Experiment Title: Fatigue Test

Subject: UEME 2133 Engineering Materials

Course: CL

Date of Experiment: 20 June 2016

Name of Lecturer: Dr Sujan Chowdhury
Name of Student Student ID No Year and Semester

Logasaeran 1403445 Y3S1

Sri Ramakrishna 1302557 Y3S1

Received by: ____________________ Date: ________________

Lab Asst/ Lab Officer

Lecturer

Receipt of Lab Report Submission

(To be keep by student)
Experiment Title: Fatigue Test
Subject: UEME 2133 Engineering Materials
Course: CL
Name of Student Student ID No Year and Semester

Logasaeran 1403445 Y3S1

Sri Ramakrishna 1302557 Y3S1

Received by: ____________________ Date: ________________

 TITLE
Fatigue Test
AIM
To determine the fatigue characteristics of two different metals
OBJECTIVES
1. Study the increase in the magnitudes of the applied stress affect the number of cycles to failure
2. Determine the fatigue strength of copper at 3 x 104 cycles
3. Determine the fatigue life Nf of brass at the applied stress level of 50 MPa
4. Identify the possible source(s) of error in the experiment and how the error can be minimized to
improve the accuracy of the experimental result
INTRODUCTION
In engineering, manifestation of progressive fracture in a solid under cyclic loading as in the case
of a metal strip that ruptures after repeated bending back and forth. Fatigue fracture begins with one or
several cracks on the surface that spread inward in the course of repeated application of forces until
complete rupture suddenly occurs when the small unaffected portion is too weak to sustain the load.
Structural and machine parts subject to vibrations and other cyclic loading must be designed to avoid
fatigue fracture.
Fatigue occurs when a material is subjected to repeated loading and unloading. If the
loads are above a certain threshold, microscopic cracks will begin to form at the stress concentrators
such as the surface, persistent slip bands (PSBs), and grain interfaces. [1] Eventually a crack will
reach a critical size, the crack will propagate suddenly, and the structure will fracture. The shape of
the structure will significantly affect the fatigue life; square holes or sharp corners will lead to
elevated local stresses where fatigue cracks can initiate. Round holes and smooth transitions or
fillets will therefore increase the fatigue strength of the structure.

The process of fatigue is characterized by three distinct steps:

(1) crack initiation, wherein a small crack forms at some point of high stress concentration;

(2) crack propagation, during which this crack advances incrementally with each stress cycle;

(3) final failure, which occurs very rapidly once the advancing crack has reached a critical size.
 In this experiment, two different metals are tested with different values of load. However,
more load is applied for brass than aluminum as the number of turns for the fatigue tester to
break that specific metal for brass is higher than aluminum. Then, S-N curve is plotted to study
the relationship between applied stress and the number of cycles to failure.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENTS

a) 3 copper specimen

b) 3 brass specimen

c) Fatigue Tester
Load Nut

Display
Number of
Counter

Spring
Balance

Inverter
Speed
Control
Power Motor Shaft
Switch

 Load Nut – Required Load is set by rotating the load nut

 Spring Balance – Shows the maximum load applied onto the specimen

 Power Switch – Turn on and off the motor

 Motor – Generates power to rotate the shaft

 Shaft – Holds the specimen

d) Vernier Calipers
 PROCEDURES

1. One end of the specimen was placed into the shaft and the other end was put into the

bearing at the load end.

2. The grips in the chuck were tightened using the tee key provided.

3. The required load on the specimen as per suggested was set by turning the load nut.

Suggested Load:

Copper Specimen – 8, 10, 12 Kg; Brass Specimen – 12, 16, 20 Kg

4. The revolution counter was set to zero and the main switch of the inverter speed control

was turned on.

5. The required frequency of the motor was set.

6. The motor was let to run until the specimen fails

7. The number of turns upon failure was recorded.

 RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS

Load 8 kg 10 kg 12kg

−3 −3 −3
Diameter (d ) 4 ×10 m 4 ×10 m 4 ×10 m

Length (l ) 2.38 ×10

−2
m 2.38 ×10
−2
m 2.38 ×10
−2
m

Number of turn 501 230 104

Table 1: Experimental results and measurement of copper element

Load 12 kg 16 kg 20kg

−3 −3 −3
Diameter (d ) 4 ×10 m 4 ×10 m 4 ×10 m

Length (l ) −2
2.34 × 10 m
−2
2.34 × 10 m
−2
2.34 × 10 m

Number of turn 3798 378 146

Table 2: Experiment results and measurement of brass element

Sample calculation

Using data of copper for applied load of 8kg .

