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Very high cycle fatigue characteristics of a chrome‐molybdenum steel treated

by ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification technique

Article  in  Fatigue & Fracture of Engineering Materials & Structures · August 2013

DOI: 10.1111/ffe.12045

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 doi: 10.1111/ffe.12045

Very high cycle fatigue characteristics of a chrome-molybdenum steel

treated by ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification technique

M.-S. SUH1, C.-M. SUH2* and Y.-S. PYUN3

1
Korea Institute of Energy Research, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Korea, 2School of Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Pukku, Daegu,
Korea, 3Department of Mechanical Engineering, SunMoon University, Asan-ri, Chungnam, Korea
Received in final form 20 June 2012

A B S T R A C T Characterization of very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) performance is of significant issue for
ensuring long-term durability and reliability of machinery and structural components due to
the growing industrial demands and significant requirements of the advanced systems. In this
study, VHCF characteristics of nanocrystallized skins (nanoskin) on JIS SCM435 (AISI 4137)
steels were investigated as three different nanoskins on the surface, which was fabricated by
altering the static load of ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) treatment. The
fatigue characterization, which shows linearly proportional correlation in the range of
80–120 mm depth of subsurface, was subjected to severe plastic deformation by altering the static
loads of UNSM treatment to 40, 70 and 100 N, respectively. The fatigue strength increased up
to 30% in the regime of VHCF. The improved strength mainly resulted from the generation of
nanocrystalline structure, the enhanced surface uniformity, hardness and residual stress.

Keywords very high cycle fatigue (VHCF); ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM);
nanostructured materials; compressive residual stress; JIS SCM435; severe plastic deformation.

NOMENCLATURE A = Amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration

Kt = Stress concentration factor
Nf = Number of cycles to failure
Pst = Amplitude of static load
Pt = Total energy acting on the workpiece
S = Feed of main shaft in ultrasonic vibratory device
V = Linear velocity of a rotating workpiece
s = Normal stress
smax = Maximum stress
2θ = Diffraction angle

INTRODUCTION limit cannot promise the inherent endurance limit. For this
reason, the understanding of fatigue characteristics on the
The S-N curve of ferrous materials is known to present a
metallic materials in the VHCF is important for ensuring
sudden plateau, which marks a clear fatigue limit, usually at
long-term reliability of machinery and structure.
about 105–106 cycles. Fatigue design of machinery and
From this aspect, a round robin test on the VHCF
structural components commonly employs endurance
characteristics of some high-strength steels such as JIS
designs based on this fatigue limit.1–3,18 Recent experimental
SUJ2 (AISI 52100) and JIS SCM435 (AISI 4137) is in
results in high-strength steels, bearing steels and surface-
progress. This joint research between Korea and Japan
treated steels have indicated that the S-N curve was des-
employs a specially developed multi-type fatigue testing
cending again in the very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) beyond
machine in rotating-bending motion. Cyclic loading for
107 cycles.1–7 This implies that the conventional endurance
109 times requires about 210 days because fatigue tests
design for such materials on the basis of the standard fatigue
are carried out under a rate of 52.5 Hz (3,150 rpm) that
Correspondence: C.-M. Suh. E-mail: cmsuh@knu.ac.kr does not induce any heat generation in a test piece.

