Fatigue Strength

(6.4, 6.7-6.8, 6.11)

MAE 316 Strength of Mechanical Components
NC State University Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Fatigue Strength

Fatigue Strength (6.8)

Up to now, we have designed structures for static loads.

t
w

d
P

max S y
P

(max is also constant)

t
2

Fatigue Strength

Fatigue Strength (6.8)

What if loading is not constant?

Even if max Sy, failure could occur if enough cycles are

applied.

Fatigue Strength

S-N Diagram (6.4)

Sf (fatigue strength) - stress level
at which a corresponding number
of cycles (N) will lead to failure
(crack initiation)

Se (endurance limit) - stress

level below which failure will
never occur

Fatigue Strength

Fluctuating Stresses

(6.11)

max
t
min

1
2

m = mean = ( max + min )

a = alternatin g

1
= ( max min )
2

R=

min
max

If min = - max, this is known as fully-reversed loading.

}
5

Fatigue Strength

Endurance Limit (6.7)

The simplest design rule to prevent fatigue failure is

applied = max < S e

This is a valid concept, but not quite so simple in reality.

Se is determined experimentally.
Simple approximate Se formulas exist for steel, but must be
used carefully better to have actual data.

}
}
}

Se ' = 0.5Sut Sut 200 kpsi (1400 MPa)

Se ' = 100 kpsi Sut > 200 kpsi
Se ' = 700 MPa Sut > 1400 MPa
}

where Sut = ultimate strength and Se = unmodified, laboratory

determined value
Fatigue Strength

Endurance Limit (6.7)

}

For real design we will modify Se to account for the surface

finish, stress concentration, temperature, etc.

These effects decrease the effective endurance limit.

Fatigue Strength

Predicting Fatigue Life (6.8)

High-cycle fatigue life (N > 1000 cycles)
Typical S-N diagram for steel (see Fig 6-18 for f)

}
}

(log Sf)

S f = aN b or log S f = log a + b log N

fSu

log fSut = log a + b log 103

log Se = log a + b log 106
Se

(log N)

b= -

fS
1
log ut
3
Se

( fSut )2
a=
Se
\ S f = aN b for 103 N 106 cycles

or
N = (S f / a)

Fatigue Strength

Example
Find Sf of 1020 hot-rolled steel if the required life is
250,000 cycles, bending loads.

}
}

Given: Sut = 57 ksi for 1020 steel

Note: For steel, f = 0.9Su (bending),

What is the life if Sf = 40 ksi?

Fatigue Strength

High Cycle Fatigue

(6.9-6.10)
MAE 316 Strength of Mechanical Components
NC State University Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

10

High Cycle Fatigue

Modified Endurance Limit (6.9)

}

Modified endurance limit is defined as

S e = k a kb k c k d k e k f S e '

ka = surface finish factor = aSutb

Table 6-2 Surface finish factors ka
a

11

Surface finish

MPa

(kpsi)

Ground

1.58

(1.34)

-0.085

Machine or cold drawn

4.51

(2.7)

-0.265

Hot rolled

57.7

(14.4)

-0.718

As-Forged

272.0

(39.9)

-0.995

High Cycle Fatigue

Modified Endurance Limit (6.9)

}
}

kb = size factor
Axial loading
}

Bending and torsion

}
}
}
}

kb = 1
kb = 0.879d-.107 (0.11 in d 2 in)
kb = 0.91d-.157 (2 < d < 10 in)
kb = 1.241d-.107 (2.79 d 51 mm)
kb = 1.51d-.157 (51 < d < 254 mm)

d is the diameter of the round bar or the equivalent diameter

(de) of a non-rotating or non-circular bar (Table 6-3).

12

High Cycle Fatigue

Modified Endurance Limit (6.9)

}

kc = loading factor
}
}
}

1 (bending)
0.85 (axial)
0.59 (torsion)

kd = temperature factor
}

ST
(Table 6-4) or use
If endurance limit (Se) is known, kd =
S RT
equation

kd = 0.975 + 0.432 (103 )T 0.115 (105 )T 2 + 0.104 (108 )T 3 0.595 (1012 )T 4

}

13

If Se is not known, use kd = 1 and temperature-corrected tensile

strength (Sut) (see Example 6-5 in textbook)
High Cycle Fatigue

Modified Endurance Limit (6.9)

}

ke = reliability factor
Table 6-5 Reliability factors ke

14

Survival Rate (%)

ke

50

1.00

90

0.89

95

0.87

98

0.84

99

0.81

99.9

0.75

99.99

0.70

High Cycle Fatigue

Modified Endurance Limit (6.9)

}

kf = miscellaneous-effects factor
}
}
}
}
}

Corrosion
Electrolytic plating
Metal Spraying
Cyclic frequency
Frettage corrosion

If none of the above conditions apply, kf = 1

15

High Cycle Fatigue

Fatigue Stress Concentration Factor (6.10)

}

Kf = fatigue stress concentration factor

Kf = 1 + q(Kt 1)
}
}

q = notch sensitivity
Kt = stress concentration factor

Kf can be used to reduce Se (multiply Se by 1/Kf) or to modify the

nominal stress (max = Kfnom).

16

High Cycle Fatigue

Fatigue Stress Concentration Factor (6.10)

Figure 6-20 Notch sensitivity for bending and axial

Figure 6-21 Notch sensitivity for torsion

17

High Cycle Fatigue

Example
}

For the plate shown below, find the maximum allowable load F
for the plate to have infinite life.
}

Given: 1018 cold-drawn steel, Sy = 373 MPa, Sut = 442 MPa

t = 10 mm
d = 12 mm
w=
60 mm

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High Cycle Fatigue