Combine S-N curve and fracture mechanics for fatigue life analysis of welded structures

Based on the evolution of fatigue cracks in welded structures,the fatigue life of welded structures was defined as the sum of the crack initiation life Ni and the crack propagation life Np.Correspondingly,a fatigue-life analysis method combining S-N curves and fracture mechanics theory was proposed.The equivalent structural stress method and the lower 99%boundary of the master S-N curve were used to evaluate Ni,and cracks at the end of the initiation stage were considered as semi-elliptical surface cracks.Moreover,Paris equation and the stress intensity factor range of the cracks were used to evaluate Np.Furthermore,the fatigue test results obtained from the running girder of cranes were used as a reference for comparison and verification of the results.The results revealed that the equivalent structural stress is a good indicator for the crack initiation behavior of complex welded structures.In addition,the predicted fatigue life corresponded closely to the testing life.

Structural Stress-Fatigue Life Curve Improvement of Spot Welding Based on Quasi‑Newton Method

ΔF-N curves are usually used to predict the fatigue life of spot welding in engineering,but they are time-consuming and laborious and not universal.For the purpose of predicting the fatigue life of spot welding accurately and efficiently,tensile-shear fatigue tests were conducted to obtain the fatigue life of spot-welded specimens with different sheet thicknesses combinations.These specimens were simulated by using the finite element method,and the structural stress was theoretically calculated.In the double logarithmic coordinate system,the structural stress-fatigue life(S-N)curve of spot welding was fitted by the least-squares method,based on the quasi-Newton method.The square of the correlation coefficient of the S-N curve was taken as the optimization objective,with the correction coefficients of force,bending moment,spot welding diameter,and sheet thickness as the variables.During the optimization process,three different ways were utilized to get three optimized spot welding S-N curves,which are suitable for different situations.The results show that the fitting effect of the S-N curve is improved,the data points are more compact,and the optimization effect is significant.These S-N curves can be used to predict the fatigue life,which provide the basis for practical engineering application.

Reconstruction of probabilistic S-N curves under fatigue life following lognormal distribution with given confidence

When the historic probabilistic S-N curves are given under special survival probability and confidence levels and there is no possible to re-test, fatigue reliability analysis at other levels can not be done except for the special levels. Therefore, the wide applied curves are expected. Monte Carlo reconstruction methods of the test data and the curves are investigated under fatigue life following lognormal distribution. To overcome the non-conservative assessment of existent man-made enlarging the sample size up to thousands, a simulation policy is employed to address the true production where the sample size is controlled less than 20 for material specimens, 10 for structural component specimens and the errors matching the statistical parameters are less than 5 percent. Availability and feasibility of the present methods have been indicated by the reconstruction practice of the test data and curves for 60Si2Mn high strength spring steel of railway industry.

Hardness-Based Non-destructive Method for Developing Location Specific S-N Curves for Fatigue Life Evaluation

This paper first describes the importance of using location specific S-N curves for fatigue damage assessment of existing steel structures. It discusses the existing concepts and methods for developing S-N curves using empirical formulae and monotonic strength parameters, such as the ultimate tensile strength and hardness. It also discusses relationships among these monotonic parameters. Then it presents formulae for developing hardness-based full range S-N curves for medium strength steels. The formulae are verified using experimental data obtained from both monotonic and cyclic testing. Finally, it describes the advantages of these hardness-based formulae for developing location specific S-N curves as hardness testing is a non-destructive test which can be carried out on specific locations in structures.

Analysis Approach to Durability Based on Material Initial Fatigue Quality and S-N Curve

Based on probabilistic fracture mechanics approach, a new concept of material initial fatigue quality （MIFQ） is developed. Then, the relation between S-N curve and crack propagation curve is studied. From the study, a new durability analysis method is presented. In this method, S-N curve is used to determine crack growth rate under constant amplitude loading and evaluate the effects of different factors on durability and then the structural durability is analyzed. The tests and analyses indicate that this method has lower dependence on testing, and higher accuracy, reliability and generality and is convenient for application.

