Workshop A12-1

Fatigue: Stress-Life

Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

Goals
Goal:

In this workshop our goal is to perform a Stress-Life analysis of the

connecting rod model (ConRod.x_t) shown here. Specifically, we will
analyze two load environments: 1) Constant Amplitude Load of 4500 N,
Fully Reversed and 2) Random Load of 4500N.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Start Page
From the launcher start Simulation.

Choose Geometry > From File . . .

and browse to the file ConRod.x_t.

When DS starts, close the Template

menu by clicking the X in the corner
of the window.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

Preprocessing
Change the working unit system to metric (m, kg, Pa ).
1. Units > Metric (m, kg, Pa, C, s)
1.

Verify the material is set to Structural Steel.

2. Highlight the Part 1 in the geometry branch.
3. If not, click in the Material field and browse.

2.
3.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Preprocessing

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4.

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4. Select the Structural Steel material and then click [OK].

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Preprocessing
Apply the following boundary conditions (see next page):

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Preprocessing

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6. Highlight the connecting rod surface shown

6.

7. Insert a force load.

RMB > Insert > Force

8. From the detail window change to

Components and Z = - 4500 N.

7.

5.

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5. Highlight the Environment branch.

8.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Preprocessing

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10. Highlight the connecting rod surfaces shown 9.

11. Insert a cylindrical support.

RMB > Insert > Cylindrical Support

From the Details of Cylindrical Support

window:

12. Set Radial=Fixed, Axial=Free,

Tangential=Free

11.

10.

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9. Highlight the Environment branch.

12.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Preprocessing

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14. Highlight the connecting rod surface shown

14.

15. Insert a fixed support.

RMB > Insert > Fixed Support

15.

13.

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13. Highlight the Environment branch.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

Solution Setup
Add results to Solution:

16. Highlight the solution branch.

16.

17. RMB > Insert > Stress > Equivalent (von Mises).
17.

18. RMB > Insert > Deformation > Total.

18.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Solution Setup
Insert fatigue tool:

19. Highlight the solution branch.

19.

20. RMB > Insert > Fatigue > Fatigue Tool.

20.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Solution Setup
From the Details of Fatigue Tool window:

21. Specify a Fatigue Strength Factor (Kf) of .8

(material data represents a polished
specimen and the in-service component is
cast).

21.

22. Specify fully reversed loading to create

alternating stress cycles.

22.

23. Specify a stress-life fatigue analysis (No 23.

mean stress theory needs to be specified 24.
since no mean stress will exist fully
reversed loading).
24. Specify that Von Mises stress will be used
to compare against fatigue material data.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Solution Setup
Add results to the Fatigue Tool:

25. Insert Safety Factor:

RMB > Insert > Fatigue > Safety Factor.

25.

From the Details of Safety Factor window:

26. Set the Design Life to 1e6 cycles.

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26.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Solution Setup
Add results to the Fatigue Tool (cont.):

27. Insert Fatigue Sensitivity:

RMB > Insert > Fatigue > Fatigue Sensitivity

27.

From the Details of Fatigue Sensitivity

window:

28. Specify a minimum base load variation of

50% (an alternating stress of 2250N) and a
maximum base load variation of 200% (an
alternating stress of 9000N).

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28.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Solution Setup
Add results to the Fatigue Tool (cont.):

29. Insert Biaxiality Indication:

RMB > Insert > Fatigue > Biaxiality Indication

29.

Solve

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

Results
View Results

Highlight and plot the Total Deformation result.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Results
Highlight and plot the Equivalent Stress result.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Results

Highlight and plot the Safety Factor result for a design life of 1e6
cycles.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Results

Highlight and plot the Fatigue Sensitivity result for a minimum base
load variation of 50% and a maximum base load variation of 200%.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Results

Find the sensitivity of available life with respect to loading for a

maximum base load variation of 400%. Note, must resolve to obtain
the new Fatigue Sensitivity results.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Results

Highlight and plot the Biaxiality Indication result. Note, the stress
state near the critical location is not far from uniaxial (.1~.2), which
gives an added measure of confidence since the material properties
are uniaxial. Recall, 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.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

Solution Setup

Insert a second fatigue tool to analyze a random load of 4500N.

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 4500N:

30. Highlight the solution branch.

30.

31. RMB > Insert > Fatigue > Fatigue Tool.

31.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Solution Setup
From the Details of Fatigue Tool 2
window:

32. Specify a Fatigue Strength Factor (Kf) of .8

(material data represents a polished
specimen and the in-service component is
cast).
33. Specify fatigue loading as coming from a 32.
scale history and select scale history file
33.
containing strain gauge results over time 34.
(browse and open the
SAEBracketHistory.dat file).
34. 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

.005

1000lbs 200 strain gauge 200 strain gauge

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Solution Setup
From the Details of Fatigue Tool window
(cont.):

35. Specify Goodman theory to account for

mean-stress effects.
36. 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).
37. Specify a bin size of 32 (Rainflow and
Damage matrices will be of dimension 35.
36.
32x32).
37.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Solution Setup
Add results to the Fatigue Tool 2:

38. Insert Life:

1. RMB > Insert > Fatigue > Life
38.

39. Insert Safety Factor:

RMB > Insert > Fatigue > Safety Factor

39.

From the Details of Safety Factor window:

40. Set the Design Life to 1000 cycles.

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40.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Solution Setup
Add results to the Fatigue Tool (cont.):

41. Insert Fatigue Sensitivity:

RMB > Insert > Fatigue > Fatigue Sensitivity

41.

From the Details of Fatigue Sensitivity

window:

42. Specify a minimum base load variation of

50% (an alternating stress of 2250N) and a
maximum base load variation of 200% (an
alternating stress of 9000N).

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42.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Solution Setup
Add results to the Fatigue Tool (cont.):

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43. Insert Biaxiality Indication:

RMB > Insert > Fatigue > Biaxiality Indication

43.

44. Insert Rainflow Matrix:

RMB > Insert > Fatigue > Rainflow Matrix

44.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Solution Setup
Add results to the Fatigue Tool (cont.):

45. Insert Damage Matrix:

RMB > Insert > Fatigue > Damage Matrix

45.

From the Details of Damage Matrix window:

46. Set the Design Life to 1000 cycles.

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46.

Solve

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

Results
View Results

Highlight and plot the Life result.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Results

Highlight and plot the Safety Factor result for a design life of
1000 cycles.

If the loading history corresponded

to the loading experienced by the
part over a months time, the
damage and FS will be at a design
life of 1000 months. Note that
although a life of only 77 loading
blocks is calculated, the needed
scale factor (since FS @
1000=.60) is only .60 to reach a life
of 1000 blocks.
Note, the scale factor is the scale
factor for the loading to make it
meet the life of 1000 months.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Results

Highlight and plot the Fatigue Sensitivity result for a minimum base
load variation of 50% and a maximum base load variation of 200%.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Results
Highlight and plot the Biaxiality Indication result.

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Results
Highlight and plot the Rainflow Matrix result.

Here, one can see from the

rainflow matrix that the majority of
the cycle counts are for low mean
stress and low stress amplitude
(range).

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Fatigue Module: Workshop 12A-1

. . . Results
Highlight and plot the Damage Matrix result.

Although, from the previous slide,

one saw that most of the counts
were for the low mean and range
bins, these do not cause the most
damage at the critical location, as
shown in this damage matrix.
Instead, the 'medium' stress
amplitude cycles cause the most
damage at the critical location.

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