Fatigue Analysis in the Ansys Workbench Environment

D. Alfred Hancq, Ansys Inc., May 2003

Contents
1. Introduction
2. Materials
2.1. Stress-Life Data Options
3. Analysis
3.1. Loading
3.1.1. Constant Amplitude, Proportional Loading
3.1.2. Non-Constant Amplitude, Proportional Loading
3.1.3. Constant Amplitude, Non-Proportional Loading
3.1.4. Non-Constant Amplitude, Non-Proportional Loading
3.2. Load Effects
3.2.1. Mean Stress Correction
3.2.2. Multiaxial Stress Correction
3.3. Miscellaneous Analysis Options
4. Results
4.1. Fatigue Life
4.2. Fatigue Damage
4.3. Factor of Safety
4.4. Stress Biaxiality
4.5. Equivalent Alternating Stress
4.6. Fatigue Sensitivity Chart
4.7. Rainflow Matrix Chart
4.8. Damage Matrix Chart
5. Typical Use Cases
5.1. Connecting Rod Under Fully Reversed Loading
5.2. Connecting Rod Under Random Loading
5.3. Universal Joint Under Combined Torsion and Bending
6. Additional Fatigue Resources and Revision History

1. Introduction
It is estimated that 50-90% of structural failure is due to fatigue, thus there is
a need for quality fatigue design tools. However, the availability of
commercial fatigue tools is limited while the ones that are available are
usually quite expensive and difficult to use in the hands of a designer. It is
hoped that these designers, given a proper library of fatigue tools, could
quickly and accurately conduct a fatigue analysis suited to their needs in a
friendly and well structured environment.

Fatigue was initially introduced as a new capability at version 6.0. Its focus
has been to provide useful information to the design engineer when fatigue
failure may be a concern. Fatigue results can have a convergence attached.
Currently, a stress-life approach has been adopted for conducting a fatigue
analysis. Several options such as accounting for mean stress and loading
conditions are available.

A fatigue analysis can be separated into 3 areas: materials, analysis, and

results evaluation. Each area will be discussed in more detail below:

2. Materials
A large part of a fatigue analysis is getting an accurate description of the
fatigue material properties. Since fatigue is so empirical, sample fatigue
curves are included only for structural steel and aluminum materials. These
properties are included as a guide only with intent for the user to provide
his/her own fatigue data for more accurate analysis. In the case of
assemblies with different materials, each part will use its own fatigue
material properties just as it uses its own static properties (like modulus of
elasticity).

2.1 Stress-life Data Options/Features

• Fatigue material data stored as tabular alternating stress vs. life points.
• The ability to define mean stress dependent or multiple r-ratio curves if
the data is available.
• Options to have log-log, semi-log, or linear interpolation.
• Ability to graphically view the fatigue material data
• The fatigue data is saved in XML format along with the other static
material data.
• Figure 1 is a screen shot showing a user editing fatigue data
 Figure 1: Editing SN curves

3. Analysis
Fatigue results can be added before or after a stress solution has been
performed. To create fatigue results, a fatigue tool must first be inserted into
the tree. This can be done through the solution toolbar or through context
menus. The details view of the fatigue tool is used to define the various
aspects of a fatigue analysis such as loading type, handling of mean stress
effects and more. As seen in Figure 2, a graphical representation of the
loading and mean stress effects is displayed when a fatigue tool is selected
by the user. This can be very useful to help a novice understand the fatigue
loading and possible effects of a mean stress.
 Figure 2: Fatigue tool information page