© 2013 Wiley Publishing Ltd. Fatigue Fract Engng Mater Struct, 2013, 36, 769–778 769
770
Fig. 1 Illustration of (a) a transmission electron micrograph of amorphous structure of surface layer after ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification
(UNSM) treatment and (b) schematic diagram and comparison of microstructures according to depth between ‘before’ and ‘after’ UNSM treatment.
Most failure in bending fatigue, torsion and contact rolling,
and sliding wear begins from the surface. Over the past dec-
ades, many methods such as shot peening, laser shock peening,
low plasticity burnishing, deep rolling and ultrasonic shot
peening have been studied to enhance the surface quality,
but the industrial demand keeps growing, and more signifi-
cant requirements are added to researchers and engineers.8–18
Ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) is
an emerging technology that can breakthrough the limits
of current surface technology and relieves the burden of
engineers by the superior improvement of the surface
characteristics.11–18 UNSM technology could fabricates
numerous micro-dimples on the surface that modifies
the structures of layers into nanocrystalline with deep
and large compressive residual stress (Fig. 1).
In this study, UNSM technology is adopted to fabricate
the nanoskin on SCM435 steel for the evaluation of VHCF
characteristics by investigating the effects of VHCF on
SCM435 steel comparing ‘before’ and ‘after’ UNSM
treatment. To verify the fatigue characteristics of SCM435,
specimens were treated by changing the static load levels
for the UNSM treatment as 40, 70 and 100 N, respectively.
MATERIAL PREPARATION AND EXPERIMENTAL
PROCEDURES
Specimens and testing machines
The chromium–molybdenum steels (SCM435), with the
chemical compositions shown in Table 1, are
Table 1 Chemical composition of JIS SCM435 steel (wt.%)
Element C Si Mn
Specimen 0.36 0.19 0.66
Standard 0.33–0.38 0.15–0.35 0.60–0.85
investigated. The material underwent the following heat
treatments: quenching (1,128 K for 1.8 ks + oil cooling)
and subsequent annealing (873 K for 3.6 ks + water cool-
ing). Table 2 shows the mechanical properties of the
tempered material. The specimen was in the shape of
an hourglass with the diameter of 4.0 mm, and its stress
concentration factor was Kt = 1.08.
The study was carried out using a multi-type fatigue
testing machine (Yamamoto, YRB200) in the motion of
rotating-bending. The tester has two main rotating shafts
with a flat belt driven by one motor. The specimen can be
attached at both ends of these two axes. Therefore, four
specimens can be simultaneously undergo the fatigue testing.
A testing rate of 52.5 Hz (3,150 rpm) was chosen that signif-
icant heat is not to be initiated in the specimen. Tests were
performed in an ambient temperature. Structural details of
the testing machine can be found in previous publications.1,2
Surface roughness was measured in order to obtain the
surface characteristics of UNSM-treated specimen. Average
value was obtained by measuring the centreline of average
roughness (Ra), and maximum roughness (Rmax) has 10 times
of sequential acquisition for measuring distance of 1.6 mm
by using contact type surface profilometer (Surftest-500,
Mitutoyo) for both ‘before’ and ‘after’ UNSM specimens.
The hardness was measured at a regular interval from
the surface to centreline direction in order to understand
the surface characteristics after the UNSM treatment.
Micro-Vickers hardness tester (MVK-E3, Akashi) was
used for hardness test as the average of five test results
Cr Mo P S Cu Ni
1.01 0.20 0.012 0.007 0.01 0.02
0.90–1.20 0.15–0.30 <0.030 <0.030 <0.30 <0.25
© 2013 Wiley Publishing Ltd. Fatigue Fract Engng Mater Struct, 2013, 36, 769–778