GENERALIZED FATIGUE CONSTANT LIFE CURVE AND TWO-DIMENSIONAL PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION OF FATIGUE LIMIT

According to the traditional fatigue constant life curve, the concept and the universal expression of the generalized fatigue constant life curve were proposed. Then, on the basis of the optimization method of the correlation coefficient, the parameter estimation formulas were induced and the generalized fatigue constant life curve with the reliability level p was given. From P-S-a-S-m curve, the two-dimensional probability distribution of the fatigue limit was derived. After then, three se, of tests of LY11 CZ corresponding to the different average stress were carried out in terms of the two-dimensional up-down method. Finally, the methods are used to analyze the test results, and it is found that the analyzed results with the high precision may be obtained.

Research on Fatigue Curves for Pre-corroded Aircraft Structures

To quantitatively evaluate the effects of corrosion during grounding onfatigue life of aircraft structures, a new power equation is proposed using two-variable linearregression method. That the slope is a constant and the logarithmic intercept is a linear functionof pre-corrosion time makes this equation advantageous: it has a simple form, its parameters haveunambiguous technical and geometrical meanings, and it facilitates engineering applications.Three-parameter equations after pre-corrosion are obtained from back-calculation of fatigue limits,which have been successfully used to predict safe life of aircraft structures in corrosiveenvironment.

WEIGHTED LEAST SQUARE METHOD FOR S-N CURVE FITTING

An S-N curve fitting approach is proposed based on the weighted least square method, and the weights are inversely proportional to the length of mean confidence intervals of experimental data sets. The assumption coincides with the physical characteristics of the fatigue life scatter. Two examples demonstrate the method. It is shown that the method has better accuracy and reasonableness compared with the usual least square method.

Study on Prediction Method of Structural Three-parameter Power Function P-S-N Curve

This paper applies weighted least square method to estimate the three-parameter power function equation of the fatigue life curve, and uses comprehensive fatigue life coefficient to correct the equation, and at the same time combines probability statistics method to bring out the prediction method of structure＇s three- parameter power function P-S-N curve, finally applies the prediction method to a ship＇s frame-type elevate, based on the fatigue test data of it＇s material-SA06 aluminium alloy, to obtain it＇s structure＇s three-parameter power function P-S-N curve. Compared with the conventional least square method, the presented method can give

Study on Fatigue Lifetimes and Their Variation of Mg Alloy AZ61 at Various Stress Ratios

In this study, fatigue tests under different R ratios were conducted on the AZ61 Mg alloy to investigate its fatigue lifetimes and fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior. The fracture surface of the failed specimens was investigated using a scanning electron microscope to study the size of the intermetallic compounds from which the pioneer fatigue crack initiated and led to the final failure of the specimen. To determine the maximum size of the intermetallic compounds existing within the cross section of the specimen at higher risk, Gumbel’s extreme-value statistics were utilized. In the present study, the intermetallic compounds contained within the specimen were assumed to be the initial cracks existing in the material before the fatigue tests. A modified linear elastic fracture-mechanics parameter, M, proposed by McEvily et al., was used to analyze the short FCG behavior under different stress ratios, R. The relation between the rate of FCG and M parameter was found to be useful and appropriate for predicting the fatigue lifetimes under different R ratios. Moreover, the probabilistic stress-fatigue life (P-S-N) curve of the material under different R ratios could be predicted with this method, which utilizes both the FCG law and a statistical distribution of sizes of the most dangerous intermetallic compounds. The evaluated results were in good agreement with the experimental ones. This correspondence indicates that the estimation method proposed in the present study is effective for evaluation of the probabilistic stress-fatigue life (P-S-N) curve of the material under different R ratios.

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.

