See

discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270341020

Fatigue Life Prediction of Different Steel

Materials with Variable Amplitude Loadings

Conference Paper · September 2008

DOI: 10.13140/2.1.1930.0167

CITATIONS READS

2 886

4 authors:

Sabah M. Beden Shahrum Abdullah

Middle Technical University National University of Malaysia
24 PUBLICATIONS 168 CITATIONS 463 PUBLICATIONS 2,049 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Ahmad Kamal Ariffin Prof. Dr. Md. Mustafizur Rahman

National University of Malaysia Universiti Malaysia Pahang
357 PUBLICATIONS 1,945 CITATIONS 565 PUBLICATIONS 5,247 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Experimental of surface roughness and tool wear on coolant condition technique using Aluminium
alloy 319 used in automotive industries View project

Condition-based monitoring View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Sabah M. Beden on 03 January 2015.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 8th WSEAS International Conference on Simulation, Modelling and Optimization (SMO '08).
Santander, Cantabria, Spain, September 23-25.

Fatigue Life Prediction of Different Steel Materials with

Variable Amplitude Loadings
S. M. BEDEN 1, S. ABDULLAH1, A. K. ARIFFIN1 and M. M. RAHMAN 2
1
Engineering Faculty, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor
MALAYSIA
1
sabah@vlsi.eng.ukm.my
2
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang

Abstract: - Based on fatigue failure theories (stress-life theories such as; Goodman and Gerber), this paper
presents a technique to predict the fatigue life of a shell structure of different materials with application of
measured variable amplitude loading. The finite element analysis technique was being used for the modelling and
simulation. Numerical life prediction results of the shell materials, low and medium carbon steel (ASTM A533,
AISI 1020, AISI 4340) are presented and discussed. There are many factors affecting the life predicted, a surface
condition effect was shown here. Reasonable difference appears through the comparison of the above materials.

Key-Words: - Finite Element Analysis, Shell, Stress-Life, Variable Amplitude Loadings.