3.1 Loading
Fatigue, by definition, is caused by changing the load on a component over
time. Thus, unlike static stress safety tools, which perform calculations for a
single stress state, fatigue damage occurs when the stress at a point changes
over time. There are essentially 4 classes of fatigue loading with the fatigue
tool currently supporting the first 3:
• Constant amplitude, proportional loading
• Non-constant amplitude, proportional loading
• Constant Amplitude, non-proportional loading
• Non-constant amplitude, non-proportional loading
3.1.1 Constant amplitude, proportional loading
This is the classic, “back of the envelope” calculation. Loading is of
constant amplitude because only 1 set of finite element stress results along
with a loading ratio is required to calculate the alternating and mean stress.
The loading ratio is defined as the ratio of the second load to the first load
(LR = L2/L1). Loading is proportional since only 1 set of finite element
stress results is needed (principal stress axes do not change over time).
Common types of constant amplitude loading are fully reversed (apply a
load then apply an equal and opposite load; a load ratio of –1) and zero-
based (apply a load then remove it; a load ratio of 0). Since the loading is
proportional, the critical fatigue location can be ascertained by looking a
single set of FEM results. Likewise, since there are only 2 loadings, no
cycle counting or cumulative damage calculations need to be done.

Figure 3: Chart showing constant amplitude, proportional loading

3.1.2 Non-constant amplitude, proportional loading
In this case, again only 1 set of FEM results are needed, however instead of
using a single load ratio to calculate the alternating and mean stress, the load
ratio varies over time. Think of this as coupling an FEM analysis with
strain-gauge results collected over a given time interval. Since the loading is
proportional, the critical fatigue location can be ascertained by looking a
single set of FEM results. However, the fatigue loading which causes the
maximum damage cannot be easily seen and thus cumulative damage
calculations including cycle counting (such as Rainflow) and damage
summation (such as Miner’s rule) need to be done to determine the total
amount of fatigue damage and which cycle combinations cause that damage.

Figure 4: Chart showing non-constant amplitude, proportional loading

Several sample load histories can be found in the “Load Histories” directory
under the “Engineering Data” folder. Setting the loading type to “History
Data” in the fatigue tool details
view specifies non-constant
amplitude loading. Several
analysis options are available for
non-constant amplitude loading.
Since rainflow counting is used,
using a “quick counting” technique
substantially reduces runtime and
memory. In quick counting,
alternating and mean stresses are
sorted into bins before partial
damage is calculated. Without quick counting, the data is not sorted into
bins until after partial damages are found. The accuracy of quick counting is
usually very good if a proper number of bins are used when counting. The
default setting for the number of bins can be set in the Control Panel.
Turning off quick counting is not recommended and in fact is not a
documented feature. To allow quick counting to be turned off, set the
variable “AllowQuickCounting” to 1 in the Variable Manager. Another
available option when conducting a variable amplitude fatigue analysis is the
ability to set the value used for infinite life. In constant amplitude loading, if
the alternating stress is lower than the lowest alternating stress on the fatigue
curve, the fatigue tool will use the life at the last point. This provides for an
added level of safety because many materials do not exhibit an endurance
limit. However, in non-constant amplitude loading, cycles with very small
alternating stresses may be present and may incorrectly predict too much
damage if the number of the small stress cycles is high enough. To help
control this, the user can set the infinite life value that will be used if the
alternating stress is beyond the limit of the SN curve. Setting a higher value
will make small stress cycles less damaging if they occur many times. The
rainflow and damage matrix results can be helpful in determining the effects
of small stress cycles in your loading history. The rainflow and damage
matrices shown in Figure 5 illustrate the possible effects of infinite life.
Both damage matrices came from the same loading (and thus same rainflow
matrix), but the first damage matrix was calculated with an infinite life if
1e6 cycles and the second was calculated with an infinite life of 1e9 cycles.
 Rainflow matrix for a
given load history.

Damage matrix with an infinite

life of 1e6 cycles. Total damage
is calculated to be .19 .

Damage matrix with an

infinite life of 1e9 cycles.
Total damage is calculated
to be .12 (37% less damage)

Figure 5: Effect of infinite life on fatigue damage

3.1.3 Constant Amplitude, non-proportional loading
In this case, there are exactly 2 load cases that need not be related by a scale
factor. Thus, since there are 2 loads, the loading is of constant amplitude but
non-proportional since the principal stress axes are free to change between
these 2 load sets. Since the loading is of constant amplitude, no cycle
counting needs done. However, since the loading is non-proportional, the
critical fatigue location may occur at a spatial location that is not easily
identifiable by looking at either of the base loading stress states. The chart
below illustrates a representative non-proportional fatigue loading a specific
location on the model. Note that each component of stress alternates
between 2 values but there is no implied relation between different stress
components.

