This paper provides a further understanding of the peak load effect on
the damage mechanics and residual stress relaxation. The comprehensive
numerical simulations using the finite element method are applied to
take into account simultaneously the effect of the surface roughness and
residual stresses on the crack formation in sandblasted S690 high
strength steel surface under peak load condition. A ductile fracture
criterion is introduced for the prediction of damage initiation and
evolution. This study investigates especially the influences of
compressive peak load, effective parameters on fracture locus, surface
roughness, and residual stress on damage mechanism and the formed crack
size. Results indicate that under peak load conditions, surface
roughness has a far more important influence on microcrack formation
than residual stress. Moreover, it is shown that the effect of peak load
range on damage formation and crack size is significantly higher in
comparison with the influence of residual stress. It is found the crack
size has been developed exponentially with increasing peak load
magnitudes.