FRACTURE MECHANICS APPROACH TO FATIGUE ANALYSIS IN DESIGN

Many engineering structures are subjected to cyclically varying (fatigue) loads during service. Fatigue analysis, or the estimation of fatigue lives of such structures, is therefore an essential part of engineering design. In this paper, the fracture mechanics approach to fatigue analysis is described. This approach has evolved over the last decade, and is based on the assumptions (i) that there are preexisting flaws or cracks in a structural component, or that cracks are initated early in the life of the component, and (ii) that the fatigue life of the component is determined principally by the rate of growth of these cracks under cyclic loading. Characterization of the rate of fatigue crack growth in terms of fracture mechanics parameters is discussed. The relationship between these parameters and those commonly used in fatigue analysis is identified. A procedure for estimating fatigue lives from crack growth data is outlined. The importance of various loading and environmental variables on fatigue life prediction is considered. A number of example problems are given to illustrate the procedure and the various effects.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Copies are $1.00 to ASME members.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Mechanical Engineers

  Two Park Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10016-5990
• Authors:
  • Wei, R P
• Publication Date: 1973-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 11 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Fatigue (Physiological condition); Fracture mechanics; Materials science
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00050322
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Report/Paper Numbers: ASME #73-DE-22 Paper
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 24 1976 12:00AM