Abstract
X-ray diffraction observation of fracture surfaces yields useful information to analyze the causes of failure accidents of engineering structures. This experimental technique, named X-ray fractography, has been developed especially in metal and mechanical engineering fields. The distributions of the residual stress and the half value breadth of diffraction profiles beneath the fatigue fracture surface were measured with SNCM 439, HT100 and Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The size of the maximum plastic zone was successfully determined on the basis of the measured distributions. This size was correlated to maximum stress intensity factor. The distributions of the half value breadth of diffraction profiles on the fatigue fracture surfaces were measured with SNCM 439. HT100. The equations of x-ray parameter distribution were possible to estimated fracture parameters of fatigue fracture surfaces.