Consider a stress-time history consisting of a constant mean stress superimposed on a sinusoidal stress history.

Non-Symmetrical Cyclic Stress

max

Stress

0 min

Time - t

We have (t) = m + asin(t), where: m = the mean stress a = the stress amplitude as shown above. The figure also shows the maximum (max) and minimum (min) stress values during the stress history. What effect does this stress history have on the strength of the material? We have tp consider the separate strengths related to the stress amplitude (Sa) and to the mean stress (Sm). a = Sa/na and m = Sm/nm Note that we may have to use separate factors of safety for amplitude and mean stresses.

Experiments show that the effect of the mean stress is relatively small. The overall behavior can be approximated by the Goodman diagram shown below.

Goodman Diagram (1020 CD Steel)

(Se = 130 Mpa in this example)
350 300 250 200

Sy

Sa

Se
150
Goodman Line

100

-Sy
50 0 -400

Sy
Safe Area for Design

-300

-200

-100

100

200

300

400

500

Sm

Su