1 Introduction and the amount of solute atoms or precipitates [2]

earlier models on HCF life have been developed
primarily based on the continuum damage
Most engineering components contain geometrical
mechanics utilizing various kinds of fatigue damage
discontinuities, such as shoulders, keyways, and
parameters [3] Many efforts have been devoted to
grooves, generally termed notches. When a notched
develop models for predicting high cycle fatigue
component is loaded, local stress and strain
life utilizing the small crack concept, but few
concentrations are generated in the notch area. The
models have included the microstructural
stresses often exceed the yield limit of the material
parameters. Recently, it has been suggested that,
in the small region around the notch root, even at
there is a model predicting HCF life of pure iron
relatively low nominal elastic stresses. When a
considering the grain size [4]. Pure iron was
notched component is subjected to cyclic loading,
adopted in their study to investigate the sole effect
cyclic inelastic strains in the area of stress and
of grain size. For the plain carbon steels containing
strain concentrations may cause formation of cracks
solute atoms or precipitates, however, the model
and their subsequent growth could lead to
needs to be modified to reflect the effects of solute
component fracture. For cracks that nucleate from a
addition and/or precipitates. It is reasonably
shallow or blunt notch, the fatigue behaviour is
considered that as the solute atoms are increased,
often dominated by crack nucleation. Cracks that
the friction stress for the dislocation movement will
nucleate from a sharp notch often nucleate rather
be increased [5].
quickly due to the elevated local stresses, and crack
The earliest models of multiaxial fatigue
growth often dominates the fatigue behaviour in
behaviour were based on elastic estimates of the
this case [1].
combined applied stress. Starting in the 1970s,
During the last decades, many investigations
much development effort was devoted to strain-
have been carried out to develop prediction models
based multiaxial fatigue models. The more recent
for the high cycle fatigue (HCF) life, since it takes
multiaxial fatigue models use energy-based
tremendous time and efforts to construct a S–N
parameters for life predictions, such as [6] and
(Stress–life) curve. Although it has been well
others. The recent critical plane models, such as the
known that the high cycle fatigue life is greatly
Smith–Watson–Topper model [7] Fatemi and Socie
influenced by the microstructural variables such as
[8] define the damage parameter, which is also an
grain size, the volume fraction of secondary phase
energy parameter but the normalized stress is used.
Among many multiaxial fatigue models, the von
Mises equivalent strain range such as adopted by
the ASME Code approach [9] is based on the
distortion energy, which is an average measure of
the shear stress/strain states and should be
representative of damage parameters. The weakness
of this parameter for non-proportional loading [10]
may be overcome by correction for the effects of
non-proportional loading.
It is important to note that changing the
operational environment can significantly degrade the
safety of a structure, failed under abnormal operations
due to the fracture of small 3 mm deep weld defects
that were not detectable either at the time of
manufacture or throughout its operational life [11].
Low-alloy steels have been extensively applied in
fabricating pressure boundary components in nuclear
power plants due to their relatively excellent
mechanical properties and moderately good
weldability [12]. The problem of the material fracture
in pipeline are a coupling of gas decompression and
material cracking resistance, remains a critical issue.
Several methodologies have been proposed for that
purpose[13]. In the other hand many laboratory
studies and some field experience have shown that
water environments accelerate the fatigue crack
propagation rate in ferritic steels [14].
The main objective of this paper is to study the
fatigue life prediction of different materials using
stress based method with variable amplitude loadings
(VAL) measured from experiments. The application
here was a shell structure (pipeline) with infinite
length affected by cyclic internal pressure analyzed
using finite element approach (FEA).The selection of
the material depend mainly on the design and the
application of it which has a direct effect on the life of
the material’s components. The analysis showed
different fatigue life prediction through stress-life
curve under the same VAL for three types of low and
medium carbon steel materials (ASTM A533, AISI
1020 and AISI 4340). There are many factors affected
the life prediction, some of them depends on the
material like heat treatment and percentage of the
component (carbon, sulpher etc.). The others depends
on the application; i e. the type of the loads (CAL or
VAL) or the surrounding effect (moisture, percentage
of hydrogen etc.).The effect of surface condition was
also discussed in this paper.
2 Theoretical Background
During fatigue testing, the test specimen is subjected to
alternating loads until failure. The loads applied to the
specimens were defined by either a constant stress range
(Sr) or a constant stress amplitude (Sk). The stress range
and stress amplitude are defined as Equations (1) and (2),
respectively.
S r  S max  S min
(1)
Sk 
Sr

S max  S min  (2)
2 2
where Smax and Smin are the maximum and minimum
cyclic stresses respectively.
The magnitude of the stress range or amplitude is
the independent variable and the number of cycles to
failure is the dependent variable.
Most of the time, S-N fatigue testing is conducted
using fully reversed loading. Fully reversed indicates
that loading is alternating about a zero mean stress.
The mean stress and stress ratio are defined as in
equations (3) and (4) respectively.
Sm 
S max  S min  (3)
2
S min
R (4)
S max
Equation (5) represents the typical S-N curve:

S k  S f 2 N f  b
(5)
Where b is the fatigue strength exponent, and S f is
the fatigue strength coefficient. This expression
developed from log-log S-N graphs is the most
widely used equation (known as the Basquin relation)
in the stress-based approach to fatigue analysis and
design [15].
Fatigue life data exhibit widely scattered results
due to the inherent micro-structural in homogeneity
in the materials properties, differences in the
surface and the test conditions of each specimen,
and other factors. In general, the variance of log life
increases as the stress level decreases. It has been
observed that once grains nucleate cracks in a
material at high stress levels, these cracks have a
better chance of overcoming the surrounding
microstructure. Most of the grains can successfully
nucleate cracks at low stress levels, but only very
few of them can overcome the surrounding
obstacles such as orientation,size, and
microstructure to grow a crack. As a result of the
unavoidable variation in fatigue data, median S-N
fatigue life curves are not sufficient for fatigue
analysis and design. The statistical nature of the
fatigue must be considered.
The fatigue damage of a component correlates 0.
strongly with the applied stress amplitude or 5
Se / Su
applied stress range and is also influenced by the
mean stress. In the high-cycle fatigue region, Goodman
normal mean stresses have a significant effect on (1899) Gerber
fatigue behaviour of components. Normal mean S k / Su (1899)
stresses are responsible for the opening and closing
state of micro-cracks. Due to the opening of micro-
cracks that accelerates the rate of crack propagation
and the closing of micro-cracks retards the growth
of cracks, tensile normal means stresses are
detrimental and compressive normal mean stresses 0 1
are beneficial in terms of fatigue strength. The 0 S m / Su
shear mean stress does not influence the opening
and closing state of micro-cracks, and, not FIGURE 2. Haigh’s plot for the Gerber’s
surprisingly, has little effect on crack propagation. and Goodman’s diagram
There is very little or no effect mean stress on
fatigue strength in the low-cycle fatigue region in Mathematically, the Gerber parabola and the
which the large amounts of plastic deformation Goodman line in Haigh’s coordinates [17] can be
erases any beneficial or detrimental effect of a expressed as the expressions in equations (6) and (7).
mean stress. Early empirical models [15] were It mentioned about the Gerber’s mean stress
proposed to compensate for the tensile normal correction, i. e.:
mean stress effects on the high-cycle fatigue Sk
strength. Se  2
(6)
In 1874, Gerber [16] proposed a parabolic S 
representation of Wöhler’s fatigue limit data on a plot 1  m 
S 
of as shown in Figure (1). Goodman introduced a  u
theoretical line representing the available fatigue data
and the Goodman’s mean stress correction i. e.:
based on an impact criterion for bridge designs.
Goodman justified the use of the impact criterion on
a basis that it was easy, simple to use, and provided a Sk
good fit to the data. In 1917, Haigh [17] first plotted Se  (7)
S
fatigue data for brasses on a Sk vs. Sm plot. Figure (2) 1 m
represents the Haigh plot of Gerber and Goodman Su
mean stress corrections. The ordinate of the Haigh
plot is the normalized fatigue limit, and the maximum where Se is the fatigue limit for fully reversed
mean stress is limited to the ultimate strength Su. The loading, Sk is the stress amplitude and Sm is the
curve connecting these two points on the two axes mean stress.
represents combinations of stress amplitudes and
means stresses given at the fatigue limit life. 3 Computational Simulation: Results
1 and Discussions
It is also well known that fatigue life predictions,
S max / S u based on the Wöhler curve [3] from the constant
S k / Su amplitude tests, often give large systematic
S k / Su prediction errors for service loads at variable
amplitude. Many refinements of the fatigue damage
calculations have been suggested, especially mean
stress corrections, and also crack closure models.
The main contribution of this paper is the method
for prediction of the S-N curves from different
materials with variable amplitude loadings as well
as to study the factors affecting that prediction.
-1
-1 S min / S u 1

FIGURE 1. Gerber’s and Goodman’s

diagrams for Wöhler’s data
 The finite element technique was used for different types of flow, then converted into
modelling and simulation of the case studied of the stresses using equation (8), as shown in Figure(4).
shell as a cylinder in three-dimension mesh showed
in Figure 3.

FIGURE 4. Stress loadings history

In this analysis, different carbon steel ( low and

Inner Diameter=250mm,
Thickness/Diameter<0.1, Length>10*Diameter
FIGURE 3. Finite element mesh of a shell structure
medium carbon steel) materials of the shell (ASTM
A533, AISI 1020 and AISI 4340) with different
mechanical properties are selected, which they are
normally used in manufacturing pipes. The
chemical compositions and mechanical properties
at the room temperature [18,19] are listed in Table
1 and Table 2 respectively.
TABLE 1. Chemical composition (wt%) of steel
materials

For this purpose, the Finite Element analysis Chemical material ASTM AISI AISI
technique with tetrahedral elements (10 nodes) was composition A533 1020 4340
being used for the modelling and simulating based %
on MSC Nastran/Patran analysis codes Carbon, C 0.160 0.170 -0.370 -
To study the fatigue life prediction in this 0.230 0.430
analysis a shell with T/D<0.1 (where T is the
Iron, Fe 97.37699.080 96
-
thickness and D is the diameter) and L/D>10
99.530
(where L is the length) was used.
Components or structures are subjected to quite Manganese, Mn 1.150 0.300 -
0.700
diverse load histories, their histories may be rather 0.600
simple and repetitive, at the other extreme, and they
may be completely random. The load using here are Phosphorous, P 0.010   0.035
from experiential work. 0.040
Masing’s assumption [15] states that the stress Sulfur, S 0.003   0.040
amplitude versus strain amplitude curve can be 0.050
described by the cyclic stress-strain curves, Silicon, Si 0.200 0.230
meaning
Molybdenum, Mo 0.200 0.200 -
   0.300
  e  p    '  1 ' (8)
E K  n
Nickel, Ni 1.830
The load data used here are a real strains measured
experimentally using strain gauges on pipes under
 Chromium, Cr 0.700 - showen clearly in Figure 6.
0.900

