Texture heterogeneities in alpha/alpha titanium forging analysed by EBSD-relation to fatigue crack propagation.

The microstructure and the local texture of a large IMI 834 forging were characterized using the Electron Back Scattered Diffraction (EBSD) technique. Crystallographic domains called macrozones and formed by a majority of primary alpha(p) grains with their axes in nearly the same direction were found. They had a band-like structure, parallel to the axial direction of the forging. The influence of these macrozones on the cold dwell-fatigue properties was studied. Several samples were tested under cold dwell-fatigue conditions. The crack initiation and the short-distance propagation region optically matched a bright region that contained numerous quasi-cleavage facets. The analysis of the EBSD measurements showed that this bright region was enclosed within a sharp textured region with axes at less than 30 degrees from the loading axis. The crystallographic features of the crack nucleation site and the crack propagation path were also analysed.