32 Pl
Maximum bending stress amplitude, S= 3
πd

P= Load in Newton (N)

Using g= 9.81ms−2
 32 ( 8 ×9.81 ) ( 2.38 ×10−2 )
S= 3
π ( 4 ×10−3 )

¿ 297 MPa

Load ( N ) 78.48 98.1 117.72

Stress ( Pa) 297.3M 371.6M 445.9M

ln (number of turn) 6.22 5.44 4.64

Table 3: Maximum bending stress of copper element for different loads

Load ( N ) 117.72 156.96 196.2

Stress ( Pa) 438.4M 584.6M 730.7M

ln (number of turn) 8.24 5.93 4.98

Table 4: Maximum bending stress of brass element for different loads

 Stress against ln(number of turns) for copper
450
f(x) = − 94.0456099124119 x + 882.581147190771
430

410

390
Stress (MPa)

370

350

330

310

290
4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5
ln(number of turns)

Graph 1: Stress against ln(number of turns) for copper element

 Stress against ln(number of turns) for brass
750

700
f(x) = − 84.7502697703099 x + 1125.55588870048
650
Stress (Mpa)

600

550

500

450

400
4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5
ln(number of turns)

Graph 2: Stress against ln(number of turns) for copper element

DISCUSSION

1) Relationship between magnitudes of the applied stress and the number of cycles to failure

Based on the experiment conducted, the number of cycle, N to failure depends on the

magnitude of the applied stress on the material. The higher the magnitude of the applied stress,

lower the number of cycles to failure. This is relevant because based on the results obtained

above it shows that the maximum bending stress amplitude, S for both the materials, copper and

brass decreases as the number of cycles to failure increases. There are several reasons that affect

the number of cycles for each material. One of the major reasons is the type of material used. For

this experiment we have used brass and copper. The number of cycle, for both the

materials varies widely. Based on our observation when the load applied to the specimen is

equals to 12kg, the number of cycles for brass is 9349 where else for copper is 167. Other factors

that affect the number of cycles is the surface quality of the material used. Surface roughness can
cause microscopic stress concentrations that lower the fatigue strength. The higher the magnitude

of the applied stress, this will result in the damage on the specimen increases and the cracks will

initiate followed by a progressive crack growth across the part. Finally, there will be a sudden

fracture in the remaining cross section.

2) Determine the fatigue strength of copper at 3 x 104 cycles

To determine the fatigue strength of copper at 3 x 10 4 cycles, substitute the value into the

equation obtained from the graph of stress versus Log N for copper.

y = -94.046x + 882.58_____(1)

Where,

Log N = Log (3 x 10 4)

N= 4.477

Subs x = 4.477 into (1),

y = -94.046(4.477) + 882.58

= 461.53 MPa

The fatigue strength of copper at 3 x 10 4cycle is equals to 461.53 MPa.

3) Determine the fatigue life Nf of brass at the applied stress level of 50 MPa
 To determine the fatigue life, Nf, of brass at the applied stress level of 50 MPa, substitute

the value into equation obtained from graph of the stress verses Log N for Brass.

y = -84.75x + 1125.6 _____(2)

Subs y = 50 MPa into (2)

50 = -84.75x + 1125.6

x=12.7

Log N = 12.7

N= 5.011×1012

Nf, of brass at the applied stress level of 50 MPa is 5.011×1012

4. Identify the possible source(s) of error in the experiment and how the error can be minimized to
improve the accuracy of the experimental result
During the conduct of the experiment, a possible source for error could be physical

variations, which is a form of random error whereby the measurements of the specimen’s

specifications may have been inaccurate using the Vernier caliper’s and might have

compromised the results of the calculations for the maximum bending stress amplitude for each

material and its respective loads. Thus, it will have been wiser and could have improved the

accuracy of the experimental results by measuring the length and diameter of the dumbbell-

shaped specimens about three times and then using those values to find an average value which

would be used during the calculation for the maximum bending stress amplitude, S and obtaining

much more accurate results with minimized potential for errors.

 CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, the aim and objectives of this experiment were achieved. It is

determined that brass has a higher fatigue limit when compared to copper. Thus it can withstand

a higher amount of stress before failure occurs. Besides that, copper has an endurance limit and

can endure lower amounts of stress before failing. The magnitude of the applied stress plays a

major role in determining the fatigue life, where when the magnitude increases, the number of

cycles decreases.

REFERENCES

1. Callister, W. D. & Rethwisch, D. G. (2010). Materials science and engineering: An

introduction. (8th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

2. Shackleford, J.F. (2000). Introduction to materials science for engineers. (5 th ed.).

Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall International.

3. Anon, (2015). [online] Available at:

http://www.mae.ncsu.edu/zhu/courses/mae316/lecture/9-Fatigue_Shig.pdf [Accessed

9 Aug. 2015].

4. Engineeringdiary.wordpress.com, (2008). Fatigue testing | Engineeringdiary's

Weblog. [online] Available at: https://engineeringdiary.wordpress.com/tag/fatigue-

testing/ [Accessed 9 Aug. 2015].