FEA-Based Fatigue Life Assessment of Cycloidal Displacement Cam and Flat-Faced Follower Mechanism

Cam-followers provide reliable and controlled motions in various mechanical systems. Due to the highly fluctuating load between the cam and follower in operation, the cam-follower may be subjected to a high risk of contact fatigue failure. This paper assesses the fatigue life of a cycloidal displacement cam and a flat-faced follower under the defined loads and constraints. Computer-aided design (CAD) model of the cam-follower is developed in CATIA software and imported to ANSYS software for finite element analysis (FEA) of fatigue life. MATLAB programming is developed for determining the appropriate spring constant and pre-load force to always keep the cam and follower in contact. The fatigue life of the cam-follower has been estimated under the specified operating conditions. The analysis method can be applied to investigate the fatigue life of cams with other profiles, including the modified trapezoidal functions, polynomial functions, etc.

Effect of laser shock processing on fatigue life of fastener hole

The fatigue properties of laser shock processing （LSP） on both side surfaces of fastener hole with diameter of 3 mm in the LY12CZ aluminum alloy specimens were investigated. The superficial residual stress was measured by X-ray diffraction method. Fatigue experiments of specimens with and without LSP were performed, and the microstructural features of fracture of specimens were characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The results indicate that the compressive residual stress can be induced into the surface of specimen, and the fatigue life of the specimen with LSP is 3.5 times as long as that of specimen without LSP. The location of fatigue crack initiation is transferred from the top surface to the sub-surface after LSP, and the fatigue striation spacing of the treated specimen during the expanding fatigue crack is narrower than that of the untreated specimen. Furthermore, the diameters of the dimples on the fatigue crack rupture zone of the specimen with LSP are relatively bigger, which is related to the serious plastic deformation in the material with LSP.

A Model of the Fatigue Life Distribution of Composite Laminates Based on Their Static Strength Distribution

The reasons of the static strength dispersion and the fatigue life dispersion of composite laminates are analyzed in this article. It is concluded that the inner original defects, which derived from the manufacturing process of composite laminates, are the common and major reason of causing the random distributions of the static strength and the fatigue life. And there is a correlative relation between the two distributions. With the study of statistical relationship between the fatigue loading and the fatigue life in the uniform confidence level and the same survival rate S-N curves of material, the relationship between the static strength distribution and the fatigue life distribution through a material S-N curve model has been obtained. And then the model which is used to describe the distributions of fatigue life of composites, based on their distributions of static strength, is set up. This model reasonably reflects the effects of the inner original defects on the static strength dispersion and on the fatigue life dispersion of composite laminates. The experimental data of three kinds of composite laminates are employed to verify this model, and the results show that this model can predict the random distributions of fatigue life for composites under any fatigue loads fairly well.

A fatigue life prediction method of rolling bearing under elliptical contact elastohydrodynamic lubrication

In order to more accurately predict the contact fatigue life of rolling bearing, a prediction method of fatigue life of rolling bearing is proposed based on elastohydrodynamic lubrication （EHL）, the 3-paameter Weibull distribution ad fatigue strength. First,the contact stress considering elliptical EHL is obtained by mapping film pressure onto the Hertz zone. Then,the basic strength model of rolling bearing based on the 3-parameter Weibull distribution is deduced by the series connection reliability theory. Considering the effect of the type of stress, variation of shape and fuctuation of load, the mathematical models of the 尸 -tS-TV curve of the minimum life and the characteristic life for rolling bearing are established, respectively, and thus the prediction model of fatigue life of rolling bearing based on the 3-paameter Weibull distribution and fatigue strength is further deduced. Finally, the contact fatigue life obtained by the proposed method ad the latest international standard （IS0281： 2007） about the fatigue life prediction of rolling bearing are compared with those obtained by the statistical method. Results show that the proposed prediction method is effective and its relative error is smaier than that of the latest international standard （IS0281： 2007） with reliability R 〉 0. 93.

Computation of the Fatigue Life of Road Wheel with Double-Layer Rubber Flange

In order to increase the fatigue life (FL) of road wheels (RW), a kind of double layer rubber flange (DLRF) is put forward. It consists of two layers of rubber, where metal wires are laid in the inner layer and the outer layer has no inlaid metal wires. Stress, strain and temperature field of DLRF were calculated with ANSYS finite element analysis (FEA) software, FL of DLRF RW was also computed with fracture mechanics fatigue theory. The results of computation indicate that the heat generated in RW's rubber flange (RF) can be reduced by the use of DLRF, and the FL of RW can be increased without affecting the mechanical intensity of RW.