基于断裂力学的腐蚀钢丝疲劳S-N曲线研究

高强冷拔钢丝因其优异的力学性能被广泛应用于缆索承重结构,服役过程中钢丝腐蚀与断裂威胁着结构安全。钢丝腐蚀后表面的蚀坑因应力集中效应易产生疲劳裂纹,因此腐蚀钢丝剩余疲劳寿命主要取决于裂纹的扩展阶段,且裂纹扩展受到腐蚀程度(初始损伤)的显著影响。精确表征腐蚀程度并准确评估服役期钢丝腐蚀后的剩余寿命,仍是亟待解决的维修难题。首先采用蚀坑最大深度表征钢丝腐蚀程度,以应力强度因子幅作为裂纹扩展驱动力指标,基于断裂力学的Paris公式建立受拉钢丝裂纹扩展理论模型,进而推导腐蚀钢丝的疲劳S-N曲线。大量既有的腐蚀钢丝疲劳试验结果与理论预测值的比较验证了所提理论模型及疲劳S-N曲线的合理性和有效性。含多个蚀坑的钢丝裂纹扩展有限元模拟表明,等效单裂纹适用于多腐蚀坑钢丝疲劳寿命的简化分析。参数分析表明,蚀坑深度和腐蚀环境是腐蚀钢丝疲劳强度的关键影响因素,而应力比和疲劳加载频率影响较小,所提出的S-N曲线在钢丝常规服役条件下适用于评估其剩余寿命,可得到合理的预测结果。基于断裂力学所提的理论方法和疲劳S-N曲线可为腐蚀钢丝的疲劳强度和寿命评估提供参考。

Temperature-dependence of acoustic fatigue life for thermal protection structures

Acoustic fatigue life evaluation is essential for thermal protection struc- tures due to the severe thermo-acoustic load in service. A study on temperature- dependence of acoustic fatigue life for a C/SiC panel is presented in this paper. Effects of temperature on both the structural responses and the S-N curves are investigated. The Dirlik method is adopted to predict the fatigue life of a C/SiC panel at three different temperatures respectively. Significant differences are ob- served from the results of numerical simulations between the fatigue lives of the panel in the three cases. The temperature-dependence of acoustic fatigue life of a C/SiC panel is verified, and fatigue test of the material needs to be more atten- tively performed.

Vibration Fatigue Probabilistic Life Prediction Model and Method for Blade

Vibration fatigue is one of the main failure modes of blade.The vibration fatigue life of blade is scattered caused by manufacture error,material property dispersion and external excitation randomness.A new vibration fatigue probabilistic life prediction model(VFPLPM)and a prediction method are proposed in this paper.Firstly,as one-dimensional volumetric method(ODVM)only considers the principle calculation direction,a three-dimensional space vector volumetric method(TSVVM)is proposed to improve fatigue life prediction accuracy for actual threedimensional engineering structure.Secondly,based on the two volumetric methods(ODVM and TSVVM),the material C-P-S-N fatigue curve model(CFCM)and the maximum entropy quantile function model(MEQFM),VFPLPM is established to predict the vibration fatigue probabilistic life of blade.The VFPLPM is combined with maximum stress method(MSM),ODVM and TSVVM to estimate vibration fatigue probabilistic life of blade simulator by finite element simulation,and is verified by vibration fatigue test.The results show that all of the three methods can predict the vibration fatigue probabilistic life of blade simulator well.VFPLPM &TSVVM method has the highest computational accuracy for considering stress gradient effect not only in the principle calculation direction but also in other space vector directions.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE PLOT METHOD OF FATIGUE LIFE PREDICTION FORMULA

The fatigue life for components can be predicted by the plot method which is easy and convenient in engineering. Based on the usual fatigue life prediction formula, a new formula for estimating the low stress and high cycle fatigue life is proposed and deduced, which has adopted more accurate SN curve relationship——WeibullSN curve formula. The solution of the new formula is given, too. In addition, an example has been calculated and proved in practice. The results of the new formula and the old one are given and compared.

A Maximum Likelihood Method for Estimating Probabilistic Strain Amplitude-Fatigue Life Curves

The fatigue lives of materials and structures at different strain levels show het- eroscedasticity. In addition when the number of test specimens is insufficient, the fatigue strength coefficient and fatigue ductility coefficient of the fitting parameters in the total strain life equa- tion may not have definite physical significance. In this work, a maximum likelihood method for estimating probabilistic strain amplitude fatigue life curves is presented based on the fatigue lives at different strain levels. The proposed method is based on the general basic assumption that the logarithm of fatigue life at an arbitrary strain level is normally distributed. The rela- tionship among the parameters of total strain life equation, monotonic ultimate tensile stress and percentage reduction of area is adopted. The presented approach is finally illustrated by two applications. It is shown that probabilistic strain amplitude-fatigue life curves can be eas- ily estimated based on the maximum likelihood method. The results show that fatigue lives at different strain levels have heteroscedasticity and the values of fatigue strength coefficient and fatigue ductility coefficient obtained by the proposed method are close to those of the true tensile fracture stress and true tensile fracture strain.