Figure 6: Fatigue tool with Non-Proportional loading

This type of fatigue loading can describe common fatigue loadings such as:
• Alternating between 2 distinct load cases (like a bending load and
torsional load).
 • Applying an alternating load superimposed on a static load.
• Analyses where although the loading is proportional, the results are
not. This happens under conditions where changing the direction or
magnitude of the loads would cause a change in the relative stress
distribution in the model. Situations where this effect may be
important include nonlinear contact being present, existence of
compression only surfaces, or the existence of bolt loads.
Fatigue tools located under a solution branch are inherently applied to that
single branch and thus can only handle proportional loading. In order to
handle non-proportional loading, the fatigue tool must be able to span
multiple solutions. This is accomplished by adding a fatigue tool under the
solution combination folder that can indeed span multiple solution
branches.

In general, the results under a solution combination (both static and fatigue)
will be based on a stress solution that is the linear combination of its selected
environments. However, when non-proportional fatigue loading is selected,
the stress solutions are not combined(superimposed) but treated as separate
loadings for the fatigue analysis.
Several things must be done to solve
this type of fatigue problem.
Exactly 2 environments must be
selected under the solution
combination folder and in addition
the loading type in the fatigue tool
must be selected as “Non-
Proportional” (This loading type is applicable to only fatigue tools under a
solution combination). An example of how to set up and interpret a non-
proportional constant amplitude fatigue analysis can be found in section 5,
“Typical Use Cases”.
3.1.4 Non-constant amplitude, non-proportional loading
In this most general case, multiple (>2) load cases are involved that have no
relation to one another. Not only is the spatial location of critical fatigue life
unknown, but also so is what combination of loads would cause the most
damage. Thus, more advanced cycle counting is required such as path
independent peak methods or multiaxial critical plane methods. Currently
the program does not support this type of fatigue loading.
3.2 Load Effects
Fatigue material tests are usually conducted in a uniaxial loading under a
fixed or zero mean stress state. It is cost-prohibitive to conduct experiments
that capture all mean stress, loading, and surface conditions. Thus, part of
the duty of the fatigue tool is to convert the FEM stresses and fatigue loads
into a form that can be used to query fatigue material data.

3.2.1 Mean Stress Correction

If the loading is other than fully reversed, a mean stress exists and may be
accounted for. Methods for handling mean stress effects can be found in the
“Options” section.
If experimental data at different mean
stresses or r-ratio’s exist, mean stress can
be accounted for directly through
interpolation between material curves. If
experimental data is not available, several
empirical options may be chosen
including Gerber, Goodman and
Soderberg theories which use static
material properties (yield stress, tensile strength) along with S-N data to
account for any mean stress. In general, most experimental data fall
between the Goodman and Gerber theories with the Soderberg theory
usually being over conservative. The Goodman theory can be a good choice
for brittle materials with the Gerber theory usually a good choice for ductile
materials. As can be seen from the screen shots in Figure 7, the Gerber
theory treats negative and positive mean stresses the same whereas
Goodman and Soderberg do not apply any correction for negative mean
stresses. This is because although a compressive mean stress can retard
fatigue crack growth, ignoring a negative mean is usually more conservative.
The selected mean stress theory is shown graphically in the display window
as seen below. Note that if an empirical mean stress theory is chosen and
multiple SN curves are defined, any mean stresses that may exist will be
ignored when querying the material data since an empirical theory was
chosen. Thus if you have multiple r-ratio SN curves and use the Goodman
theory, the SN curve at r=-1 will be used. In general it is not advisable to
use an empirical mean stress theory if multiple mean stress data exists.