TABLE 2. Mechanical properties of steel materials

Mechanical ASTM AISI AISI

properties Materials A533 1020 4340
Yield strength 670 295 731
MPa
Ultimate strength 720 395 855
MPa
Modulus of Elasticity 205 200 205
GPa
Hardness, Brinell 230 111 255
Elongation at Break 28 36.5 21.7
%

Using the cyclic load history mentioned above as

an internal pressure to the shell to understand the
evaluation and distribution of cyclic stress field
under cyclic loading conditions. The linear static
analysis was performed using finite element
software to determine the stress results for the
model. The results of the maximum principle
stresses are used for the subsequent fatigue life
analysis. Figure 5 showed the contour (image) of
the stress distribution on the shell.
FIGURE 6. Stress-Life Curve using
Goodman and Gerber theories
The behaviour of different low and medium carbon
steel materials were studied and showed in Figure
7, which indicated that high ultimate strength and
hardness of medium carbon steel AISI 4340, with
the chemical composition such as chromium,
manganese and nickel gives long life greater by
more than 95% compare to AISI 1020 and more
than 85% as compare with ASTM A533, but still
ASTM A533 butter than AISI 1020 by 80% of the
predicted life.

FIGURE 5. Contour display of stresses on

shell structure

FIGURE 7. S-N curve for different steel

The normal mean stresses have a significant effect
on fatigue behavior of components. Normal mean
stresses are responsible for the opening and closing
state of micro-cracks. The effect of mean stress on
alternating fatigue life, which they are varied from
curve (Gerber) to straight line (Goodman). These
effects lead to Gerber approach gives higher
predicted life than Goodman approach, which are
materials
Since most of fatigue failure originate at the
surface, the surface will have a substantial
influence on fatigue behavior. Surface effects are
caused by differences in surface roughness,
microstructure, chemical composition, and residual
stresses. Most engineering parts, however, are not
highly polished, and grinding or machining, even if
done carefully, will cause degradation in fatigue
strength. To show the effect of various surface
finish on fatigue life of the shell, we study here
three type of surface finishing, Figure 8, showed
the effect of surface finish on fatigue life of the
shell as a comparison between the polished,
machined and hot rolled, the polished surface gave
better life at the same stress with others. This is
clear at low stresses, but the differences are so
small at high stresses. He polished surface reduced
the crack nucleation and hot rolled cause surface
decarburization, which leads to have lower
strength, while the machined surface mainly
affected by the stress concentration.
FIGURE 8. Effect of different surface
condition on shell structure
4 Conclusion
The fatigue life of different steel materials using
stress based method with variable amplitude
loadings (VAL) measured from experiments was
discussed using finite element approach (FEA).
The application here was a shell structure (pipeline)
with infinite length The analysis showed different
fatigue life prediction through stress-life curve
under the same VAL for three types of low and
medium carbon steel materials (ASTM A533, AISI
1020 and AISI 4340), taking into account the effect
of mean stress by using Goodman and Gerber
theories. The effect of surface condition (polished,
machined and hot rolled) was studied and shown in
this paper.
The obtained results indicate that the influence of
mean stress correction are different for the
compressive and the tensile mean stress. The
predicted fatigue life appears to be more
conservative for the tensile mean stress than
compressive mean stress. It observed that that
Goodman mean stress correction method for the
stress-life approach gives the most conservative
results when the time histories are predominately
tensile mean. However, the Gerber mean stress
correction model gives the conservative results
when the time histories predominantly are zero
mean.
