In this study, structure-property relations with respect to fatigue of an extruded AZ61 magnesium alloy were experimentally quantified. Strain-life experiments were conducted in the extruded and transverse orientations under low and high cycle conditions. The cyclic behavior of this alloy displayed varying degrees of cyclic hardening depending on the strain amplitude and the specimen orientation. The fracture surfaces of the fatigued specimens were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope in order to quantify structure-property relations with respect to number of cycles to failure. Intermetallic particles were found to be the source of fatigue initiation on a majority of fracture surfaces. Finally, a multistage fatigue model based on the relative microstructural sensitive features quantified in this study was employed to capture the anisotropic fatigue damage of the AZ61 magnesium alloy.
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