Fatigue Life Prediction Model Research Articles

A study on the effect of plasticity on the measurement of residual stresses using ultrasound technique

Residual stresses can have detrimental effect on the life cycle of engineering components and can affect the accuracy of the fatigue life prediction models. Accurate measurement of these stresses are therefore crucial. . However, destructive and semi-destructive methods of measuring residual stresses often cause damage to the components. In contrast, the non-destructive ultrasonic method allows for intact measurement of residual stresses even, in situation where portability is not feasible. Various waves can be utilized in the ultrasonic method for measuring residual stresses. In this study, longitudinal critically refracted (LCR) waves were employed due to their higher sensitivity, larger scanning area, and lower sensitivity to texture effect, making them preferable over other waves. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of plasticity on the measurement of residual stresses using the ultrasonic method. To achieve this, two stainless steel disks were subjected to quenching at temperatures of 300 °C and 700 °C to induce different levels of residual stresses and plasticity. The material properties of the disks were determined through standard tensile tests to facilitate numerical simulations. Tensile test specimens were extracted from the initial sheet to measure the yield stress and modulus of elasticity. The coefficient of acoustoelasticity, was determined by subjecting the tensile test specimens to different stress levels and recording the wave flight time. The coefficient of acoustoelasticity for stainless steel 316Lwas obtained using the slope of and (E(t-t0))/t0,. Residual stresses were experimentally measured using both the ultrasonic method and the center-hole drilling method, and the results were compared with those obtained from numerical analyses. The findings from center-hole drilling method, ultrasonic method, and numerical simulation were then compared and discussed. Different levels of plasticity were considered, and the accuracy of measuring residual stresses was analyzed and evaluated.

Fatigue life prediction for composite materials based on the S-N-φ model

The strength degradation law of composite materials is very important to fatigue life prediction. However, establishing existing residual strength models requires various experimental data to confirm the parameters involved in the models. Sometimes, experimental data on the residual strength of composite materials are not available because of limitations on experimental cost and project progress. To solve these issues, a new fatigue life prediction model named the S-N-φ model is proposed. The S-N-φ model does not require the experimental data of residual strength, and the residual strength is only reflected in the theoretical deduction process. The S-N-φ model can clearly explain the probability characteristic of fatigue life because both initial strength and cyclic stress are considered. The S-N-φ model is verified by a set of experimental data of composite laminates. The results show that the S-N-φ model is more accurate than the widely used classical S-N curve model, and the probability characteristic of fatigue life predicted by using the S-N-φ model agrees well with the experimental data.

Finite element analysis of stress field and fatigue life prediction of notched specimens under multiaxial load

PurposeThe stress state near the notch affects fatigue damage directly, but quantifying the stress field is difficult. The purpose of this study is to provide a mathematical description method of the stress field near the notch to achieve a reliable assessment of the fatigue life of notched specimens.Design/methodology/approachFirstly, the stress distribution of notched specimens of different materials and shapes under different stress levels is investigated, and a method for calculating the stress gradient impact factor is presented. Then, the newly defined stress gradient impact factor is used to describe the stress field near the notch, and an expression for the stress at any point along a specified path is developed. Furthermore, by combining the mathematical expressions for the stress field near the notch, a multiaxial fatigue life prediction model for notched shaft specimens is established based on the damage mechanics theory and closed solution method.FindingsThe stress gradient factor for notched specimens with higher stress concentration factors (V60-notch, V90-notch) varies to a certain extent when the external load and material change, but for notched specimens with relatively lower stress concentration factors (C-notch, U-notch, stepped shaft), the stress gradient factor hardly varies with the change in load and material, indicating that the shape of the notch has a greater influence on the stress gradient. It is also found that the effect of size on the stress gradient factor is not obvious for notched specimens with different shapes, there is an obvious positive correlation between the normal stress gradient factor and the normal stress concentration factor compared with the relationship between the shear stress gradient factor and the stress concentration factor. Moreover, the predicted results of the proposed model are in better agreement with the experimental results of five kinds of materials compared with the FS model, the SWT model, and the Manson–Coffin equation.Originality/valueIn this paper, a new stress gradient factor is defined based on the stress distribution of a smooth specimen. Then, a mathematical description of the stress field near the notch is provided, which contains the nominal stress, notch size, and stress concentration factor which is calculated by the finite element method (FEM). In addition, a multiaxial fatigue life prediction model for shaft specimens with different notch shapes is established with the newly established expressions based on the theory of damage mechanics and the closed solution method.

