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ANSYS Tutorial
Performing a Fatigue Analysis
A flat leaf spring has been machined from AISI 1050 steel cold-drawn steel (Young’s Modulus is 210
GPa, Poisson’s ratio is 0.3, Yield Strength is 580 MPa and the Ultimate Strength is 690 MPa).
60 cm Applied Load
1 cm
Applied Load
Four load cases are applied to the two corners of the free end of the spring:
a. 50 N at each corner. The time at the end of the load step is 10 seconds.
b. -50 N at each corner. The time at the end of the load step is 20 seconds.
c. 74.5 N at each corner. The time at the end of the load step is 30 seconds.
d. -74.5 N at each corner. The time at the end of the load step is 40 seconds.
where Su is the ultimate strength and Se is the endurance limit (fatigue limit). Assume the ratio Se/Su is
equal to 0.6.
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Nyquist / Haghighi ABE 601
The following is the step-by-step procedure for the beam deflection problem using the ANSYS GUI
(Graphic User Interface) environment. Using the left button of the mouse, click on everything that is
typed bold and type everything that is italicized below.
Material Props
Material Models
Structural
Linear
Elastic
Isotropic
EX = 210e5
PRXY = 0.3 & OK
Modeling
Create
Areas
Rectangle
By Dimensions
(Click X1 box) 0 (Click X2 box) 60
(Click Y1box) 0 (Click Y2 box) 1 & OK
Meshing
Mesh Tool
Click on the Lines Set button
Pick lines 2 & 4 & Apply
NDIV = 4
SPACE = -2 & Apply
Pick lines 1 & 3 & Apply
NDIV = 30
SPACE = -2 & OK
Solution
Analysis Type
New Analysis
Choose Transient & OK & OK
Sol’n Controls
Basic Tab
Time at end of loadstep: 10
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Nyquist / Haghighi ABE 601
Transient Tab
Choose Stepped Loading & OK
Define Loads
Apply
Structural
Displacement
On Lines
Pick line 4 & OK
Select All DOFs
Displacement Value = 0 & OK
Force/Moment
On Keypoints
Pick keypoints 2 & 3 & OK
Direction of Force/Moment: FY
Force/Moment Value: 50 & OK
Analysis Type
Sol’n Controls
Basic Tab
Time at end of loadstep: 20 & OK
Define Loads
Delete
Structural
Force/Moment
On Keypoints
Pick All & OK
Apply
Structural
Force/Moment
On Keypoints
Pick keypoints 2 & 3 & OK
Direction of Force/Moment: FY
Force/Moment Value: -50 & OK
Analysis Type
Sol’n Controls
Basic Tab
Time at end of loadstep: 30 & OK
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Nyquist / Haghighi ABE 601
Define Loads
Delete
Structural
Force/Moment
On Keypoints
Pick All & OK
Apply
Structural
Force/Moment
On Keypoints
Pick keypoints 2 & 3 & OK
Direction of Force/Moment: FY
Force/Moment Value: 74.5 & OK
Analysis Type
Sol’n Controls
Basic Tab
Time at end of loadstep: 40 & OK
Define Loads
Delete
Structural
Force/Moment
On Keypoints
Pick All & OK
Apply
Structural
Force/Moment
On Keypoints
Pick keypoints 2 & 3 & OK
Direction of Force/Moment: FY
Force/Moment Value: -74.5 & OK
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Nyquist / Haghighi ABE 601
Property Table
S-N Table
(Click N1) 10 (Click S1) 62.1e3
(Click N2) 1000 (Click S2) 62.0e3
(Click N3) 10000 (Click S3) 51.2e3
(Click N4) 100000 (Click S4) 42.2e3
(Click N5) 1000000 (Click S5) 34.8e3
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Nyquist / Haghighi ABE 601
Stress Locations
NLOC = 1
NODE = 65 (node along the surface at the fixed end of the beam
TITLE = Fixed End & Apply
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Nyquist / Haghighi ABE 601
NLOC = 2
NODE = 54 (node along the surface in the middle of the beam)
TITLE = Middle & Apply
NLOC = 1
NODE = 32 (node along the surface at the free end of the beam)
TITLE = Free End & OK
Store Stresses
From rst File
NODE: 65
Event: 1
Loading: 1 & Apply
NODE: 54
Event: 1
Loading: 1 & Apply
NODE: 32
Event: 1
Loading: 1 & OK
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Nyquist / Haghighi ABE 601
Read Results
By Pick
Select Set 2 & Read & Close
Fatigue
Store Stresses
From rst File
NODE: 65
Event: 1
Loading: 2 & Apply
NODE: 54
Event: 1
Loading: 2 & Apply
NODE: 32
Event: 1
Loading: 2 & OK
Read Results
By Pick
Select Set 3 & Read & Close
Fatigue
Store Stresses
From rst File
NODE: 65
Event: 2
Loading: 1 & Apply
NODE: 54
Event: 2
Loading: 1 & Apply
NODE: 32
Event: 2
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Nyquist / Haghighi ABE 601
Loading: 1 & OK
Read Results
By Pick
Select Set 4 & Read & Close
Fatigue
Store Stresses
From rst File
NODE: 65
Event: 2
Loading: 2 & Apply
NODE: 54
Event: 2
Loading: 2 & Apply
NODE: 32
Event: 2
Loading: 2 & OK
Assign Events
NEV = 1
CYCLE = 500000
TITLE = Load 1 & Apply
NEV = 2
CYCLE = 5000
TITLE = Load 2 & OK
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Nyquist / Haghighi ABE 601
Results:
The combination of event 2, load 1 and event 2, load 2 produces an alternating stress intensity of
55744 N/cm2. The spring was subjected to 5000 cycles while from the S-N Table, the maximum
number of cycles allowed at that stress intensity is 3595. The partial usage value, 1.39063, is the ratio
of cycles used/cycles allowed.
The combination of event 1, load 1 and event 1, load 2 produces an alternating stress intensity of
37412 N/cm2. The spring was subjected to 500,000 cycles while from the S-N Table, the maximum
number of cycles allowed at that stress intensity is 421,300. The partial usage value, 1.18669, is the
ratio of cycles used/cycles allowed.
The Cumulative Fatigue Usage value is sum of the partial usage factors (Miner’s rule).
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Nyquist / Haghighi ABE 601
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