Cumulative Damage in Push-Pull Fatigue of Fillet-Welded Mild Steel Plate Subjected to Narrow Band Random Loading

Abstract

Push-pull fatigue tests have been made in constant amplitude loading and in narrow band random loading on fillet-welded cruciforms made from 3/8 in thick mild steel plate to B.S. 1501-151 Grade 28. The test frequency was 250 Hz, mean tensile stresses of 0, 5 and 10 tonf/in2were employed and tests were extended for endurances of up to 108cycles.Curves have been fitted to the S-N results using the relationship N( S — So)α= C and on the assumption that this may be extrapolated beyond 108cycles, curves showing the effect of mean stress are given for both constant amplitude loading and narrow band random loading for endurances up to 1012cycles. Suitable factors of safety should be applied to these stresses before use in design. For endurances beyond 107cycles, an increase in tensile mean stress from 0 to 10 tonf/in2reduced the fatigue strength by about 50 per cent in both constant amplitude loading and random loading.Reasonable agreement was found at all mean stresses between the experimental random loading S-N curves and those predicted using the constant amplitude results and the Palmgren-Miner cumulative damage hypothesis.