Crack initiation mechanisms and life prediction of GH4169 superalloy in the high cycle and very high cycle fatigue regime

In this study, the high cycle and very high cycle fatigue behavior of the GH4169 superalloy was investigated. The results of the fatigue tests demonstrated that failures in the high cycle fatigue regime were initiated from the material surface, whereas failures in the very high cycle fatigue regime had two competing modes of crack initiation: surface and internal. The fatigue fracture analysis revealed a quasi-cleavage fracture mode with facets for internal crack initiation. Additionally, the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) results indicated that the dislocations located at the internal twin boundaries of the material were preferentially activated under fatigue cyclic loading, resulting in significant strain localization at the twin boundaries. The {111} <110> slip systems with high Schmid factors had a higher probability of activation. The stress intensity factor (SIF) estimated based on rough area (RA) and facet sizes correspond to the fatigue long crack and short crack growth thresholds of the material, respectively. Finally, a modified FIP fatigue life prediction model was proposed based on the microstructure of crystallographic facets, and the results from experiment and the model prediction were found to be in good agreement.

Fatigue life prediction of Ti60 titanium alloy under very high cycle loading at different temperatures

The very high cycle fatigue crack initiation mechanism of Ti60 titanium alloy at different temperatures was studied. The results showed that the initiation of cracks occurred on oversized facets in the subsurface. Based on this crack initiation mechanism, a full-life prediction model based on crack propagation at room temperature was first proposed, and then a very high cycle fatigue life prediction model considering temperature was proposed based on the degradation law of tensile strength at different temperatures. The experimental and predicted life results of Ti60 specimen at room temperature with 300 °C and 500 °C showed that the proposed method can effectively predict the very high cycle fatigue life, and the error is within a factor of 3.

Study of lead–bismuth eutectic on material performance degradation and life assessment for modified 9Cr-1Mo steel under low cycle fatigue at high temperatures

Lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) serves as one of the efficient coolants in Generation IV nuclear reactors. Considering LBE degradation, the aims of the present work are to propose a fatigue life prediction model at material-level and to obtain a component-level fatigue assessment. The LBE degradation factors of temperatures, strain ranges and strain rates are incorporated into the proposed life prediction model. Afterwards, fatigue life design curves are correspondingly put forward. Furthermore, recommended fatigue life assessment procedures are established for engineering applications. Finally, a continuous process in “deformation-cracking-repassivation” of oxide films is discussed to reveal oxidation-sensitive LBE degradation mechanism.

Ultra-Low Cycle Fatigue Life Prediction Model—A Review

This article is a review of models for predicting ultra-low cycle fatigue life. In the article, the life prediction models are divided into three types: (1) microscopic ductile fracture models based on cavity growth and cavity merger; (2) fracture models based on porous plasticity; and (3) ductile fracture models based on continuum damage mechanics. Furthermore, the article provides a critical assessment of the current state of research on ultra-low cycle fatigue life prediction models, highlighting the limitations and challenges faced by each model type. Ultimately, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the different models available for predicting ultra-low cycle fatigue life and to guide future research in this important area of materials science and engineering.

Random vibration fatigue behavior of directionally solidified superalloy: Experiments and evaluation of life prediction methods

Vibration is closely related to structural dynamics, and the study of random vibration fatigue loads is typically conducted in the frequency domain. In this study, various frequency domain methods were employed to predict the random vibration fatigue life of DZ125L directionally solidified superalloy under different vibration signal intensities. Experimental analysis was used to examine the fatigue life and random vibration response of DZ125L alloy specimens under different vibration signal intensities. The S-N curve derived from sinusoidal vibration tests was used to replace the traditional S-N curve obtained from tension-compression tests in random vibration fatigue analysis, leading to improved life prediction accuracy. Additionally, an intensity function fξ was established using the spectral width parameters α1 and α2 of the random process and the vibration signal intensity ξ, which was used to modify the traditional Rayleigh method. A new vibration fatigue life prediction model based on frequency domain method is obtained. The results indicate that the intensity function fξ emphasizes the elastic or plastic stage of the specimen during the random process, leading to highly accurate life prediction values using the Modified Rayleigh method across different vibration signal intensities, with all prediction points are within 1.5 times the scatter band.

