FACULTY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

“In the name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful”

La
b
#0 Fatigue Test
5

Prepared By
Ahmad Basirul Subha bin Alias
subha@ump.edu.my

Fakulti Kejuruteraan Mekanikal,

Universiti Malaysia Pahang

Lab Location
FKM-L-13A (Strength Laboratory)

Lab Objectives

By the end of this lab, students should be able to:

 Distinguish the influence of various curvature radii and surface
qualities onto materials’ life cycle.
 Determine the fatigue limit of the specimen by using the stress-
number diagram.
20 Date: ____________________

Student
Group Members Section
ID

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2
5

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1.0 Fatigue Study

In simplest words, fatigue is referred to the weakness of the materials

due to the repetitive motions. In engineering, fatigue is defined as
progressive, localized, and permanent structural damage when a
specific material is subjected to the cyclic, fluctuation or alternating
stresses and strains. Instances of where fatigue may occur are in
springs, turbine blades, airplane wings, bridges, and bones. Basically,
there are three basic cycles of stress that lead to fatigue of the
materials which are:

(i) Reversed stress cycle.

(ii) Repeated stress cycle.
(iii) Randomly varies of stress and frequency.

As far as the study of fatigue is concerned, one vital way to visualize

the failure limit of the specific material is S-N curve. S-N curve is a
representative between the plotting of the stress verse cycle to
failure. On this S-N curve, there will be a limit, called as fatigue limit.

Figure 1: S-N Curve

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2.0 Experiment Setup

 Commissioning and test run the machine to ensure that the

machine is in ready for operation condition. Firstly, erect the
revolving fatigue testing machine and connect to the power
supply. Secondly, Remove the protective hood (unhook the
fasteners by rotating the knobs to the left). Thirdly, relieve the
load device using the hand wheel (move the floating bearing
down to the bottom). Fourthly, remove any samples which may
be in position and lightly tighten the union nut on the collet
chuck. Finally, mount the protective hood and lock with all four
knobs.
 Please do ensure that the following things are properly checked:

(i) EMERGENCY OFF switch is released (pulled out).

(ii) Switch on the machine using the master switch.
(iii) Reset the counter using the RST button and counter must
display zero.
(iv) Starting up the motor using the motor control switch.
(v) Check the spindle is running smoothly and true.
(vi) Check the counter is counting correctly.
(vii) Check the automatic stop device is functioning.
 Properly insert the specimen to the collet chuck and check the
concentricity of the sample by rotating the spindle by hand.

Equipment and Materials

 Fatigue testing apparatus.

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Figure 2: Fatigue Testing Apparatus

 Three types of specimens made of tempering steel Ck35 as

follows:

(1) 0.5 mm curvature radius and 4 µm of surface roughness

(1 piece).
(2) 2.0 mm curvature radius and 4 µm of surface roughness
(1 piece).
(3) 2.0 mm curvature radius and 25 µm of surface roughness
(2 pieces).

Figure 2: Sample of Specimen for Fatigue Test

3.0 Experiment Procedure

Test 1: To distinguish the influence of various curvature radii and

surface qualities onto materials’ life cycle

1. Examine all three test bar types (three pieces of each type).
2. In all cases, the load F=250 N corresponding to σa=500 N/mm2
3. For each specimen and each type, do the load cycle loading until
numbers of cycles to rupture the specimen achieved.

IMPORTANT!!

Never apply the load when the machine is idle, since there is a
risk of plastic deformation and untrue running. Be ensure to
bring the load the desired level as quickly as possible because
the sample is already under alternating load but the load cycle
cannot yet be counted because the load is too small.

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Test2: To determine the fatigue limit of the specimen by using the

stress-number diagram:

1. For this experiment, please do use the specimen Number 3.

2. Reduce the load generally from one experiment to the next from
the maximum value F=200 N corresponding to σa=500 N/mm2 as
listed in the table.
3. Determine the numbers of load cycles until the specimen ruptures.
4. Enter the stress over the endurance in the semi-logarithmic
diagram and from here, determine from the stress-number
diagram, the fatigue limit of the specimen.

IMPORTANT!!

Never apply the load when the machine is idle, since there is a
risk of plastic deformation and untrue running. Be ensure to
bring the load the desired level as quickly as possible because
the sample is already under alternating load but the load cycle
cannot yet be counted because the load is too small.
4.0 Result
1. To distinguish the influence of various curvature radii and
surface qualities onto materials’ life cycle:

Table 1: Results for Test 1

Specimen Cycles to rupture

Type (N± 200)

1 11433

2 19383

3 14376

2. To determine the fatigue limit of the specimen by using the

stress-number diagram:

Table 2: Results for Test 2

Number of Load Cycles for Specimen 3 Under

Different Load 5

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Duratio
Numbe Load Stress Endura n
r (N) σa nce (n=280
(N/mm2) (N) 0 1/min)

1 250 500 NA NA

2 230 460 NA NA

3 220 440 10600 4 min

4 200 400 14030 5 min

5 170 340 48800 17 min 5

5.0 Discussion

(1) What is fatigue limit?

A characteristic of the material and its geometry. If a material is loaded below the
fatigue limit, the material will not fail, regardless of the number of cycles it is
subjected to.

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(2) What is fatigue life?

The number of cycles that will cause failure at a certain stress level. It means that,
when the number of cycles increase, the level of stress will also increase. When the
trend keep continues, at certain level of the stress, there will be a number of cycles for
specimens to fail.
3
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(3) What happen to the material if it is loaded below the fatigue

limit? Why?

That specific material will never fail regardless the number of cycles it is subjected
to. It is to the basis that, S-N curve is a representative of the magnitude of a cyclical
stress (S) against the cycles to failure (N). Hence, for the material with no S-N curve,
it is definitely that the material will not fail.

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6.0 Conclusion

Physical properties of the materials will influence their life cycle trend, every
material will employ their own, and specific S-N curve.

References

Any related references

APPENDIX

Work Sheet: Stress-Number Diagram:

Sample no. 4 : Medium carbon steel (normalizing)

Description :

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Sample no. 12 : White cast iron

Description :

Sample no. 14 : Ductile cast iron

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