Time-dependent fatigue reliability estimation and optimal design of scraper chains under corrosive wear effect

Abstract

Fatigue damage is one of the main failures of the scraper chain. Moreover, corrosive wear has a detrimental effect on fatigue crack propagation. It is so essential to study the fatigue reliability of the scraper chain considering the interaction of corrosive wear and fatigue. This paper is intended to propose a reliability-based estimation and optimal design of the scraper chain considering the performance degradation of the scraper chain under the interaction of corrosive wear and fatigue. First, the dynamic model of the scraper conveyor is established based on the finite element method. Second, Paris Low is used to empirically describe the occurrence of cracking with corrosion effects. Furthermore, the time-dependent reliability of scraper chains under the interaction of the corrosive wear and fatigue crack propagation is addressed by the fourth-moment saddlepoint approximation (FMSA) method, and the reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) of the scraper chain is then carried out. Finally, the applicability of the proposed method is verified by the SGZ1000/1400 scraper conveyor.