Abstract: Threshold stress values, muging from ～8 to 16MPa·m1/2 can be obtained in a Ni-base alloy GH586 by varying the microstructure through heat treatments. The threshold and low crack growth rate behaviors at room temperature, with varying groin size and γ'-distribution, have been investigated. The results indicate that grain size is an important microstructurol parameter that affects fatigue crack growth threshold and propagation behaviors, as the values of △Kth increase with increasing grain size, but the γ' -distribution also has important effect. Analyses show that the effects of groin size on threshold and low crack-growth rate behavior result from heterogeneous deformation and roughness-induced crack closure due to crystallographic slipping and cracking in coarse microstructure. The higher △Kth and lower fatigue crack growth rate with increasing amounts of fine γ' phases are closely related to less damage accumulation level in deformation zone of crack-tip resulted from heterogeneous deformation due to dislocations' shearing γ' precipitates.

Key words: superalloy GH586, fatigue crack growth, threshold, grain size, γ'-distribution