In the majority of the lifetime analysis, the
deformation pattern remains stable and the material
stiffness degrades due to the damage accumulated
after each cycle. The fatigue resistance of steel
depends more on material strength, the higher
ultimate strength and hardness, the longer life. The
condition of the surface and the residual surface
stress cause by a machining operation are important
criteria to be investigated. Since the fatigue can be
associated with the surface phenomenon. The hot
rolling causes surface decarburization and the loss
of atoms from the surface of material weakens the
material strength and may also produce residual
tensile stresses. Both of these factors are really
detrimental to fatigue strength. The surface
compressive residual stress has the greatest effect
on the fatigue life. It can be concluded that the
polished surface finishes provide the unsurpassed results
while the hot rolled provide the minimum life.
References:
[1] A., Fatemi, Zeng, Z. & Plaseied, A. “ Fatigue
behavior and life prediction of notched
specimens made of QT and forged
microalloyed steels”. International Journal of
Fatigue, 2004,26:663-672.
[2] R. W. Landgraf. “ Fatigue and
microstructures”. In: Meshii M, edit ASM,
1979, pp 439-440.
[3] A. Fatemi, & Yang, L. “Cumulative fatigue
damage and life prediction theories: a survey
of the state of the art for homogeneous
materials”, International Journal of Fatigue,
1998, 20(1), pp 9-34.
[4] J. S. Park, ” A microstructural model for the
prediction of high cycle fatigue life based on
the small crack theory”. PhD Thesis.
POSTECH, 2003, Pohang, Korea.
[5] J. S. Park, Kim, K. H., Park, S. H. &Lee, C. S.
.“A microstructural model for predicting high
cycle fatigue life of steels”. International
Journal of Fatigue, 2005, 27:1115-1123.
[6 ] F. Ellyin, Golos, K. & Xia, Z.” In-phase and
out-of-phase multiaxial fatigue”. Trans.
ASME Journal of Engineering Materials
Technology; 1991, 113:112–118.
[7] R. N. Smith, Watson, P. & Topper, TH. “ A
 stress strain function for the fatigue of metal”.
Journal of Materials, 1970, 5(4):767–778..
[8] A. Fatemi & Socie, D. “A critical plane
approach to multiaxial fatigue damage
including out-of-phase loading”. Fatigue and
Fracture Engineering Materials Structures,
1988, 11(3):149–165.
[9] ASME Code. Case N-47-23 Case of ASME
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, 1988.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
[10] B. Li, Reis, L. & de Freitas, M. “Simulation
of cyclic stress/strain evolutions for
multiaxial fatigue life prediction”.
International Journal of Fatigue, 2006,
28:451-458.
[11] L. Molent, Jones, R., Barter S. & Pitt, S. ”
Recent development in fatigue crack growth
assessment”. International Journal of
Fatigue, 28(12)2006:1759-1768.
[12] W. U. Xinqiang, Yasuyuki Katada, Sang, G.,
Lee, & Kim, IN. S. “Hydrogen-Involved tensile
and cyclic deformation behavior of low-alloy
pressure vessel steel”. Metallurgical and
Materials Transaction A. 2004, 35A (5):1477-
1485.
[13] T. Pavankumar, Samal M, Chattopadhyay J,
Dutta B, Kushwaha Roos E. “Transferability of
fracture parameters from specimens to
component level”. International Journal of
Pressure Vessels Piping 2005;82:386–99.
[14] D. Erent Eason, Edward Nelson E. & Gilman
Joe D. “Modeling of fatigue crack growth rate
for ferritic steels in light water reactor
environments”. Nuclear Engineering and
Design. 1988, 184:89-111.
[15] A. Julie, Bannantine, Jess J. Comer, James L.
Handrock, Fundamentails of metal fatigue
analysis Prntice Hall, 1990.
[16] W. Z. Gerber, “Calculation of the allowable
stresses in iron structures”Z. Bayer Archif
Enginneering, 1874, Ver. 6(6):101-110.
[17] B. P. Haigh, “Experiments on the fatigue of
brasses”, Journal of the institute of Metals, 1917,
18:55-86.
[18] Metatls Handbook,Vol. 1,-Properities and
Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance
Alloys, ASM International 10th Ed. 1990.
[19] SAE Ferrous Materials Standards Manual, 1999
ed, HS-30, Society of Automative Engineers, Inc.
Warrendale, PA.

View publication stats