MECH1641 Machine Design II

Lecture 4: Fatigue III

Designing for Fatigue
spreadsheet example
Fluctuating Stresses
Mean Stress & Stress
Amplitude
Maximum & Minimum
Stress
Constant Life Diagrams
Homework & Reading
Assignment
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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Objectives
After this lecture and associated homework, you will:
Use a spreadsheet to design a hollow axle for
cyclic bending loads.
Characterize fluctuating stresses in terms of mean
stress and stress amplitude.
Characterize fluctuating stresses in terms of
maximum and minimum stress.
Apply the relationship between the two methods of
characterizing fluctuating stresses.
Interpret and construct Constant Life diagrams
from information obtained from the S-N curve.
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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Example Problem 1
Create a spreadsheet to design a trailer axle made of
4340 steel, heat-treated to 160 ksi. The total trailer
weight W is 4200 lb, divided evenly between identical
front and rear axles. The wheel-to-bearing distance x
is 6 in, and the minimum required safety factor against
fatigue failure is 2. The axle surface will be machined
to an outside diameter of 2.5 in, and then coated to
protect it from corrosion in service, which will be at
room temperatures. Reliability should be 95%.

di

do

48"

First, calculate the axles endurance limit from the material ultimate strength and
appropriate modifying factors.
Than calculate the bending stress from the applied load and axle dimensions.
Then calculate a safety factor n by dividing the endurance limit by the bending
stress.
Set the outside diameter to 2.5 in, and use trail and error to find the ID that results
in a safety factor of 2.
Modify the spreadsheet to calculate the mass of the axle, using the density of
steel and the calculated volume of the axle.
Determine the mass of a suitable axle with an OD of 3 in, and compare it to the
mass of the 2.5 in. axle. (Check MatWeb.com for the density.) Which axle is
preferable?
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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Fluctuating Stresses
Machine components seldom encounter true
completely reversing stresses; fluctuating
stresses are far more common.
Fluctuating stresses are induced by a
combination of static and reversing cyclic loads.

MECH1641 Machine Design II

Characterizing Fluctuating Stresses

Fluctuating stresses can be characterized, or
specified, in two ways:
Maximum and minimum stresses max and min.
Mean stress and stress amplitude m and a.

MECH1641 Machine Design II

Special Cases of Fluctuating Stresses

For fully reversing
loads:

m=0
max = -min

max
a
m

min

a=max
For zero-to-max-tozero loads:

min=0

max
a
m

max = 2a
a=m

min

MECH1641 Machine Design II

Fluctuating Stress Parameter Relationships

Note that if any two of these stress
parameters are known, the other two
are readily calculated.
Stress amplitude a is always
positive.

m =
a =

max + min
max

2
min
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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Example Problem 2
What is mean stress m and stress amplitude a of an
application that cycles between -20 and +60 ksi?
Sketch the stress vs. time profile.
Find : m , a

m =

Given : max = 60 ksi; min = 20 ksi

max + min

2
m = 20 ksi

a =

max min

2
a = 40 ksi

60 ksi ) + ( 20 ksi )
(
=
2

60 ksi ) ( 20 ksi )
(
=
2

MECH1641 Machine Design II

Example Problem 3
Find the minimum stress min and stress amplitude a
of an application that has a maximum stress of 975
MPs and a mean stress of 350 MPa. Sketch the stress
vs. time profile.
Find : min , a

m =
min

Given : max = 975 MPa; m = 350 MPa

max + min

min = 2 m max

2
= 2 ( 350 MPa ) 975 MPa

min = 275 MPa

a =

max min

975 MPa ) ( 275 MPa )

(
=

2
a = 625 MPa

MECH1641 Machine Design II

Fluctuating Stresses with Infinite Life

The existence of a static tensile stress (the mean stress m)
reduces the amplitude of alternating stress a that can be applied.
As the mean stress m approaches the material ultimate strength
Su, the allowable stress amplitude a decreases towards zero.

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Fluctuating Stresses with Infinite Life

Case (a) shows a fully reversing cyclic stress at the level of the
endurance limit, i.e., infinite life.
For infinite life with some tensile load superimposed, the stress
amplitude must decrease.

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Fluctuating Stresses with Infinite Life

From a, to b, to c and so on, the superimposed tensile stress m
increases; to maintain infinite life, the stress amplitude a must
decrease.
Note that cases e and f have yielding that occurs at the very first
load cycle.

