MATSE 259

Solutions to classwork #6

1. What is the magnitude of the maximum stress that exists at the tip of an
internal crack having a radius of curvature of 2.5 x 10-4 mm and a crack length of
2.5 x 10–2 mm when a tensile stress of 170 MPa is applied?

This problem asks that we compute the magnitude of the maximum stress that
exists at the tip of an internal crack. The maximum stress is given by the
equation:

⎛ a ⎞ 1/2
σm = 2σo⎜ ⎟
⎝ρt⎠
where σo is the applied stress, a is equal to half the length of an internal crack,
and ρt is the radius of curvature of the tip of the internal crack. Substituting the
values for these in the above expression, the value of σm is obtained as:

⎡(2.5 x 10-2 mm)/2⎤ 1/2

σm = (2)(170 MPa)⎢⎢ -4
⎥
⎥ = 2404 MPa (354,000 psi)
⎣ 2.5 x 10 mm ⎦

2. A fatigue test was conducted in which the mean stress was 50 MPa and the
stress amplitude was 225 MPa.
(a) Compute the maximum and minimum stress levels.
(b) Compute the stress ratio.
(c) Compute the magnitude of the stress range.

(a) Given the values of σm (50 MPa) and σa (225 MPa) we are asked to
compute σmax and σmin. The values of σm and σa are related to the values
for σmax and σmin by the following relations:

σmax + σmin
σm = 2 = 50 MPa

Or,
σmax + σmin = 100 MPa

Furthermore,

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 σmax - σmin
σa = 2 = 225 MPa

Or,
σmax - σmin = 450 MPa

Simultaneously solving these two expressions leads to

σmax = 275 MPa (40,000 psi)

σmin = -175 MPa (-25,500 psi)

(b) The stress ratio R is related to σmax and σmin as follows:

σmin -175 MPa

R= = 275 MPa = -0.64
σmax

(c) The magnitude of the stress range σr is related to σmax and σmin as
follows:

σr = σmax - σmin = 275 MPa - (-175 MPa) = 450 MPa (65,500 psi)

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3. An 8.0 mm diameter cylindrical rod fabricated from a red brass alloy is
subjected to reversed tension-compression load cycling along its axis. If the
maximum tensile and compressive loads are +7500 N and –7500 N, respectively,
determine its fatigue life.

We are asked to determine the fatigue life for a cylindrical red brass rod given its
diameter (8.0 mm) and the maximum tensile and compressive loads (+7500 N
and -7500 N, respectively). The first thing that is necessary is to calculate values
of σmax and σmin, which are given by the following relations:

Fmax Fmax
σmax = = 2
Ao ⎛d ⎞
π⎜ o ⎟
⎝ 2 ⎠

7500N
= 2
= 150 x 106 N/m2 = 150 MPa (22,500 psi)
⎛ 8.0x10−3 m ⎞
(π)⎜ ⎟
⎜ 2 ⎟
⎝ ⎠

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 Fmin
σmin = 2
⎛d ⎞
π⎜ o ⎟
⎝ 2 ⎠

- 7500N
= 2
= -150 x 106 N/m2 = -150 MPa (-22,500 psi)
⎛ 8.0x10−3 m ⎞
(π)⎜ ⎟
⎜ 2 ⎟
⎝ ⎠

Now, the stress amplitude can be calculated as:

σmax - σmin 150 MPa - (-150 MPa)

σa = 2 = 2 = 150 MPa (22,500 psi)

From the above figure for the red brass, the number of cycles to failure at this
stress amplitude is about 1 x 105 cycles.

4. Three identical fatigue specimens (denoted A, B, and C) are fabricated from a

nonferrous alloy. Each is subjected to one of the maximum-minimum stress
cycles listed below; the frequency is the same for all three tests.

Specimen σmax (MPa) σmin (MPa)

A +450 -350
B +400 -300
C +340 -340

(a) Rank the fatigue lifetimes of these three specimens from the longest to
the shortest.
(b) Now justify this ranking using a schematic S-N plot.

For this problem we are given, for three identical fatigue specimens of the
same material, σmax and σmin data and are asked to rank the lifetimes from the
longest to the shortest. In order to do this it is necessary to compute both the
mean stress (σm) and stress amplitude (σa) for each specimen. Thus, σm can be
calculated as:

σmax + σmin
σm = 2

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 450 MPa + (-350 MPa)
σm(A) = 2 = 50 MPa

400 MPa + (-300 MPa)

σm(B) = 2 = 50

340 MPa + (-340 MPa)

σm(C) = 2 = 0 MPa

and, σa can be calculated as:

σmax - σmin
σa = 2

450 MPa - (-350 MPa)

σa(A) = 2 = 400 MPa

400 MPa - (-300 MPa)

σa(B) = 2 = 350 MPa

340 MPa - (-340 MPa)

σa(C) = 2 = 340 MPa

On the basis of these results, the fatigue lifetime for specimen C will be
greater than specimen B which in turn will be greater than specimen A. This
conclusion is based upon the following S-N plot on which curves are plotted for
two σm values.

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 σ =0
m
Stress Amplitude

400 MPa

350 MPa

σ = 50
m
N N N
A B C

Log cycles to failure

5. Superimpose on the same strain-versus-time plot the schematic creep curves

for both constant tensile stress and constant load, and explain the difference in
behavior.

Schematic creep curves at both constant stress and constant load are
shown below.

Constant Load
Strain

Constant Stress

Time

With increasing time, the constant load curve becomes progressively

higher than the constant stress curve. Since these tests are tensile ones, the
cross-sectional area diminishes as deformation progresses. Thus, in order to
maintain a constant stress, the applied load must correspondingly be diminished
since stress = load/area.