High cycle multiaxial fatigue energy criterion taking into account the volume distribution of stresses

Abstract

ABSTRACT An energy high cycle multiaxial fatigue criterion based on a new concept using the strain energy density is proposed in this paper. It distinguishes all load types even though no criteria existing in the literature explains the experimental differences between the endurance limits in tension, rotating bending and plane bending. To predict these differences the criterion takes into account the distribution of the strain energy density inside a volume influencing crack initiation at the critical point. By taking into account the effect of the triaxiality of stresses this criterion is available under any fully reversed multiaxial loading. In combined plane bending and torsion, predictions lead to a curve close to the Gough et al. ellipse quadrant for ductile materials and to an ellipse arc for brittle one. Under other combined loadings predictions are also on a curve close to an ellipse quadrant which is load dependent and material brittleness dependent. Predictions are in very good agreement with uniaxial and multiaxial experiments on four materials.