Experimental and Numerical Characterization of Ultra Low-Cycle Fatigue Fracture of CFCF Rectangular Plate Elements Under Cyclic Bending

The ultra low-cycle fatigue fracture of open section steel members undergoing local buckling was experimentally investigated using rectangular clamped-free-clamped-free (CFCF) plates, validating a classic macro model (plastic-hinge-based damage model) and phenomenological micro model (void growth model, or stress-weighted damage model). Finite element models were calibrated to the 3D-DIC experimental data to further analyze the fracture mechanism, and to characterize the stress triaxiality and Load angle parameter during local buckling.