Fatigue and stiffness characteristics of asphalt mixtures made of recycled aggregates

This research studies the stiffness characteristics and fatigue life of several asphalt mixtures made of recycled glass, reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), and recycled concrete aggregate (RCA). Experiments were carried out at 5–35 °C, loading frequencies of 0.1–20 Hz, and at two microstrain levels of 200 and 400 µm/m. To date, the effect of extensive parametric combinations of loadings, microstrain levels, and temperatures on asphalt mixtures made entirely of recycled materials (RM) has not been undertaken. The findings exhibited superior stiffness characteristics and improved fatigue life of some RM mixtures compared to control mixtures. The next step of this study included the optimization of three existing fatigue life prediction models. In addition, a prediction model was developed based on nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS), percentage of RCA, and percentage of RAP in the asphalt mixture. The optimized models resulted in a much higher coefficient of determination (R2) and P-value (likelihood) in the statistical T-test compared to the existing prediction models utilized in this study. The developed model yielded R2 values close to 0.99 between measured and predicted fatigue life, indicating an enhanced accuracy in the prediction. Comparison of the estimated dissipation energy of mixtures supported and validated the fatigue testing outcomes.

Fretting Fatigue Life Prediction of Dovetail Structure Based on Plastic Effect and Sensitivity Analysis of Influencing Factors.

Micro relative sliding exists on the contact surface of the main primary equipment's surface structures, resulting in serious fretting fatigue. The plastic effect causes serious fatigue to the structure under alternating loads. Existing fatigue life prediction models fail to fully consider the shortcomings of fretting and plastic effects, which causes the prediction results to be significantly different to real-lifeworld in engineering situations. Therefore, it is urgent to establish a fretting damage fatigue life prediction model of contact structures which considers plastic effects. In this study, a plastic fretting fatigue life prediction model was established according to the standard structural contact theory. The location of dangerous points was evaluated according to a finite element simulation. The cyclic load maximum stress value was compared with the fretting fatigue test data to confirm the error value, and the error between the proposed fretting fatigue life model and the test value was within 15%. Concurrently, we combined this with mass data analysis and research, as it is known that the contact zone parameters have an impact on fretting fatigue and affect the structural lifespan. With the help of ABAQUS, the fretting numerical calculation of the dovetail tenon model was carried out to analyze the sensitive factors affecting the fretting fatigue life of the dovetail tenon structure. By keeping the fretting load unchanged, the contact area parameters such as contact surface form, contact area width and friction coefficient were changed in order to calculate the fretting stress value, σfretting and the dovetail structure was improved to extend its fretting fatigue life. Finally, it was concluded that fretting fatigue was most sensitive to the width and contact form of the contact area. In actual engineering design, multiple factors should be considered comprehensively to determine a more accurate and suitable width and form of the contact area. For the selection of friction coefficient, on the premise of saving costs and meeting the structural strength requirements, the friction coefficient should be as small as possible, and the problem can also be solved through lubrication during processing.

On the consideration of loading interaction in combined high and low cycle fatigue life prediction

AbstractBased on the analysis of the test data and Miner's rule, a combined high and low cycle fatigue (CCF) life prediction model considering the loading interaction is established by introducing coupled damage. The coupled damage is determined by multiplying the high cycle fatigue damage and the low cycle fatigue damage by a coupled damage coefficient . According to the analysis of the test data, the coupled damage coefficient is positively correlated with the high cycle stress ratio . In addition, an interaction factor, which reflects the loading interaction effect, is introduced to correct the coefficient . The CCF experimental data of four materials are employed for model verification and comparison among the proposed model, Miner's rule, and Trufyakov–Kovalchuk model (T–K model). The proposed model exhibits a relatively higher prediction accuracy and is more suitable for predicting the fatigue life of CCF.