Table 2 Mechanical properties of JIS SCM435 steel
Yield Tensile
strength strength Elongation
Specimen (MPa) (MPa) (%)
SCM435 902 991 17.0
on each depth determined with the indentation load of
50 g and dwell time of 30 s.
The microscopic observation was conducted after
cutting and mounting of nanoskinned test specimens
before and after UNSM. The mounted test specimens
were polished with a polishing paper (emery paper) from
#100 to #2000, buffed with Al2O3 to be processed into
mirror surface state. Alternating current etching electro-
lytic process was used for electrolytic polishing, and the
temperature of electrolytic solution was fixed to 30  C.
The current density was 200 mA/cm2, and frequency range
was 20–60 Hz. The etching time was 40–80 s, and speci-
men was washed for 10 times after electrolytic etching.
And after that, the specimen was dried in high temperature
of 250  C in order to remove residual chlorine element.
Fractured test specimens were observed using scanning
electron microscope (S-4700, HITACHI) to examine
tremor behaviour and fatigue crack initiation of before
and after UNSM. Some specimens were analysed using
Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) (H-7100,
HITACH) to characterize the inner compound of metals.
Three types, five for each, of specimen were manufactured
with different load of UNSM treatment conditions for a
compressive residual stress test. Electrolytic polishing/
etching was carried out on the surface by 100 mm for two
reasons that are to minimize the physical losses and remove
the unevenness of UNSM-treated specimens on the top side.
X-ray diffraction method was used for measuring the
residual stresses; it is based on a lattice plane ‘d’ that takes
a place of gauge length of strain gauge.19 If the external
force is applied to the material, then the lattice plane
distance ‘d’ changes. The change of lattice plane induces
the diffraction of X-ray that can be correlated to the
residual stress.
Diffraction angle of 2θ was determined in the method
of full width at half maximum according to standard
X-ray measurement method, and the residual stress
was calculated in the method of sin2c with five-point
incidence angles (c = 0 , 18.75 , 27.03 , 33.83 , 40 ).
Table 3 Conditions of X-ray diffraction
X-ray target
Diffraction plane
Filter
Voltage
Current
© 2013 Wiley Publishing Ltd. Fatigue Fract Engng Mater Struct, 2013, 36, 769–778
NANOSKINNED SCM435 UNDER VHCF 771
Multi-purpose X-ray diffractometer (X’pert PRO
Reduction MRD, PHILIPS) was used for the measurement of re-
in area sidual stress. Table 3 shows the test conditions for mea-
(%) suring X-ray parameter. The diffraction angle of 2θ
67.3 corresponding to the incident angle was obtained from
high angle diffraction face (311) by using property Cu-
Ka ray as X-ray target.19–22
Ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification technology
Ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification is a licensed
technology. It utilizes an ultrasonic vibratory energy as a
source, and 20, 000–40, 000 strikes per second (strikes per
unit area: 1,000–10, 000/mm2) were applied on the material
surface directly. These strikes cause a severe plastic deforma-
tion (SPD) to the surface layers, changing the structure of
surface layer into a nanocrystalline structure and induce a
very large compressive residual stress.8,11,13
Figure 2 shows the model of UNSM process on the
plane surface or the circumference surface. In this figure,
Pst stands for the static load and S stands for the feed of
main shaft attached to the ultrasonic vibratory device.
Structural details of UNSM can be found in the previous
publications.8,11–16
Ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification has been
applied to the cutting tools in various fields such as the steel
industry, the lumber industry and the paper industry in a
short year. Furthermore, it has been applied to improve
the durability of knives over twofolds. At present, UNSM
is being applied to the field of the bearing manufacturing
(about high stiffness/very high cycle or low exothermic
reactions/low friction loss) and the hydraulic-thermal
power facilities for extending the service life.11–14
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Characteristics of surface
All the specimens were polished and ground with Al2O3,
ultrasonically cleaned to remove the remnants, and the
UNSM treatment was carried out with three different
conditions. Generally, materials that suffered from bending
fatigue stresses are very sensitive to any surface treatment
and the resulting roughness.21 The average roughness (Ra)
and maximum height roughness (Rmax) are shown in Table 4.
Figure 3 gives the macroscopic surface views of each
before and after UNSM specimen at low magnification.
Comparison results of surface roughness among the
Cu-Ka
UNSM treated and untreated materials under mirror
(311) finish show that Ra and Rmax of the treated materials have
Ni larger value rather than that of the untreated one. This is
40 kV due to the result of plastic deformation by the UNSM
20 mA
treatment.
772

Fig. 2 Description of the ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification treatment and its device.

treatment was naturally preserved for the fatigue test in

Table 4 Comparison of surface roughness ‘before’ and ‘after’ UNSM
order to validate the beneficial effect of nanoskin. And
After those nanoskin effects will be discussed the next chapter.
UNSM