Fatigue Life Assessment of Top Tensioned Risers Under Vortex-Induced Vibrations

The fatigue life of top tensioned risers under vortex-induced vibrations (VIVs) with consideration of the effect of internal flowing fluid on the riser is analyzed in the time domain.The long-term stress histories of the riser under VIVs are calculated and the mean stresses,the number of stress cycles and amplitudes are determined by the rainflow counting method.The Palmgren-Miner rule for cumulative damage theory with a specified S-N curve is used to estimate the fatigue life of the riser.The corresponding numerical programs numerical simulation of vortex-induced vibrations (NSVIV) which can be used to calculate the VIV response and fatigue life of the riser are compiled.Finally the influences of the riser's parameters such as flexural rigidity,top tension and internal flow velocity on the fatigue life of the riser are analyzed in detail and some conclusions are drawn.

Statistical Analysis for the Birnbaum-Saunders Fatigue Life Distribution under Type-Ⅱ Bilateral Censoring and Multiply Type-II Censoring

In present paper, we obtain the inverse moment estimations of parameters of the Birnbaum-Saunders fatigue life distribution based on Type-Ⅱ bilateral censored samples and multiply Type-Ⅱ censored sample. In this paper, we also get the interval estimations of the scale parameters.

A two-parameter model to predict fatigue life of high-strength steels in a very high cycle fatigue regime

In this paper, ultrasonic （20 kHz） fatigue tests were performed on specimens of a high-strength steel in very high cycle fatigue （VHCF） regime. Experimental results showed that for most tested specimens failed in a VHCF regime, a fatigue crack originated from the interior of specimen with a fish-eye pattern, which contained a fine granular area （FGA） centered by an inclusion as the crack origin. Then, a two-parameter model is proposed to predict the fatigue life of high-strength steels with fish-eye mode failure in a VHCF regime, which takes into account the inclusion size and the FGA size. The model was verified by the data of present experiments and those in the literature. Furthermore, an analytic formula was obtained for estimating the equivalent crack growth rate within the FGA. The results also indicated that the stress intensity factor range at the front of the FGA varies within a small range, which is irrespective of stress amplitude and fatigue life.

Residual Fatigue Life Prediction of Ball Bearings Based on Paris Law and RMS

Paris law can reflect the failure mechanism of materials and is usually used to be a method to predict fatigue life or residual fatigue life.But the variable which can represent the health of machine is hardly measured on line.To a degree,the difficulty of on-line application restricts the scope of application of Paris law.The relationship between characteristic values of vibration signals and the variable in the Paris equation which can describe the health of machine is investigated by taking ball bearings as investigative objects.Based on 6205 deep groove ball bearings as a living example,historical lives and vibration signals are analyzed.The feasibility of describing that variable in the Paris equation by the characteristic value of vibration signals is inspected.After that vibration signals decomposed by empirical mode decomposition（EMD）,root mean square（RMS） of intrinsic mode function（IMF） involving fault characteristic frequency has a consistent trend with the diameter of flaws.Based on the trend,two improved Paris models are proposed and the scope of application of them is inspected.These two Paris Models are validated by fatigue residual life data from tests of rolling element bearings and vibration signals monitored in the process of operation of rolling element bearings.It shows that the first improved Paris Model is simple and plain and it can be easily applied in actual conditions.The trend of the fatigue residual life predicted by the second improved Paris model is close to the actual conditions and the result of the prediction is slightly greater than the truth.In conclusion,after the appearance of detectable faults,these improved models based on RMS can predict residual fatigue life on line and a new approach to predict residual fatigue life of ball bearings on line without disturbing the machine running is provided.

Fatigue Life Prediction under Service Load Considering Strengthening Effect of Loads below Fatigue Limit

Lightweight design requires an accurate life prediction for structures and components under service loading histories. However, predicted life with the existing methods seems too conservative in some cases, leading to a heavy structure. Because these methods are established on the basis that load cycles would only cause fatigue damage, ignore the strengthening effect of loads. Based on Palmgren-Miner Rule （PMR）, this paper introduces a new method for fatigue life prediction under service loadings by taking into account the strengthening effect of loads below the fatigue limit. In this method, the service loadings are classified into three categories： damaging load, strengthening load and none-effect load, and the process for fatigue life prediction is divided into two stages： stage I and stage II, according to the best strengthening number of cycles. During stage I, fatigue damage is calculated considering both the strengthening and damaging effect of load cycles. While during stage II, only the damaging effect is considered. To validate this method, fatigue lives of automobile half shaft and torsion beam rear axle are calculated based on the new method and traditional methods, such as PMR and Modified Miner Rule （MMR）, and fatigue tests of the two components are conducted under service loading histories. The tests results show that the percentage errors of the predicted life with the new method to mean life of tests for the two components are –3.78% and –1.76% separately, much lesser than that with PMR and MMR. By considering the strengthening effect of loads below the fatigue limit, the new method can significantly improve the accuracy for fatigue life prediction. Thus lightweight design can be fully realized in the design stage.