Figure 7: The chosen mean stress theory is illustrated in the graphics window

3.2.2 Multiaxial Stress Correction

Experimental test data is mostly uniaxial whereas stresses are usually
multiaxial. At some point stress must be converted from a multiaxial stress
state to a uniaxial one. Von-Mises, max shear, maximum principal stress, or
any of the component stresses can be used as the uniaxial stress value. In
addition, a “signed” Von-Mises stress may be chosen where the Von-Mises
stress takes the sign of the largest absolute principal stress. This is useful to
identify any compressive mean stresses since several of the mean stress
theories treat positive and negative mean stresses differently. Setting the
“Stress Component” is done in the Options section in the fatigue tool detail
view.

3.3 Miscellaneous Analysis options

Fatigue material property tests are usually conducted under very specific and
controlled conditions (e.g. axial loading, polished specimens, .5 inch gauge
diameter). If the service part conditions differ from as tested, modification
factors can be applied to try to account for the difference. The fatigue
alternating stress is usually divided by this modification factor and can be
found in design handbooks. (Dividing the alternating stress is equivalent to
multiplying the fatigue strength by Kf.) The fatigue strength reduction factor
is defined by setting “Fatigue Strength Factor (Kf)” in the details view for
the fatigue tool. Note that this factor is applied to the alternating stress only
and does not affect the mean stress.

The user may also specify a scale factor that will scale all stresses, both
alternating and mean by the specified value. This value may be
parameterized. Applying a scale factor is useful to avoid having to solve the
static model again to see the effects of changing the magnitude of the FEM
loads. In addition, this factor may be useful to convert a non-constant
amplitude load history data into the appropriate values (See use case
example 5.2).

4. Results Output
Several results for evaluating fatigue are available to the user. Some are
contour plots of a specific result over the model while others give
information about the most damaged point in the model (or the most
damaged point in the scope of the result). Outputs are listed and described in
detail below:
• Fatigue life
• Damage at a specified design life
• Factor of safety at a specified design life
• Stress biaxiality
 • Equivalent alternating stress
• Fatigue sensitivity chart
• Rainflow matrix output
• Damage matrix output

4.1 Contour plot of available life over the model.

This result can be over the whole model or scoped to a given part or surface.
In addition this and any contour result may be exported to a tab-delimited
text file by a RMB click on the result. This result contour plot shows the
available life for the given fatigue analysis. If loading is of constant
amplitude, this represents the number of cycles until the part will fail due to
fatigue. If loading is non-constant, this represents the number of loading
blocks until failure. Thus if the given load history represents one month of
loading and the life was found to be 120, the expected model life would be
120 months. In a constant amplitude analysis, if the alternating stress is
lower than the lowest alternating stress defined in the S-N curve, the life at
that point will be used. See section 3.1 for more information about the
difference between constant and non-constant amplitude loading.
4.2 Fatigue Damage
This is a contour plot of the fatigue damage at a given design life. Fatigue
damage is defined as the design life divided by the available life. This result
may be scoped. The default design life may be set through the Control
Panel.

4.3 Safety Factor

This is a contour plot of the factor of safety with respect to a fatigue failure
at a given design life. The maximum FS reported is 15. Like damage and
life, this result may be scoped. This calculation is iterative for non-constant
amplitude loading and may substantially increase solve time.