Before UNSM Fracture surface observation

(mirror surfaced) 40 N 70 N 100 N
A section of the specimen was cut and polished to a
Ra (mm) 0.43 1.2 2.1 2.9 mirror surface state and etched for 10 s in 5% Nital in
Rmax (mm) 0.56 4.6 5.7 6.9 order to observe the microstructure of the specimen be-
UNSM, ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification. fore and after UNSM. The optical microscope and scan-
ning electron microscope were used for observing the
etched surface in the depth direction.
Figure 4 shows the cross-sectional microstructure of
the specimens before and after UNSM along the depth
direction at a magnification of 100. Figure 4(a) shows
before UNSM that the structure from surface-to-depth
direction is uniform. In the opposite, after UNSM, Fig. 4
(a) (b) and (c) shows the effect of the static load of 40 and
100 N for the UNSM treatment, which illustrate the
variations of microstructures due mainly to the plastic
deformation ranged about 80–120 mm from a surface-to-
depth direction, respectively. The nanoskin could induce
an improvement in hardness, compressive residual stresses,
abrasion and fatigue characteristics.
The variation of the depth caused by SPD along the
(b) depth from the surface are tested at three different static
loads of the UNSM treatment. In these three limited
cases, it is found that the depth of SPD increased linearly
with the increase of static load for UNSM treatment. A
similar behaviour was also observed in an investigation
conducted on JIS SKD61 (AISI H13).8,13

(c)
Fig. 3 Macroscopic surface views of each condition at x50 magnifi-
cation. (a) ‘before’ ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification
(UNSM), (b) ‘after’ UNSM-40 N and (c) ‘after’ UNSM-100 N.
Surface roughness has a significant effect on the
fatigue life, similar to the other report such as long life
sustainability at low stress levels.13 In this study, the
surface roughness shown in Fig. 3(b) and (c) by UNSM
Residual stress characteristics
To characterize the residual stress, the specimens are
sequentially machined, polished, electro-polished and
X-ray tested. Figure 5(a) shows the variation of compres-
sive residual stress from surface along the depth direction
before and after UNSM treatment. Although the
compressive residual stress of 300 MPa was initiated for
the ‘before’ UNSM, the resulted depth was very thin
and had no actual effect.

© 2013 Wiley Publishing Ltd. Fatigue Fract Engng Mater Struct, 2013, 36, 769–778
 NANOSKINNED SCM435 UNDER VHCF 773

(a) (c)

(b) (d)
Fig. 4 Variations of severe plastic deformation depth according to a load variation of ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM)
treatment from the surface. (a) ‘before’ UNSM and, ‘after’ treatment of (b) UNSM-40 N, (c) UNSM-70 N, and (d) UNSM-100 N.

After the UNSM treatment, a very large amount of Hardness characteristics

compressive residual stress 611.6, 649.4 and 685.9
Figure 6 shows the distribution of Vickers hardness measured
MPa was formed from the surface into 100 mm depth
in the depth direction from the surface of specimen. In this
range, respectively. This large amount of compressive
figure, before the UNSM, the Vickers hardness was uniform
residual stress decreased linearly and reached to a bound-
as Hv = 340 in overall the cross-section of specimen. These
ary layer of zero stress level, which observed in the range
hardness values measured on the specimen before and after
of surface to about 700 mm depth.
UNSM treatments from the surface to depth direction at
Figure 5(b) shows the variation of compressive resid-
regular interval of 20 mm are recorded at values greater than
ual stress between two different materials SKD61 and
6.5% of the average value at each depth.
SCM435. Here, before the UNSM treatment, the de-
Here, the initial hardness increased for UNSM-100 N
creasing tendency of residual stresses was almost similar
was about 14.3%, for UNSM-70 N about 11.2%, for
as 300 to 400 MPa for each SKD-61 and SCM435.
UNSM-40 N about 6.5% and then decreased gradually in
However, after the UNSM treatment, a hardened material
the depth direction. In case of UNSM-100 N, the hardness
SKD-61 had a very large amount of maximum compressive
got into similar levels of hardness from 120 mm depth as un-
residual stress ranging from 800 to 1,400 MPa according
treated specimens, and UNSM-70 N converged at 100 mm.
to the static load of UNSM was formed from the surface
This verifies a good correlation, which explains the SPD
into 150 mm depth and decreased gradually until 350 mm
depth along the surface to 120 mm. Vickers hardness differs
depth.
with the condition of UNSM treatment; it is known that
From surface to a certain depth of SCM435 and
the harder the static load of UNSM treatment is, the larger
SKD61, the decreasing tendency of compressive residual
initiated hardness from the surface will be obtained.
stresses was observed in both types of material. With the
increase fatigue life, the wear resistance also improved
after the compressive residual stress produced along the
S-N curves
depth direction of UNSM treated materials. As aforemen-
tioned, compressive residual stress assumed to be the main Figure 7 shows the S-N diagram of SCM435 specimens
reason for the retardation effect on the initiation and reported by Iwaya et al.2 In this study as well, the equiva-
propagation of fatigue cracks.13,14,22 lent heat treatment was carried out on the identical

