The effect of orientation, applied stress state, environment, and temperatu
re on the crack growth and crack-path behavior of single-crystal specimens
of UDIMET 720 has been examined. Stage I cracking has been promoted by mixe
d-mode loading, plank stress, and vacuum conditions; increasing the test te
mperature to 600 degrees C does not suppress stage I:crack growth in vacuum
. Consideration of the local resolved shear-stress intensity and local reso
lved normal-stress intensity for each slip system as it intersects the nomi
nal crack-growth plane allows-the prediction of stage I crack paths, clarif
ying the importance of secondary single-crystal testing orientation (i.e.,
nominal crack-growth direction as well as effective tensile axis). A combin
ation of both opening and shearing are found to promote stage I crack growt
h, and boundary conditions,have been established within which stage I crack
ing is promoted. Highly deflected stage I cracking-gives rise to significan
t shielding effects, but under suitable mixed-mode loading, highly oriented
, coplanar stage I crack growth can be produced. Intrinsic stage I cracking
under mixed-mode loading appears to be greatly accelerated compared with m
ode I-dominated stage II crack growth for comparable stress-intensity level
s.