4.4 Stress biaxiality contour plot over the model

As mentioned previously, material properties are uniaxial but stress results
are usually multiaxial. This result gives the user some idea of the stress state
over the model and how to interpret the results. Biaxiality indication is
defined as the principal stress smaller in magnitude divided by the larger
principal stress with the principal stress nearest zero ignored. A biaxiality of
zero corresponds to uniaxial stress, a value of –1 corresponds to pure shear,
and a value of 1 corresponds to a pure biaxial state. From the sample
biaxiality plot shown below, most of the model is under a pure shear or
uniaxial stress. This is expected since a simple torque has been applied at
the top of the model. When using the biaxiality plot along with the safety
factor plot above, it can be seen that the most damaged point occurs at a
point of nearly pure shear. Thus it would be desirable to use S-N data
collected through torsional loading if available. Of course collecting
experimental data under different loading conditions is cost prohibitive and
not often done. Note that for non-proportional fatigue loading, there are
multiple stress states and thus there is no single stress biaxiality at each
node. Thus if the fatigue tool has non-proportional loading, the user may
select either to view the average or standard deviation of stress biaxiality.
The average value may used a interpreted
as above and in combination with the
standard deviation, the user can get a
measure of how the stress state changes at
a given location. Thus a small standard
deviation indicates a condition where the
loading is near proportional while a larger
deviation indicates change in the direction
of the principal stress vectors. This
information can be used to give the user additional confidence in his results
or whether more in depth fatigue analysis need be performed to better
account for any non-proportionality.
4.5 Equivalent Alternating Stress
This is a contour plot of the equivalent alternating stress over the model. In
a fatigue analysis, one always needs to query an SN curve to relate the
fatigue life to the stress state. Thus the “equivalent alternating stress” is the
stress used to query the fatigue SN curve after accounting for fatigue loading
type, mean stress effects, multiaxial effects, and any other factors in the
fatigue analysis. Thus in a fatigue analysis, the equivalent alternating stress
can be thought of as an intermediate result that is calculated in the process of
finding the fatigue life. The usefulness of this result is that it performs the
fatigue related calculations independent of any fatigue material properties.
(Note that depending on the mean stress theory, static material properties
such as tensile strength are still employed.) This result may be useful in a
variety of situations:
• An engineer can perform a comparative analysis among a given set of
fatigue loadings using a result type (stress) that he may be more
accustomed to dealing with. In addition, he need not worry about
fatigue properties that can be expensive and contain large
uncertainties.
• An engineer may be given target “equivalent alternating stress” as
determined from the “in house” fatigue expert again without the need
to worry about stress life properties.
• The equivalent alternating stress may be exported to a 3rd party or “in
house” fatigue code that performs specialized fatigue calculations
based on the industry specific knowledge.
This result is not applicable with non-constant amplitude fatigue loading
due to the fact multiple SN queries per location are required and thus no
single equivalent alternating stress exists.

4.6 Fatigue Sensitivity Chart

This chart shows how the fatigue results change as a function of the
loading at the critical location on the model. This result may be scoped
to parts or surfaces. Sensitivity may be found for life, damage, or factory
of safety. The user may set the number of fill points as well as the load
variation limits. For example, the user may wish to see the sensitivity of
the model’s life if the load was 50% of the current load up to if the load
150% of the current load. (The x-value of 1 on the graph corresponds to
the life at the current loading of the
model; The x-value at 1.5 corresponds
to the critical fatigue life if the finite
element loads were 50% higher then
they are currently, etc…). Negative
variations are allowed in order to see
the effects of a possible negative mean
stress if the loading is not totally
reversed. Linear, Log-X, Log-Y, or
Log-Log scaling can be chosen for
chart display. Default values for the
sensitivity options may be set through
the Control Panel.
4.7 Rainflow Matrix Chart
This is a plot of the rainflow matrix at the critical location in the result
scope. This result is only applicable for non-constant amplitude loading
where rainflow counting is needed. This result may be scoped. In this 3-D
histogram, alternating and mean stress is divided into bins and plotted. The
Z-axis corresponds to the number of counts for a given alternating and mean
stress bin. This result gives the user a measure of the composition of a
loading history. (Such as if most of the alternating stress cycles occur at a
negative mean stress.) From the rainflow matrix below, the user can see that
most of the alternating stresses have a positive mean stress and that bulk of
the smaller alternating stresses have a higher mean stress then the larger
alternating stresses. The graph may be rotated, zoomed, or panned by using
the left, middle, or right mouse buttons. In addition to a 3-D histogram, the
rainflow matrix can be viewed as a 2-D contour plot.
4.8 Damage Matrix Chart
This is a plot of the damage matrix at the critical location on the model.
This result is only applicable for non-constant amplitude loading where
rainflow counting is needed. This result may be scoped. This result is
similar to the rainflow matrix except the %damage that each bin caused is
plotted as the Z-axis. As can be seen from the corresponding damage matrix
for the above rainflow matrix, in this particular case although most of the
counts occur at the lower stress amplitudes, most of the damage occurs at the
higher stress amplitudes. The graph may be rotated, zoomed, or panned by
using the left, middle, or right mouse buttons.
5. Typical Use Cases