© 2013 Wiley Publishing Ltd. Fatigue Fract Engng Mater Struct, 2013, 36, 769–778
774

a 900
100

0 Sakai and Tanaka

800
Ground
Residual Stress, MPa

-100

Stress, MPa
-200 700

-300
600
-400
before UNSM
-500
40 N UNSM 500
70 N UNSM
-600
100 N UNSM
-700 400 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 10 10 10 10 10 10
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Number of cycles to failure, N
Depth beneath surface, µm
b Fig. 7 S-N diagram of ground JIS SCM435 specimens 2.
200

0 materials. The reference data are shown as a dotted line

(ground data) in Fig. 8(a). The results of untreated
Residual Stress, MPa

-200
specimen also agree very well with the previous result
-400
of ‘ground data’. The approved specimens with the
-600 SKD61 before UNSM ground data were tested, and we obtained the material
SKD61 40 N UNSM
-800 SKD61 60 N UNSM characteristics including fatigue properties before and
-1000 SKD61 80 N UNSM after UNSM treatment.
SCM435 before UNSM
-1200 SCM435 40 N UNSM Figure 8(a) and (b) shows the S-N curves for SCM435
SCM435 70 N UNSM specimens before and after the UNSM-70N treatment,
-1400 SCM435 100 N UNSM
respectively. Figure 8(c) shows the simultaneous plotting
-1600 of three experimental results.
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Depth beneath surface, µm Fish-eye crack was not found in the SCM435 specimen in
this study. Fish-eye crack is the symbolic fracture type of
Fig. 5 (a) Variation of compressive residual stress obtained by XRD VHCF at the inner surface in most of other materials. How-
from surface ‘before’ and ‘after’ ultrasonic nanocrystal surface ever, it was observed that one or more small fatigue cracks
modification-treated JIS SCM435 specimens. (b) Comparison of
were initiated, propagated and coalesced on the specimen
compressive residual stress between two materials SKD61 and
SCM435.
surface, which seems as the surface-induced fracture pattern.
A comparison of the S-N curve for UNSM-40 N trea-
ted specimen and the untreated specimen shows that the
fatigue endurance limit of 109 cycles was 550 MPa but
390 after UNSM-40 N treatment about 10% of fatigue life
14.3% before UNSM
40 N, after UNSM
increased compared with that of the untreated one.
380
70 N, after UNSM The S-N curves of UNSM-70 N and 100 N treated
Vickers hardness, Hv

11.2% 100 N, after UNSM

specimen are also shown in Fig 8(c). The fatigue
370
endurance limit of 109 cycles for the UNSM-70 N and
360 6.5%
UNSM-100 N specimens also increased by about 20%
and 30% from the original fatigue limit, respectively,
350 compared with those of the untreated one. The effect
of UNSM seems insignificant in the range of initial
340 service life below 104 cycles, A.K.A low-cycle fatigue
range. Yet, the large increase of the fatigue endurance
330 limit was obtained in the range of final service life over
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 the 106 cycles, in other word, UNSM was more effective
Depth beneath surface, µm in high-cycle fatigue (HCF) and VHCF range.
Fig. 6 Distribution of micro Vickers hardness from surface to depth Dominant reasons of the fatigue strength increase,
‘before’ and ‘after’ ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification on JIS even though the UNSM treatment consequently
SCM435. produced larger band gap of surface roughness in specific

