Crack initiation caused by distorsions

An attempt has been made to describe analytically the crack initiation process caused by the thermal and chemical distorsions in Fe-Al-C alloys with high aluminium content. In order to describe the phenomenon, the linear-elastic parameters of fracture mechanics have been used. On the basis of kinetic analysis of the distorsions growth, the crack initiation conditions affecting self-decomposition of the FeAl matrix have been determined.