Probabilistic fatigue life prediction for RC beams under chloride environment considering the statistical uncertainty by Bayesian updating

A probabilistic fatigue life prediction model for RC beams under chloride environment is proposed, and the statistical uncertainty is considered by Bayesian inference to determine and update model parameters. In terms of the sparse fatigue data, the Markov-chain Monte-Carlo (MCMC) method is utilized to conduct the Bayesian updating. The prior distribution and posterior distributions are respectively determined by the data in this study and open references. Results show that the fatigue life under chloride environment is accurately predicted by a probabilistic S-N curve, in which as update points increase, predictions get close to tests and the statistical uncertainty is reduced.

Multiaxial fatigue life prediction model for notched specimen based on modified energy gradient and critical plane method

The distribution of energy field on the crack initiation plane directly affects the crack initiation behavior. Therefore, studying the energy gradient is of crucial help for accurate evaluation of the fatigue performance for the notched specimen. Firstly, the energy distribution on the critical plane is characterized by the sixth-order polynomial. Meanwhile, the relative energy gradient is adopted to calculate the critical distance. Secondly, considering the influence of energy gradient, size effect and non-proportional additional strengthening, a general procedure is explored. Finally, the experimental data of Al7050, En8 and C40 is utilized for model validation and the comparison results show that prediction results of the proposed model in this paper is superior to other models.

Short-range ordering plays a determining role in the low-cycle fatigue life improvement of fcc metals: A conclusive study on low solid-solution hardening Ni-Cr alloys

The effect of short-range ordering (SRO) on the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior of low solid-solution hardening Ni-Cr alloys with high stacking fault energies (SFEs) was systematically studied under cycling at constant total strain amplitude (Δεt/2) in the range of 0.1%–0.7%. The results show that an inducement of SRO structures can notably improve the fatigue life of the alloy regardless of Δεt/2, and several unique fatigue characteristics have been detected, including the transition of fatigue cracking mode from intergranular cracking to slip band cracking, the non-negligible evolution from non-Masing behavior in pure Ni to Masing behavior in the Ni-40Cr alloy, and the secondary cyclic hardening behavior in the Ni-10Cr and Ni-20Cr alloys. All these experimental phenomena are tightly associated with the transformation in cyclic deformation mechanisms that is induced by SRO based on the “glide plane softening” effect. Furthermore, a comprehensive fatigue life prediction model based on total hysteresis energy has been reasonably proposed, focusing on the analyses of the macroscopic model parameters (namely the fatigue cracking resistance exponent β and the crack propagation resistance parameter W0) and microscopic damage mechanisms. In brief, on the premise that the effects of SFE and friction stress can be nearly ignored, as in the case of the present low solid-solution hardening Ni-Cr alloys with high SFEs, an enhancement of SRO in face-centered cubic metals has been convincingly confirmed to be an effective strategy to improve their LCF performance.

An Improved Multiaxial Low-Cycle Fatigue Life Prediction Model Based on Equivalent Strain Approach

The fatigue life of the materials is significantly reduced under non-proportional loading. In this study, the factors affecting additional hardening are explored, and a hardening function is proposed. Firstly, the stress and strain states of the specimen under multiaxial loading are analyzed, and the deficiencies of the equivalent strain models are discussed. Secondly, the factors affecting the additional hardening are analyzed from both stress and strain perspectives, and the effect of phase differences on fatigue life is investigated. The stress on the critical plane is considered to reflect its effect on crack initiation and growth. An improved multiaxial low-cycle fatigue life prediction model is developed based on the equivalent strain approach. Finally, experimental data from five metals are used to verify the established model and are compared with existing classical models. The results show that the proposed model has good accuracy.

