum alloy composite

The high strain cyclic fatigue characteristics of a cast aluminum alloy A356 discontinuously reinforced with 20 vol% silicon carbide particulates strained to failure over a range of strain amplitudes giving lives of less than 104 cycles to failure were studied. The specimens were cycled using tension-compression loading under total strain control. The as-cast material displayed cyclic hardening and eventual softening to failure at the higher cyclic strain amplitudes, and progressive cyclic softening at low strain amplitudes