5.1 Connecting Rod under fully reversed loading:

(fatigueUseCaseExample.dsdb) Here we have a connecting rod in a
compressor under fully reversed loading (load is applied, removed, then
applied in the opposite direction with a max loading of 1000 pounds).
• Import geometry and apply boundary conditions. Apply loading
corresponding to the maximum developed load of 1000 pounds.

• Insert fatigue tool.

• Specify fully reversed
loading to create
alternating stress cycles.
• Specify that this is a
stress-life fatigue
analysis. No mean
stress theory needs to be
specified since no mean
stress will exist (fully
 reversed loading). Specify that Von-Mises stress will be used to
compare against fatigue material data.
• Specify a modification factor of .8 since material data represents a
polished specimen and the in-service component is cast.
• Perform stress and fatigue calculations (Solve command in context
menu).
• Plot factor of safety for a design life of 1,000,000 cycles.
• Find the sensitivity of available life with respect to loading. Specify a
minimum base load variation of 50% (an alternating stress of 500 lbs.)
and a maximum base load variation of 200% (an alternating stress of
2000 lbs.)

• Determine multiaxial stress state (uniaxial, shear, biaxial, or mixed) at

critical life location by inserting “biaxiality indicator” into fatigue
tool. The stress state near the critical location is not far from uniaxial
(.1~.2), which gives and added measure of confidence since the
material properties are uniaxial.
5.2 Connecting Rod under random loading:
(fatigueUseCaseExample.dsdb) Here we have the same connecting rod and
boundary conditions but the loading is not of a constant amplitude over time.
Assume that we have strain gauge results that were collected experimentally
from the component and that we know that a strain gauge reading of 200
corresponds to an applied load of 1,000 pounds.
• Conduct the static stress analysis as before using a load of 1,000
pounds.
• Insert fatigue tool.
• Specify fatigue loading as coming from a scale history and select
scale history file containing strain gauge results over time(ex. Common
Files\Ansys Inc\Engineering Data\Load Histories\SAEBracketHistory.dat).
Define the scale factor to be .005. (We must normalize the load
history so that the FEM load matches the scale factors in the load
history file).

⎛ 1 FEM load ⎞ ⎛ 1000lbs ⎞ ⎛ 1 FEM load ⎞

⎜ ⎟ × ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = needed load scale factor
⎝ 1000lbs ⎠ ⎝ 200 strain gauge ⎠ ⎝ 200 strain gauge ⎠

• Specify a bin size of 32 (Rainflow and damage matrices will be of

dimension 32x32).
• Specify Goodman theory to account for mean-stress effects. (The
chosen theory will be illustrated graphically in the graphics window.
Specify that a signed Von-Mises stress will be used to compare
against fatigue material data. (Use signed since Goodman theory
treats negative and positive mean stresses differently.)
• Perform fatigue calculations (Solve command in context menu).
• View rainflow and damage matrix.
• Plot life, damage, and factor of safety contours over the model at a
design life of 1000. (The fatigue damage and FS if this loading history
was experienced 1000 times). Thus if the loading history
corresponded to the loading experienced by the part over a month’s
time, the damage and FS will be at a design life of 1000 months. Note
that although a life of only 88 loading blocks is calculated, the needed
scale factor (since FS@1000=.61) is only .61 to reach a life of 1000
blocks.

