This paper on "Finite Element Based Fatigue Calculations" was presented at the NAFEMS World Congress on The Evolution of Product Simulation From Established Methods to Virtual Testing & Prototyping - 24-28 April 2001, The Grand Hotel, Lake Como, Italy.

Summary

The following paper comprises extracts from a forthcoming book on "Finite Element Based Fatigue Calculations" to be published shortly by NAFEMS. The purpose of the book is to provide an introduction to the basic underlying concepts of fatigue analysis within the FE environment. This goal can be stated further as to give engineers involved in FE a basic understanding of fatigue; and to give engineers involved in fatigue a basic understanding of FE.
Nearly all mechanical and most structural engineering companies have to include reliability issues within their design processes and, with the advent of CAE methods, the topic of FE based fatigue calculations has become very important. The goal of such new elements in the design process is to perform fatigue and durability calculations much earlier, thereby reducing or removing the need for expensive redesign later on.
This paper gives several examples using current design problems recently analyses using the state of the art FE based fatigue solver MSC.Fatigue.