Mechanical and Fatigue Properties of Heavy Section Solution Strengthened Ferritic Ductile Iron Castings

Recently, standardized solution strengthened ferritic ductile irons have met the interest of the industrial world since their improved mechanical properties and workability compared to standard ferritic–pearlitic ductile irons. For this reason, mechanical and fatigue properties of heavy section solution strengthened ferritic ductile irons castings are examined. Mechanical tests are carried out on specimens taken from the center of castings with long solidification times. Metallographic analyses are performed by using optical microscopy. Fracture surfaces of fatigue specimens are investigated in order to evaluate crack initiation and propagation zones. Finally, fatigue curves of the analyzed alloy are compared with those obtained from pearlitic ductile iron with the same casting geometry.