Fatigue life evaluation on key components of high-speed railway catenary system

The fatigue load spectrum and operation life evaluation of key components in the catenary system under the high speed train running condition were investigated.Firstly,based on the catenary model and pantograph model,the couple dynamic equations of pantograph–catenary were built with the Lagrange’s method;then the dynamic contact force was obtained by the Newmark method at the train speeds of 250,280 and 300 km/h,respectively.Secondly,the finite element model(FEM)of one anchor section’s catenary was built to analyze its transient response under the contact force as train running;then the loading time history of messenger wire base,steady arm,registration tube,oblique cantilever,and straight cantilever were extracted.Finally,the key components’fatigue spectrum was carried out by the rain-flow counting method,and operation life was estimated in consideration of such coefficients,such as stress concentration,shape and dimension,surface treatment.The results show that the fatigue life of the catenary system reduces with the increasing of train speed;specifically,the evaluated fatigue life of the steady arm is shorter than other components.

Fatigue life prediction of workpiece with 3D rough surface topography based on surface reconstruction technology

The fatigue performance of a workpiece depends on its surface quality.In traditional fatigue life prediction,the effect of surface quality is commonly accounted for by using empirical correction factors,which is imprecise when safety is of great concern.For surface quality,the surface topography is an important parameter,which introduces stress concentration that reduces the fatigue life.It is not feasible to test the stress concentration of different surface topographies.On the one hand,it is time-consuming and high-cost,and on the other hand,it cannot reflect the general statistical characteristics.With the help of surface reconstruction technology and interpolation method,a more efficient and economic approach is proposed,where FE simulation of workpiece with the reconstructed surface topography is used as a foundation for fatigue life prediction.The relationship between surface roughness(Sa)and fatigue life of the workpiece is studied with the proposed approach.

Fatigue life analysis of SMA490BW steel welded butt joint for train bogie based on ABAQUS/FE-SAFE

Stress concentration has a significant effect on fatigue properties of welded butt joint of bogie.The influences of joint geometric parameters {weld edge transition arc radius r,weld toe inclination angle θ） on stress concentration coefficient Kt at weld toe and fatigue life N were studied based on the finite element software ABAQUS/FE-SAFE,and the parametric equations were founded based on regression analysis of Origin software.The results show that weld edge transition arc radius r plays the most important role in stress concentration coefficient Kt as well as weld toe inclination angle 0.For the same inclination angle θ,stress concentration coefficient Kt decreases gradually with transition arc radius r increasing.With inclination angle θ increases,the effect of transition arc radius r on stress concentration factor Kt is increasing continuously,also the effect of change in stress concentration coefficient Kt caused by r on fatigue life N is increasing continuously.While in the case of same weld edge transition arc radius r,stress concentration coefficient Kt increases with inclination angle θincreasing.With transition arc radius r increases,the effect of inclination angle θ on stress concentration factor Kt is decreasing constantly,the effect of change in stress concentration coefficient Kt caused by θ on fatigue life N is decreasing constantly.The associated parametric equations have important instructive significance for the improvement of stress concentration degree and fatigue life of welded butt joint for train bogie.

Effect of Pre-corrosion on Fatigue Life of High Strength Steel 38CrMoAl

The effect of pre-corrosion on fatigue behavior of high strength steel 38CrMoAl was investigated with a fatigue test method using the accelerated pre-corrosion specimen in the neutral salt spray environment. The methods of weight-loss and energy dispersive spectrum （EDS） were adopted. The corrosion weight-loss rate was fitted with the test time using power law, and the relationship between the corrosion weight-loss rate and the time was formulated. Moreover, the fatigue behaviors of the steel for different pre-corrosion time were investigated by the axis-direction tensile fatigue test. The fatigue life distribution characteristics of the pre-corrosion specimens were studied using the statistical probability methods, and the mathematical expectations and the standard tolerances of the material fatigue lives after different pre-corrosion time were obtained. It was found that the crack initiation of the high strength steel was accelerated by the preferential corrosion at the local plastic deform areas. The fatigue life obeys the lognormal distribution perfectly. Furthermore, within the common time range of the engineering, the standard tolerances of the logarithm of the fatigue life were independent of the pre-corrosion time.

