Neutron diffraction investigation of an in-plane biaxial fatigued stainless steel sample of cruciform geometry

Fatigue and fracture under multiaxial stresses are among the most important current research topics aimed at ensuring improved reliability of industrial components. An ex situ in-plane biaxial low cycle fatigued sample of cruciform geometry from austenitic stainless steel AISI 321 H was investigated on the FSD stress-diffractometer at the IBR-2 pulsed nuclear reactor by using the neutron strain scanner and the uniaxial stress rig. The phase composition of fatigued material was determined and the residual macrostresses and phase microstresses were measured. To the best of our knowledge, no neutron diffraction investigations of materials subjected to biaxial loading have been previously carried out. The first results of the neutron diffraction experiment are presented and discussed.