Weakest Link Approach for the Estimation of Notch Support Factors
Please login to view abstract download link
Stress increasing features such as notches may cause significant reduction of estimated fatigue life of parts if local stresses are directly compared to the admissible stress obtained from experiments with smooth specimens. Fortunately, various methods are available for computing notch support factors, i.e. the benefit from realizing that component stresses are more localized than the homogeneous stress of a smooth specimen. A classical approach is weakest link. Here, we present a fast Finite-Element (FE) based scheme for computing weakest-link notch support factors for aero-engine parts subjected to complex HCF and LCF loads. We show parameter estimation for various aero engine material classes using a combination of experiments and finite element simulations. Finally, we discuss industry specific use cases and challenges.