Fatigue Life Modelling of Steel Suspension Coil Springs Based on Wavelet Vibration Features Using Neuro-Fuzzy Methods

This study proposed wavelet-based approaches to characterise random vibration road excitations for durability prediction of coil springs. Conventional strain-life approaches require long computational time, while the accuracy of the vibration fatigue methods is unsatisfactory. It is therefore a necessity to establish an accurate fatigue life prediction model based on vibrational features. Wavelet-based methods were applied to determine the low-frequency energy and multifractality of road excitations. Strain-life models were applied for fatigue life evaluation from strain histories. ANFIS modelling was subsequently adopted to associate the vibration features with the fatigue life of coil springs. Results showed that the proposed wavelet-based methods were effective to determine the signal energy and multifractality of vibration signals. The established vibration-based models showed good fatigue life conservativity with a data survivability of more than 90%. The highest Pearson coefficient of 0.955 associated with the lowest RMSE of 0.660 was obtained by the Morrow-based model. It is suggested that the low-frequency energy and multifractality of the vibration signals can be used as fatigue-related features in life predictions of coil springs under random loading. Finally, the proposed model is an acceptable fatigue life prediction method based on vibration features, and it can reduce the dependency on strain data measurement.

Fatigue &amp; Fracture of Engineering Materials &amp; Structures Virtual Special Issue: Data science and machine learning for fatigue and fracture assessment

<scp>Fatigue &amp; Fracture of Engineering Materials &amp; Structures Virtual Special Issue</scp>: Data science and machine learning for fatigue and fracture assessment

Open-Access Experiment Dataset for Fatigue Damage Accumulation and Life Prediction Models

This work addresses the lack of focus on verification and comparison of existing fatigue damage accumulation and life prediction models on the basis of large and well-documented experiment datasets. Sixty-four constant amplitude, 54 two-level block loading, and 27 three-level block loading valid experiments were performed in order to generate an open-access, high-quality dataset that can be used as a benchmark for existing models. In the future, more experiments of various specimen geometries and loading conditions will be added. The obtained dataset was used for a study comparing five (non)linear fatigue damage and life prediction models. It is shown how the performance of several (non)linear damage models is strongly dependent on the considered material dataset and loading sequence. Therefore, it is important to verify models with a broad set of independent datasets, as many existing models show significant bias to certain datasets.

Experimental study and fretting fatigue life prediction in dovetail assembly considering stress–temperature nonlinear coupling effect

AbstractAs a paramount failure form of dovetail assembly, high‐temperature fretting fatigue seriously restricts the actual service life. Aiming at the problem of fretting fatigue life prediction of dovetail assembly of the aero‐engine compressor under the coexistence of stress and high temperature, based on D‐M contact theory and continuum damage mechanics theory, a fretting fatigue life prediction model considering stress–temperature nonlinear coupling effect is proposed in this paper by, respectively, introducing the fretting fatigue stress σfretting and the high‐temperature influence factor λ. Meanwhile, the judgment criterion of fretting fatigue crack initiation and failure is raised based on the strain–displacement method, and the fretting fatigue test is designed and carried out for experimental verification. The results show that the proposed fretting fatigue life prediction model has high life prediction ability, whose life prediction results are within ±1.7 times the error band, which can provide a theoretical reference for the structural design optimization and damage tolerance design of dovetail assembly.

Effect of the stiffness ratio on the growth of repaired fatigue cracks with composite patch

The objective of this study is to develop an analytical model to predict the fatigue life of aluminum alloy panels repaired by a carbon/epoxy patch. The study includes two parts: an experimental part where fatigue tests were conducted on notched specimens of 2024 T3 and 7075 T6 aluminum alloys repaired by unidirectional carbon/epoxy patches in order to measure the crack propagation rate (da/dN) after bonding of the patch. The second part of the work consists in numerically calculating the stress intensity factor range (ΔK) at the tips of repaired cracks. A fatigue life prediction model was established for repaired plates based on the Paris law. This model relates the Paris constants to the stiffness ratio between the patch and the aluminum plate. The model of fatigue life prediction can be useful for the patch repair designers. The obtained results show that the fatigue life is highly improved by the composite patch specially for the aluminum alloy 2024 T3. The number of cycle at failure increases with the increase of the patch thickness. The stress intensity factor at the crack tip is reduced by the patch repair which leads to a slowdown in the propagation of the crack.