Design for dynamic loads

Dynamic load
A dynamic load is a load which changes its magnitude, or direction, or
point of application, with time.
Fatigue
Fatigue may be defined as the deterioration of the mechanical properties
of parts subjected to variable loads, repeated for a very large number of
cycles .
When machine parts fail under static loads, they usually develop a large
deflection, because the stress has exceeded the yield strength, and the part
is replaced before fracture actually occurs. But a fatigue fail is sudden and
total, and hence dangerous. It is relatively simple to design against a static
failure, because our knowledge is comprehensive. Fatigue is a much more
complicated phenomenon, only partially understood, and usually
approached experimentally.
Fatigue failure is due to crack formation and propagation. A fatigue
crack will typically initiate at locations of stress concentration, which
propagates into the material until the cross section became very weak ,
resulting in a sudden fracture.

REVERSED STRESS

The figure shows a shaft clamped to a chuck at one end, a load W is

suspended from the free end via the ball bearing. If the shaft is stationary then point
A will be subject to a bending stress given by:
32𝑀
𝜎=
𝜋𝑑 3
While point B will be subject to a bending stress given by:
32𝑀
𝜎=−
𝜋𝑑 3
When the shaft rotates, point A and point B interchanges their positions. The
result is a sinusoidal completely reversed stress acting on the shaft surface. The
amplitude of this stress is given by:
 32𝑀
𝜎𝑎 =
𝜋𝑑 3

THE FATIGUE TEST

In the fatigue test, we subject - a standard specimen made of the

metal we wish to test for fatigue- to a reversed stress of known amplitude
for a large number of cycles, until fracture . We record the stress
amplitude and the corresponding cycles to failure. We repeat the test for a
large number of specimens at different stress amplitude in order to plot a
relation between the stress amplitude (S) and the corresponding cycles to
failure (N). This plot is called the S/N diagram, it is similar to the one
shown below:

The fatigue test apparatus

 DEFINITIONS
Fatigue Strength Sf: Defined as the amplitude of the completely
reversed stress that causes failure at a given number of stress cycles (e.g
80 Mpa at 100000 cycles).
Endurance limit Se: It is the maximum amplitude of the completely
reversed stress which will not cause failure, even if repeated for infinitly
many cycles ( 106to 107 cycles).
Also, the endurance limit may be defined as the fatigue strength
corresponding to 106 stress cycles.
For steels, the endurance limit may be roughly estimated using:
Se = 0.5Su
Where, Se = the endurance limit, and Su = the ultimate tensile
strength.

DESIGN FOR A FINITE LIFE

The ideal practice is to limit the amplitude of the reversed stress to
the endurance limit of the material, so as to obtain a fatigue proof design.
If this was not possible due to some design constrains, then the job of the
design engineer is to recommend a definit life for the part, after which it
should be replaced.
For the actual mechanical component, the relation between the
fatigue strength and the number of cycles to failure is given by,
𝑆 = 𝑎𝑁 𝑏 (1)
whereN is cycles to failure and the constants a and b are constants.
Equation (a) is used when we want to estimate the fatigue strength
S corresponding to a give cycles to failure N.
When we are given the amplidude of the reversed stress S, and we
wish to find the number of cycles to failure, we use:
1
𝑆 𝑏
𝑁= (𝑎 ) (2)
 The constants a and b
When we draw the S/N diagram on a log-log scale, then the curve
turns into a straight line which changes its inclination at two distinct
point (a) and (b), (as shown below). Between the points (a) and (b), the
straight line follows the relation:
log 𝑆 = 𝑏 log 𝑁 + log 𝑎 (𝑎)
Point (a) presents a unique property of steels, that is, the fatigue
strength of the steel is 80% of the ultimate strength, ie
Sf = 0.8 Su at 103 cycles
Point (a) represents a point with the coordinates (log 10 3 , log 0.8
Su)

Also, by definition, the fatigue strength at 10 6 cycles equals the

endurance limit, ie
Sf = Se at N=106
In other words, Point (b) represents a point with the coordinates
(log 106 , logSe)

Now, substituting the coordinates of the points (b) in the straight

line relation (a), we get relations for the constants a and b as follows:
(0.8𝑆𝑢)2
𝑎= (𝑏)
𝑆𝑒
1 0.8Su
𝑏 = − Log (c)
3 Se
 Example 1
Determine the fatigue strength of a steel which corresponds to 100
000 stress cycles. Assume that the ultimate strength of this steel, Su=580
MPa
Solution

0.8Su = 0.8x580 =464

Se =0.5xSu =0.5x580=290

1 464
𝑏 = − log ( ) = −0.068
3 290

(464)2
𝑎= = 742.4
290

𝑆𝑓 = 𝑎𝑁 𝑏 = 742.4(100000)−0.068 = 339.3 𝑀𝑃𝑎

Example2

The figure shows a pulley of 100 mm diameter, fixed to a shaft of 8 mm

diameter. The shaft is made of a steel having an ultimate strength Su=400
MPa, and an endurance limit Se=150 MPa. The tension on the tight side
of the belt T1=1000N, and on the slack side T2=250 N. Compute the
number or revolutions that the shaft will complete before it fracture due
to fatigue. The dimensions shown are in mm.

Solution
The shaft may be considered as a simply supported beam SSB rotating
about a force F=T1+T2, causing a bending moment M that causes a
completely reversed stress. The amplitude of this stress is given by:
𝟑𝟐𝑴
𝝈𝒂 =
𝝅𝒅𝟑
𝐹 = 𝑇1 + 𝑇2 = 1000 + 250 = 1250 𝑁

The bending moment diagram BMD for the shaft is as shown:

The reaction R1 is given by

𝐿2
R1 = 𝐹
𝐿
The bending moment M, is given by

𝐿1 ∗ 𝐿2
𝑀 = 𝐿1 ∗ 𝑅1 = 𝐹
𝐿
20 ∗ 30
𝑀= ∗ 1250 = 15000 𝑁. 𝑚𝑚
50
𝟑𝟐𝑴 𝟑𝟐 ∗ 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟎𝟎
𝝈𝒂 = = = 𝟐𝟗𝟖. 𝟒 𝑴𝑷𝒂
𝝅𝒅𝟑 𝝅 ∗ 𝟖𝟑
Since the shaft is rotating about a fixed force F, then the amplitude of the
reversed stress will be given by:
𝟑𝟐𝑴
𝑺𝒇 =
𝝅𝒅𝟑
The corresponding stress cycles to failure will be given by:
 𝑆𝑓 1
𝑁=( )𝑏
𝑎
Now

(0.8𝑆𝑢)2 (0.8 ∗ 400)2

𝑎= = = 682.67
𝑆𝑒 150
1 0.8 ∗ 400
𝑏 = − Log = −0.1097
3 150
𝑆𝑓 1 298.4 1
cycles𝑁 = ( )𝑏 = ( )−0.1097 = 1889.37
𝑎 682.67