© 2013 Wiley Publishing Ltd. Fatigue Fract Engng Mater Struct, 2013, 36, 769–778
 NANOSKINNED SCM435 UNDER VHCF 775

900
The improvement of fatigue strength due to the
Ground UNSM treatment becomes apparent as described in this
800 before UNSM
paper. However, it is supposed that the improvement of
Stress amplitude, MPa

fatigue strength does not always achieved in the UNSM

700 treated components. As shown in this paper, the UNSM
treatment generates a compressive residual stress field
600 near the subsurface which simultaneously generates a
tensile stress field in the deeper region. Accordingly, it
500MPa is easily presumed that, in hard steel, the tensile residual
500
stress can rather facilitate the subsurface cracking in the
deeper region, which results in a degradation of fatigue
400
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 strength. Especially, in rotating bending fatigue test us-
10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Number of cycles to failure Nf, cycle ing larger specimen and tension–compression fatigue
(a) test, the degradation could be appeared effortlessly. Con-
900
sequently, the improvement of fatigue strength due to
UNSM treatment is not a general phenomenon for all
before UNSM cases but can be occurred only in relatively soft steel or
800 70N UNSM
Stress amplitude, MPa

in the rotating bending fatigue test with a small specimen

which has a steep stress gradient near the surface under
700 high-cycle fatigue and VHCF ranges.

600MPa
600
Observation and analysis of fracture surface
20%
500 Without the UNSM treatment, small surface fatigue cracks
were sequentially initiated, propagated and coalesced,
which shows the typical ruptured fatigue behaviours. The
400
10
3
10
4
10
5
10
6
10
7
10
8
10
9 behaviours of these surface cracks were caused by the
Number of cycles to failure Nf, cycle small/micro fatigue cracks originating from a micro scratch
(b) after mirror finishing, or by surface inclusion.23,24
Figure 9 shows a photo taken from combined mosaic
900
before UNSM picture of a surface crack (its length is about 180 mm)
40N UNSM obtained by replica film for UNSM-70 N treated speci-
800
70N UNSM
men at N/Nf = 97.4% under the condition of sa = 680
Stress amplitude, MPa

100N UNSM
MPa, Nf = 2.3  105 cycles.
700 For minimizing the effect of surface roughness after
UNSM treatment, the specimen was ground from #100 to
#2000 by polishing paper and then buffed. Namely, mirror
600
finishing was carried out in order to induce the fish-eye crack,
which mainly resulted from the inclusion but not the surface
500 crack. The replication method was applied to pick up a
replica at an interval of 5% of the predicted fractured life
400 during the fatigue test. After the fatigue fracture, the
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Number of cycles to failure Nf, cycle
(c)
Fig. 8 S-N curves of ‘before’ and ‘after’ ultrasonic nanocrystal
surface modification (UNSM) of JIS SCM435 according to each
UNSM treatment conditions: (a) comparison of two works ‘before
UNSM’, static load of (b) UNSM-70 N and (c) simultaneous plot-
ting of all S-N curves.

life range, are the generation of significant compressive Fig. 9 Mosaic picture of a surface crack obtained by replica film
residual stress, nano-crystallization of subsurface struc- under UNSM-70 N treatment at N/Nf = 97.4% (N = 2.24  105,
ture and the increase of surface hardness. Nf = 2.3  105). Arrows indicate the crack tips.