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Fluctuating Stresses with Infinite Life

Strangely, if the superimposed stress m is
compressive, it doesnt require a decrease in amplitude
to maintain equivalent life.

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Constant Life Diagram

The horizontal axis is mean stress m.
The vertical axis is stress amplitude a.

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Constant Life Diagram Horizontal Axis

Since the values along the horizontal axis have a
stress amplitude of zero, it represents simple static
loading, i.e. no cycling.

Sy

Sy

Sy

-Sy

-Sy

-Sy

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Constant Life Diagram Vertical Axis

Since the values along the vertical axis have a mean
stress of zero, it is represents fully-reversed cyclic
loading.

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Constant Life Diagram

The horizontal axis is mean stress m.
The vertical axis is stress amplitude a.

Sy

Sy

-Sy

-Sy

Sy

Sy

-Sy

-Sy

Sy

Sy

-Sy

-Sy

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Constant Life Diagram

The lines of constant life show the combinations of
min and max that allow for equal life. The 106 line can
be considered infinite life, corresponding to the
endurance limit.

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Constant Life Diagram

All points on the red 106 life line represent
combinations of mean stress and stress amplitude
that will result in a life of 106 cycles.

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Constant Life Diagram

All points below the red 106 life line represent
combinations of mean stress and stress amplitude
that will result in a life greater than 106 cycles,
essentially infinite.

Infinite Life for

combinations of
m & a in this
region.

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Constant Life Diagram

Similarly, all points between the the red 103 and 104
lines line represent combinations of mean stress and
stress amplitude that will result in a life between these
limits.
Combinations of m & a
in this region will fail
between 103 and 104
cycles.

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Constant Life Diagram

The values at points C, D, E, F on the vertical axis
come from the S-N curve. They are fatigue strengths
at various values for N.

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Constant Life Diagram

All points along the line A-A represent fluctuating
load profiles with a tensile peak of max=Sy.

Sy
0
-Sy
Sy
0
-Sy
Sy
0
-Sy
Sy
0
-Sy

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Constant Life Diagram

Sy

Similarly, all points along the line A-A represent

fluctuating load profiles with a compressive peak of
min=-Sy.

0
-Sy
Sy
0
-Sy

Sy
0
-Sy

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Constant Life Diagram

All points along lines parallel to A-A represent
fluctuating load profiles with a fixed value for max.

max =Sy
max =Sn
max = Sn

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Constant Life Diagram

This type of Constant Life diagram shows only mean
stress and stress amplitude. It could be reconstructed
to show maximum and minimum stresses.

max =Sy
max =Sn
max = Sn

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Fatigue Strength Diagram for Alloy Steels

Applicable to AISI 4340, 4130, 2330, 8630.

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Example Problem 4
If a test specimen made from normalized 4130 steel with an
ultimate strength of 100 ksi is subject to a maximum bending
stress of 90 ksi and a minimum stress of 0, what is the expected
fatigue life? Sketch the stress vs. time profile.
Find N

Given : max = 90 ksi = 90% Su min = 0

N = 104 cycles

90 ksi
0

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Example Problem 5
For an normalized 4130 test specimen with Su=100 ksi, what is the
maximum stress that can be applied for 106 cycles if the loading is
of the zero-to-max-to-zero type? Sketch the stress vs. time profile.
Find max for N = 106 cycles Given : min = 0

max = 70% Su = 70 ksi

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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Homework and Reading Assignment

For next class, read Juvinall Chapter 8 Sections
8.9, then answer the questions below.
1.

Determine the mean stress and stress amplitude of an

application that cycles between -350 and 780 MPa? Sketch the
stress vs. time profile.

2.

Determine the minimum stress and stress amplitude of an

application with a mean stress of 925 MPa and a maximum
stress of 1190 MPa. Sketch the stress vs. time profile.

3.

For 4340 test specimen with Su=150 ksi, what is the predicted
life for a fully reversing stress of 90 ksi? (3104 cycles)

4.

What is the maximum stress that will provide the same life if the
load profile is changed to a zero-to-max-to-zero type? (86 ksi.)

5.

What stress amplitude will provide the same life if the load
profile is fluctuating with a maximum stress of 60 ksi? (27 ksi)
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MECH1641 Machine Design II

Closing Notes

Quiz 2 (5%) is on Friday January 25.

Test 1 (20%) is on Friday February 22.

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