疲劳分析软件MSC Fatigue的工程应用

为实现交叉杆的疲劳寿命预测,应用实测载荷和材料数据,进行有限元的应力分析,采用名义应力法,基于MSC Fatigue进行交叉杆的疲劳寿命预测,与交叉杆的实际使用寿命较为吻合.表明基于虚拟疲劳设计软件的疲劳设计方法合理可行,为交叉杆的结构优化设计和疲劳寿命预测提供参考.

A GENERAL CONSTITUTIVE RELATION FOR FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH ANALYSIS OF METAL STRUCTURES

Crack growth rate curves are the fundamental material property for metal structures under fatigue loading. Although there are many crack growth rate curves available in the literature, few of them showed the capability to explain various special phenomena observed in tests. A modified constitutive relation recently proposed by McEvily and his co-workers showed very promising capability. This modified constitutive relation is further generalized by (1) introducing an unstable fracture condition; (2) defining a virtual strength to replace the yield stress; and (3) defining an overload and underload parameter. The performances of this general constitutive relation for fatigue crack growth is extensively studied and it is found that this general constitutive relation is able to explain various phenomena observed with particular strong capability on load sequence effect.

疲劳S-N曲线预测模型进展综述

疲劳S-N曲线是机械零部件强度设计的基础,但受限于贫样本或者小样本,使得诸多回归和预测模型都建立在各种假设之上。随着机械设备复杂程度的提高,零部件疲劳寿命多种影响因素间的耦合性和竞争性在不断增加;另一方面随着材料性能的发展,疲劳S-N曲线的结构也在改变,这些都使得已有模型无法满足强度设计需求。数据驱动方法能够对不同工况下的寿命数据能够进行深度挖掘,使得疲劳寿命数据的研究焕发新机。首先,对已有的确定性疲劳S-N曲线模型和小量/成组样本下的不确定疲劳S-N曲线模型进行了回顾,并对样本量大小引起的不确定性表达进行描述。其次,对由于材料性能改进导致的疲劳S-N曲线结构变化以及相应的改进模型进行了阐述。再次,介绍了疲劳S-N曲线模型的影响因素如平均应力、尺寸效应、应力集中、工作环境和表面完整性等,进而对数据驱动方法在多影响因素下的S-N曲线回归和预测进行了阐述。最后,对疲劳S-N曲线模型的发展趋势进行了讨论和展望。

High-cycle Fatigue Fracture Behavior of Ultrahigh Strength Steels

The fatigue fracture behavior of four ultrahigh strength steels with different melting processes and therefore different inclusion sizes were studied by using a rotating bar two-point bending fatigue machine in the high-cycle regime up to 107 cycles of loading. The fracture surfaces were observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy （FESEM）. It was found that the size of inclusion has significant effect on the fatigue behavior. For AtSI 4340 steel in which the inclusion size is smaller than 5.5 μm, all the fatigue cracks except one did not initiated from inclusion but from specimen surface and conventional S-N curve exists. For 65Si2MnWE and Aermet 100 steels in which the average inclusion sizes are 12.2 and 14.9 μm, respectively, fatigue cracks initiated from inclusions at lower stress amplitudes and stepwise S-N curves were observed. The S-N curve displays a continuous decline and fatigue failures originated from large oxide inclusion for 60Si2CrVA steel in which the average inclusion size is 44.4 pro. In the case of internal inclusion-induced fractures at cycles beyond about 1×10^6 for 65Si2MnWE and 60Si2CrVA steels, inclusion was always found inside the fish-eye and a granular bright facet （GBF） was observed in the vicinity around the inclusion. The GBF sizes increase with increasing the number of cycles to failure Nf in the long-life regime. The values of stress intensity factor range at crack initiation site for the GBF are almost constant with Nf, and are almost equal to that for the surface inclusion and the internal inclusion at cycles lower than about 1×10^6. Neither fish-eye nor GBF was observed for Aermet 100 steel in the present study.