© 2013 Wiley Publishing Ltd. Fatigue Fract Engng Mater Struct, 2013, 36, 769–778
776

growth behaviour of major crack shown in Fig. 9 was

carefully investigated through the optical microscope
observations at many reserved replica films. Surface
crack of the length reaching about 180 mm was initiated Inclusion
and propagated as a small surface crack where photo-
graphed at a magnification of 100 using the replication
method.
It was also confirmed that for SCM435 in the case of
untreated and UNSM treated specimen, a surface crack
was sequentially initiated, propagated and coalesced and
then a fracture occurred.
Figure 10 shows the scanning electron micrographs of
150 µm
the fractured surface shown in Fig. 9. In Fig. 10(a), a
small surface crack initiated and propagated towards (a)
inside as a single crack deteriorates its fatigue life.
Figure 10(b) shows an enlarged photo illustrating the
crack initiation site of a surface crack indicated by an ar-
row similar with other reports.23,24
Figure 11 shows a scanning electron micrograph of
fractured surface after UNSM-100 N, at sa = 800 MPa,

30 µm

(b)
Fig. 11 Fractography of (a) specimen with UNSM-100 N treatment
fractured at sa = 800 MPa (Nf = 2.6  104) and (b) magnification of
crack initiated cite as inclusion.
150 µm
Nf = 2.6  104. An inclusion, which seems the main cause
(a) of crack initiation, was found in subsurface of the speci-
men. Because of this inclusion, a surface crack was
initiated, propagated and then fatigue-fractured, which
is different with the general cause of failure such as a
fish-eye crack. The composition of inclusion in Fig. 11
is a Ti compound and similar with other reference.2
These scanning electron microscope micrographs
show the similar features and configurations caused by
the small surface cracks on all the treated specimens. In
addition, these features and configurations of fractured
surface of the treated samples were similar to those of
the specimen before UNSM treatment.

30 µm
(b)
Fig. 10 Fractography of (a) specimen with UNSM-70 N treatment
fractured at sa = 680 MPa (Nf = 2.3  105) and (b) magnification
crack initiated site as surface crack.
CONCLUSION
In this study, chrome-molybdenum 435 steel (JIS
SCM435) was investigated in order to understand the
characteristics of materials before and after UNSM

© 2013 Wiley Publishing Ltd. Fatigue Fract Engng Mater Struct, 2013, 36, 769–778

treatment by carrying out the rotating bending fatigue
test. The conclusion of VHCF behaviours is as follows:
1 JIS SCM435 steel after UNSM treatment showed a
remarkable improvement in fatigue strength, despite
the increase of surface roughness. Small surface
fatigue crack results in the initiation, propagation and
coalescence on the specimen surface. Fish-eye crack
pattern was not found in both cases of JIS SCM435,
before and after UNSM treatment.
2 When UNSM treatment was carried out, the subsur-
face structure of 80–120 mm in depth experienced
SPD and deformed as nano-crystalline structure. Rela-
tively large amount of compressive residual stress was
formed on the surface so that the surface hardness is
increased in regard to the UNSM treatment condition.
3 From S-N curves, in the regime of VHCF, the fatigue
limit of UNSM-40 N treated specimen was increased
about 10% compared with that of untreated when
the static compressive load of 40 N was applied. For
UNSM-70 N, the increase was about 20%, and for
UNSM-100 N, the increase was about 30%. It is veri-
fied that the UNSM treatment with higher load could
bring the improved fatigue strength. This is due to the
formation of large compressive residual stress caused
by the static load of UNSM treatment, the variation
of surface nanocrystalline structure and the increase
of surface hardness level. However, excess level of the
applied load could severely damage on the surface
and deteriorate the original strength of material.
Therefore, careful selection based on knowledge and
experiences is essential to configure the UNSM treat-
ment conditions against variable materials.
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the Basic Science Research
Program and Priority Research Centers Program through
the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded
by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
(R1A1B6001483 and 2012-0006680). I hereby record our
warmest acknowledgements to Prof. Tatsuo Sakai for his
cooperation. SEM (Hitachi S-4200) was used at the Korea
Basic Science Institute (KBSI, Daegu). The authors would
also like to thank partial support from the framework of
Research and Development Program of the Korea Institute
of Energy Research (KIER) (B3-2414-03).
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