Statistical Analysis for the Birnbaum-Saunders Fatigue Life Distribution under Multiply Type-ⅡCensoring

In present paper, we derive the quasi-least squares estimation(QLSE) and approximate maximum likelihood estimation(AMLE) for the Birnbaum-Saunders fatigue life distribution under multiply Type-Ⅱcensoring. Furthermore, we get the variance and covariance of the approximate maximum likelihood estimation.

An inverse method for online stress monitoring and fatigue life analysis of boiler drums

A method based on solution of the inverse heat conduction problem was presented for online stress monitoring and fatigue life analysis of boiler drums. The mathematical model of the drum temperature distribution is based on the assumptions that the difference of temperature along the longitudinal axis of the boiler drum is negligible with changes only in the radial direction and the circumferential direction, and that the outer surface of drum is thermaUy insulated. Combining this model with the control-volume method provides temperatures at different points on a cross-section of the drum. With the temperature data, the stresses and the life expectancy of the boiler drum are derived according to the ASME code. Applying this method to the cold start-up process of a 300 MW boiler demonstrated the absence of errors caused by the boundary condition assumptions on the inner surface of the drum and testified that the method is an applicable technique for the online stress monitoring and fatigue life analysis of boiler drums.

Revised damage evolution equation for high cycle fatigue life prediction of aluminum alloy LC4 under uniaxial loading

The fatigue life prediction for components is a difficult task since many factors can affect the final fatigue life. Based on the damage evolution equation of Lemaitre and Desmorat, a revised two-scale damage evolution equation for high cycle fatigue is presented according to the experimental data, in which factors such as the stress amplitude and mean stress are taken into account. Then, a method is proposed to obtain the material parameters of the revised equation from the present fatigue experimental data. Finally, with the utilization of the ANSYS parametric design language （APDL） on the ANSYS platform, the coupling effect between the fatigue damage of materials and the stress distribution in structures is taken into account, and the fatigue life of specimens is predicted. The outcome shows that the numerical prediction is in accord with the experimental results, indicating that the revised two-scale damage evolution model can be well applied for the high cycle fatigue life prediction under uniaxial loading.

New approach based on continuum damage mechanics with simple parameter identification to fretting fatigue life prediction

A new continuum damage mechanics model for fretting fatigue life prediction is established. In this model, the damage evolution rate is described by two kinds of quantities. One is associated with the cyclic stress characteristics obtained by the finite element （FE） analysis, and the other is associated with the material fatigue property identified from the fatigue test data of standard specimens. The wear is modeled by the energy wear law to simulate the contact geometry evolution. A two-dimensional （2D） plane strain FE implementation of the damage mechanics model and the energy wear model is presented in the platform of ABAQUS to simulate the evolutions of the fatigue damage and the wear scar. The effect of the specimen thickness is also investigated. The predicted results of the crack initiation site and the fretting fatigue life agree well with available experimental data. Comparisons are made with the critical plane Smith- Watson-Topper （SWT） method.

Effects of Internal Flow on Vortex-Induced Vibration and Fatigue Life of Submarine Pipelines

With the rapid development of the offshore oil industries, submarine oil / gas pipelines have been widely used. Under the complicated submarine environmental conditions, the dynamic characteristics of pipelines show some new features due to the existence of both internal and external flows. The paper is intended to investigate the vortex-induced vibration of the suspended pipeline span exposed to submarine steady flow. Especially, the effects of the flow inside the pipeline are taken into account. Its influences on the amplitude of pipeline response, and then on the fatigue life, are given in terms of the velocity of the internal flow.

Fatigue Life Prediction of Rolling Bearings Based on Modified SWT Mean Stress Correction

The existing engineering empirical life analysis models are not capable of considering the constitutive behavior of materials under contact loads;as a consequence,these methods may not be accurate to predict fatigue lives of roll-ing bearings.In addition,the contact stress of bearing in operation is cyclically pulsating,it also means that the bear-ing undergo non-symmetrical fatigue loadings.Since the mean stress has great effects on fatigue life,in this work,a novel fatigue life prediction model based on the modified SWT mean stress correction is proposed as a basis of which to estimate the fatigue life of rolling bearings,in which,takes sensitivity of materials and mean stress into account.A compensation factor is introduced to overcome the inaccurate predictions resulted from the Smith,Watson,and Topper(SWT)model that considers the mean stress effect and sensitivity while assuming the sensitivity coefficient of all materials to be 0.5.Moreover,the validation of the model is finalized by several practical experimental data and the comparison to the conventional SWT model.The results show the better performance of the proposed model,especially in the accuracy than the existing SWT model.This research will shed light on a new direction for predicting the fatigue life of rolling bearings.