• Plot factor of safety as a function of the base load (fatigue sensitivity

plot, a 2-D XY plot).
• Copy and paste to create another fatigue tool and specify that mean
stress effects will be ignored (SN-None theory) This will be done to
ascertain to what extent mean stress is affecting fatigue life.
• Perform fatigue calculations.
• View damage and factor of safety and compare results obtained when
using Goodman theory to get the extent of any possible mean stress
effect.
 • Change bin size to 50, rerun analysis, and compare fatigue results to
verify that the bin size of 32 was of adequate size to get desired
precision for alternating and mean stress bins.

5.3 Universal Joint Under Non-Proportional Loading

(fatigueNonProportionalExample.dsdb) In this case we want to simulate a
fatigue loading on a u-
Constant Torque + Zero Based Bending
joint with a constant Bending Load
Torsional Load
torque load that has a 120
Load 1 Load 2
zero based bending 100

load. The applied

80
torque is a constant
1000 lb-ft and the 60

bending force 40
alternates between 0
20
and 1000 lb. Thus 2
loadings are required 0

to model this scenario.

Load 1 will contain the torque plus the bending load. For load 2, the
bending force is zero so only the torque is required.
• Create an environment called “torsion+bending” that contains both the
force and the moment. Insert total deformation and SEQV stress.
• Duplicate this environment, rename it to “torsion” and delete the
moment load.
• Insert a solution combination folder and add the 2 environments to the
list.

• Insert a fatigue tool under the solution

combination folder.
• Select the loading type to “Non-
proportional”. This is important else
the fatigue tool will operate on
 superposition of the load cases instead of alternating between them.
• Select “SN-Goodman” for the mean stress correction theory.
• Perform stress and fatigue calculations (Solve command in context
menu).
• Plot factor of safety for a design life of 1e6 cycles.
• Plot equivalent alternating stress and compare to equivalent
alternating stress from a pure bending fatigue load as well as
equivalent stress from static bending+torsional load. Note that the
equivalent alternating stress patterns from the non-proportional
loading fatigue calculations differ from the others (as expected).
 • Plot average and standard deviation of stress biaxiality. Note that at
the critical location, the average stress biaxiality is near –1 (pure
shear) and the standard deviation is small.

• Analyze different loading scenarios such static torsion + fully

reversed bending(Env1=Torsion+Bending, Env2=Torsion-Bending)
or zero based torsion and bending fully out of phase(Env1=Torsion,
Env2=Bending) by creating the various solution combinations as
desired.

6. Additional fatigue resources and revision history

• Hancq, D.A., Walters, A.J., Beuth, J.L., “Development of an Object-

Oriented Fatigue Tool”, Engineering with Computers, Vol 16, 2000,
pp. 131-144.
This paper gives details on both the underlying structure and
engineering aspects of the fatigue tool.
• Bannantine, J., Comer, J., Handrock, J. “Fundamentals of Metal
Fatigue Analysis”, New Jersey, Prentice Hall (1990).
 This is an excellent book that explains the fundamentals of fatigue to a
novice user. Many topics such as mean stress effects and rainflow
counting are topics in this book.
• Lampman, S.R. editor, “ASM Handbook: Volume 19, Fatigue and
Fracture”, ASM International (1996).
Good reference to have when conducting a fatigue analysis. Contains
papers on a wide variety of fatigue topics.
• U.S. Dept. of Defense, “MIL-HDBK-5H: “Metallic materials and
Elements for Aerospace Vehicle Structures”, (1998).
This publication distributed by the United States government gives
fatigue material properties of several common engineering alloys. It
is freely downloadable over the Internet from the NASA website.
http://analyst.gsfc.nasa.gov/FEMCI/links.html

Revision History
• May 2001, DS6.0. Original Document creation.
• May 2003, AWE7.1. Addition of non-proportional, constant
amplitude fatigue loading and new results equivalent alternating
stress, std. deviation of biaxiality. Also added use case to demonstrate
non-proportional loading.